One of the first questions I ask every CEO, president or business owner I have the opportunity to meet or work with who is seeking something more in business (and often, in life) is: What do you want? Not what do you want from me as an advisor and business strategist but: What do YOU REALLY want? What do you want in leading your business? What results? What vision do you have for your business? How much sales volume? How much profit? Then I ask the question: What kind of life do you want to lead? Do you want to lead an extraordinary life? If so, how?
All of the above questions are important if you’re a CEO, president or business owner.
Why?
Because if you don’t really know…
- What type of life you want to lead
- Where you want to live
- What size house you want to live in
- What car you want to drive
- How much will it cost to send your children to college
- What your plan for retirement is
- Whether you want a second house at the beach/in the mountains or perhaps a boat for weekends or vacations
- How simple of a life you want to live
… then how do you know how best to organize and lead your company?
If you need to make $100,000 per year then you think about your company one way. If you need to make one million dollars per year – or more – you’ve got to think about your company in another way.
Business people will often dream about how they want to live an extraordinary life.
An extraordinary life requires an extraordinary effort on your part. It doesn’t just happen on its own!
Somewhere along the path of life, many people have been persuaded you can work a few hours a week, surround yourself with the most spectacular, talented people, sit back, relax, don’t really do much and prosper while simply raking in the money. That sort of persuasion only makes money for those presenting such ideas but rarely, if ever, for the ones buying it. Don’t get sold!
If you want to have an extraordinary life it requires taking responsibility in leading your business.
You must surround yourself with extraordinary people who will help you get the job done and believe in your vision; what your business goals are. As a leader, bring out the very best in everyone you work with. Set the example for others to follow; to be inspired or motivated by. The reality is that not everyone you hire will share your enthusiasm or put their full effort into their work. Those people need to be respectfully given the opportunity of a lifetime to find a more suitable work environment elsewhere. Don’t allow others to prevent you from an extraordinary life or from leading your business to more success.
If you expect the people around you including employees, co-workers and other business associates to do an excellent job every day; to be extraordinary, to go beyond expectations, then that’s exactly what YOU must do.
You must be extraordinary in…
- Understanding your business
- Knowing what it is you want and how to attain it
- Hiring and working side-by-side with people
- Being a leader.
Remember: Leaders lead.
As a CEO, president or business owner, you must understand how to lead yet still have your own personal management style that is unique to you and how you conduct business each day. Leadership is getting people to understand what needs to be done. To have people follow through on your company direction and instructions.
In leading your business, you must relate to the people working with you – employees, outside vendors, other professional services and especially, customers. It works both ways for success and profit; in leading an extraordinary life.
- You must understand and relate to people.
- You must understand where you’re going.
- You must understand how much sales volume (and profit) the business needs to make.
- You must understand the degree of effort it takes to do the level of business you expect.
You must educate yourself all the time. If you do not educate yourself continually on whatever it is you need to have more knowledge or skill of then you’re just showing up to work every day. Absorbing more information isn’t the complete answer either. The key is to then put it into ACTION! Otherwise, you will never have an extraordinary business.
Be open to learning every day. Business lessons can occur from the least likely or most obvious sources. Be aware what and who is around you as much as possible – including the competition. Explore what makes others have a life and business you admire. What you observe will assist in leading your business to more success and help you to live an extraordinary life (however you define that).
Remember:
This is the easiest time to get into business. It is the hardest time to stay in business.
- Why is it the easiest time to get into business?
– Because of the flow of information available to anyone.
- Why is it the hardest time to stay in business?
– Because of the incredible competition. People have more options as to who they do business with today.
People expect things faster due to technology. Make certain you and your company can maintain the pace; otherwise, you’ll be left behind. As will the extraordinary life you seek.
So often CEOs, presidents and business owners are reminded of the importance to have a business plan. One that is updated regularly. Not only do you need a strategic, detailed plan for the business, but you also need a plan for yourself with specifics of:
- Want you want your extraordinary life to be
- How you are going to make your life + your business extraordinary
- What will it take to get there?
Always be asking: What’s next?
Keep asking yourself:
- How can I become a better, more effective leader?
- How can I become more successful?
- How can I learn more?
- How can I understand people more – including employees and customers?
Jump right in to finding the answers to these questions for yourself! Don’t stop!
Continue to build your business.
Build upon your success.
Make that extraordinary life you want HAPPEN!
To your success!
Business expert and strategist, Howard Lewinter, guides – focuses – advises CEOs, presidents and business owners throughout the United States across a wide range of industries, to MORE success – MORE profit – less stress. Business people trust Howard’s vast business knowledge, practical advice, intuitive insight and objective perspective to solve business problems and issues. Get MORE from your business! Talk business with Howard: 888-738-1855.
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