I talk with CEOs, presidents, owners and entrepreneurs about business success every day from coast to coast here in the United States. If I ask any businessperson, I have a conversation with: What’s it like to be in business? Is it difficult? The answer may be: Oh yeah! Every single day is like a marathon. Every single day there is something going on. Every single day there is a problem; sometimes more than one problem. Every single day is a challenge.
Well, that’s just being in business!
Two Factors For Business Success
Here are the two key factors that helps someone achieve real business success:
- Knowing who you are
- Knowing what you want and need to accomplish.
You may be surprised to know that many businesspeople don’t know who they are.
You are a businessperson for a specific reason. You must understand you are there to take a group of people and mold that group of people, positively and successfully, into a team. The team will provide excellent products and service to your customers. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?!
If you don’t know who you are; if you don’t know what you are seeking to accomplish as a businessperson, then how can you get other people to follow you? That’s a big question you need to answer for yourself as a CEO, president, founder or business owner.
Leaders Lead
Leaders lead. Period.
Leaders lead because that is what businesspeople do. They understand people are not going to follow them unless they have direction. People, such as employees, are not going to follow the leader unless the leader is pointing out to them exactly where to go, what to do and why it is critical to the mission of the company. A leader must believe in himself/herself for business success to happen.
As a leader, if you are not:
- strong
- believe in yourself
- believe in your business
- believe in your ability to get the job done
- believe in your ability to lead people
- believe you are able to secure customers trust.
Then people are going to sense that… and more.
People will become aware of any insincerity or ineptness that leads to promises unkept.
Know your capabilities as a CEO, president or business owner all factors into your business success. Know what you understand and what you don’t understand about your business. Know what people you need to surround yourself with to succeed every day. That includes those people who excel at what you don’t do well or don’t have the time for in order to be a leader; to be a strategist – rather than putting out “fires” and doing busy work that doesn’t keep the business moving forward.
Business success can help you live the life you want!
Work with people that will help you to live your business dreams and the dreams you have for your life. That’s business success!
For example, once a contract is signed for agreed upon work, you know how important scheduling, production and meeting deadlines can be. You have to be able and efficient enough to get the product or service out the door and to the customer or client on time. Otherwise, you lose the business – if not on current business then on future work. The company reputation is held in the balance with each customer interaction as is your leadership reputation.
You must know, as a leader, what your skills are. Know what you are good at. Know what you’re not good at. Know what direction you want to take the company. Know how to get there each and every business day. Otherwise, business success will not happen as you want it to happen.
The problem or challenge is there are many businesspeople who own a business but just have a job. They may tell everybody what to do, direct everything from their desk and want to control everything. You cannot grow a business that way. It will not lead to long term business success.
That’s why as a CEO, president or business owner, know what you are good at; understand what it is you are not good at. Surround yourself with exceptional people. Continuously train and motivate those people. Every step along the way, put yourself as a leader in a position of always wanting to learn more. Maintain an open mind and be aware of new ideas that will make your company more successful. But you can only do that if you know who you are as a businessperson.
Remember:
- Know where you are going.
- Know what direction you want to take with your business AND with your life.
- Know what you need to do every day.
- Look introspectively at yourself.
- Understand where you are successful; Understand where you are not successful.
- Realize you can’t be successful at everything.
Business success is leading a team of people, showing customers and clients how you are there for them every day; and demonstrate how by working with you it will be a profitable experience for everyone.
What to do next:
Starting today, sit down and think about yourself. Think about your successes as well as your failures.
Start to find out exactly: who you are and where you want to go in business and in life. Then begin to make it happen. One thought, one action will lead to the next step and the next step after that. It’s not quite as easy as it may sound but you must begin in order to succeed. Every day matters. That’s why it is important to know who you are for business success.
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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