After yet again seeing the term veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered) pop up in a movie, I thought I’d shake up ol’ Julius’s phrase.
In business we should be looking to conquer issues – and no, not our competitors. Grow the pie instead of trying to scoff it all.
From an advisory perspective though, the client might conquer issues, but we don’t. So, what happens when we sit down with clients and identify (see) their issues and opportunities?
Too often people know the right path to follow, but what is right may not be easy, may not be as profitable or sometimes isn’t popular. It is however right.
The difference between knowing the right path and taking the right path is often integrity.
Integrity isn’t always easy, doesn’t always generate the most money and doesn’t guarantee popularity.
Integrity does matter though.
Never compromise your integrity, the price you pay is never worth it.
Remember, you become stronger whenever integrity is your motivation.
I’m currently reading “The Fish Rots from the Head, Developing Effective Board Directors” by Bob Garratt.
It’s a great book and something every director, or aspiring director should sink their teeth into.
One of the many points I’ve taken note of is how simple strategy really is. While I personally love a one page strategic plan, organisations tend to spend a lot of time pondering, planning, writing and in reality, complicating strategy.
Garratt argues that there are only five strategic directions to consider:
Advance
Retreat
Hold your ground
Make Alliances
Withdraw totally
This made me stop and think. Strategy is a wonderful opportunity to think and create, but we can still keep it very focussed.
As Amelia Barr said, “It is always the simple that produces the marvelous”.
A period of reflection this afternoon reminded me of the time I had my first midlife career tangent. When you receive support, even though you had no prior knowledge that you needed it, it can have a profound impact. Suddenly giving back becomes really important to you.
It’s more than just being thankful. It might sound cheesy, but it absolutely is an awakening. Something that builds from within and consumes you.
The wonderful irony is that you become grateful for the opportunity to give back.
It’s tough out there at the moment – we all know that.
If you’re purpose driven, you see it from both sides. The need has increased while funding and/or sales are difficult.
We want to do more, but it feels like we have less.
It’s OK, saving the world takes time.
It might sound counterintuitive but now is a good time to ensure your strategies, plans and systems are all serving you well.
Our natural reaction to tough times is to work harder, chase the income and support others as much as possible. Nothing wrong with that but at a fundamental level, there is one question we need to ask ourselves. If this climate continues for say another six to 12 months, do we know for sure that we still be here doing what we’re doing?
We’ve seen some great organisations close their doors or significantly downsizing due to these tough economic times. Something I’ve learnt lately is that doing great things, over a long time and having a great national profile does not guarantee your sustainability.
As I said above, saving the world is a long game. Please take the time now to ensure your organisation will survive.
Dear LinkedIn, please be assured I really do love you, but I think we need to have a chat.
We’ve known each other for a long time, and I feel we can be honest with each other.
What were once endearing and informative traits are now becoming a bit repetitive. Do you think we could, you know, mix it up a little bit? A bit of adventure, something outside of our comfort zone and even something to challenging each other?
I need to come out and tell you straight that I really do understand that:
I was idly looking through my notebook from the CELF* course I undertook a few years ago. On the first few pages, two quotes stood out for me:
If you have great understanding of your values, you can be totally committed to an organisation – even if that organisation itself may not be clear about its values.
Without direction, our thoughts have no impact – and – Without emotion, our thoughts have no power
Next came the personal mission statement I created:
“To enable a world where business is a resource for doing good”.
Sometimes it good to look back, so you can refocus on the path ahead.
* Community and Enterprise Leadership Foundation, Elevate Leadership Programme
Thanks to the great folks at Impact Hub Waikato for sharing this quote in their newsletter. We do need to remind ourselves that the little things do matter…
“You make an impact in the world around you every single day. Whether it’s how you treat the tired grocery worker or how you react to the rushed person who cut you off, you are always sending your energy out into the world. And what’s often forgotten is that the little ripples we make on the world every day aren’t little at all. They are the acts that make the biggest difference” – Nikki Banas
So make a difference today – even if it’s just through being nice to someone.
The Optimistic Cynic 