Читать книгу The 10 Day Turnaround - Darren Stephens - Страница 11

You’ve finished your work for the week. Have dinner… change into your casual clothes… and head for your home office, den or the neighborhood coffee shop. It’s time to kick-start your 10 Day Turnaround.

In order to start your 10 Day Turnaround properly, there is a certain mindset you’ll want to master. Having the “right mindset” is vital to successfully implementing the turnaround plan. We want to begin your 10 Day Turnaround on a basis of clarity of intention and an accurate, unbiased assessment of what is and what can or should be.

You have to get clear and be candid with yourself about your business. Clarity is power and it’s also the place where new possibilities exist and new probabilities reside.

Let’s start with the following five key questions you’ll want to ask yourself and objectively answer as you start on Day One:

1 What “is” happening now?

2 What “was” happening before?

3 What “could” be happening?

4 What “should” be happening?

5 What “would” be happening if…?

Take some time and ask yourself each of the above questions. Answer each question in your mind and write a “snapshot” description as completely, but concisely as you can about the key areas, elements, circumstances and conditions of your business. This isn’t intended to be a comprehensive diagnostic but a solid assessment of the current reality and future possibilities. Think of this process in terms of creating a one-page assessment and not a wide-ranging prescription or complete cure to what ails your business just yet.

The key here is to develop a baseline of “what is” and to shift your mind from what is and what was to “what will be”.

The Turnaround Mindset

Every action begins with a thought or an intention to make something happen.

Effective action begins with effective thinking and focused intent. “right- thinking” creates “right-results.”

With the right mindset

you can do just about

anything.”

Before you do anything else, it is vitally important that you spend time right now ensuring that your frame of mind is right for what you want to achieve. Withoutthe right mental attitude, an effective focus and clear-headed thinking, your chances of success are marginal at best. With the right mindset, you can do just about anything.

So what is the ‘right’ mindset? How do you go about changing your thinking or your focus if you’re not getting the results you want with your current frame of mind? Interesting question.

Let’s start by thinking about what the ‘right’ mindset actually is. Mindset is a term that refers to a particular mental framework, a pattern of thinking, or a prevailing attitude about what is and what’s possible. It involves prejudices, expectations and beliefs and sums up the way your mind is positioned or your thinking is directed at a particular point in time. Whether it is right or wrong, correct or incorrect comes down to deciding how it fits with the task you want to apply it to and if you’re getting the results you want.

Is your current way of thinking getting you the results you want in your business? Has your current set of beliefs, biases, and assumptions gotten you all of the rewards and returns you want or deserve? Has your current frame of mind and patterns of perception planted the seeds necessary for your future success? Maybe, maybe not.

For instance, when you are feeling overwhelmed, scattered, confused or simply battered by circumstance, it might not be the right time to make a life-altering decision about your business. Or to be more specific, you shouldn’t change your business model, your marketing method, or product or service offering out of sheer desperation or utter uncertainty.

Now this doesn’t mean to say that you shouldn’t make decisions or implement changes at all. What it does mean is you would be better off shifting your mindset to a point of focused possibility rather than overwhelmed impossibility or hopeless improbability. Even in the darkest situations, the focus of the business owner and the organization must be on opportunity rather than problems. Knowing the cause of a problem without defining the opportunity for a solution is virtually worthless.

You need not only hope for something better but gather the confidence that comes from forming a well-thought-out plan of action geared toward the results you want to achieve.

As you begin, it’s time now to think a little more deeply about the concepts of forming a turnaround mindset so that you will be able to understand them within the context of change.

The first thing you must wrap your mind around and accept is that “stuff happens”. Change occurs - it’s a fact of life and a fact of business. What “was” probably isn’t what “is”, and what “is” won’t always be. Just because business was good yesterday doesn’t guarantee that tomorrow or even today your business will succeed or even survive. Change is a law of the universe. As Jack Welch, former CEO of GE said, “You’ve got to learn to eat change for breakfast.”

There are immutable laws of the universe, like gravity, that we must live within — like it or not, we’re stuck with it. We can ignore gravity or we can be aware of it, abide by it and even overcome it by understanding it. Understanding is the key - it’s how we learned to fly in spite of the odds.

Like gravity, change is an immutable law. Nothing can exist, survive, thrive or succeed in its original form forever, but that’s great news. Even though life and your business are subject to change, you have something to start with, something to change and something to build on.

All things change eventually. Change is scary for a lot of people. They feel uncertain, out-of-control or helpless. Still, other people feel exhilarated, emboldened or filled with a sense of infinite possibility. What makes the difference?

The difference is the mindset people carry with regard to change.

People who are afraid of change usually feel they are the “victim of change” rather than the “creator of change”. One is affected by change; the other is the catalyst and director of change. To some, change happens; to others they plan to make changes happen.

How do YOU view change? How should you view change? How will you view change now, from this moment forward?

You have to have a plan from which to build your foundation; from there you begin to take action. You must have a way to measure your progress against your plan; to monitor your performance and direct your resources toward the right activities that support your plan to ensure the change and successful results. Having a foundation beneath you and the business you are building can go a long way in creating the “right mindset” for a turnaround.

Another fact of change is that success is not always a straight road. In fact, over the long haul, it NEVER is. There will be twists and turns along the way. There’ll be bumps and potholes you didn’t see or intend. You’re going to be faced with the challenge of consistently taking the right action in the face of changes you couldn’t predict in the marketplace, your competition, the economy and within your business or organization. You may slow down, stall or breakdown along the way. You must be able to adapt your actions, environment and your approach to keep on your intended course of change and improvement if you want to turn around your business.

The road to turning a business around can be long, it can be hard, and frankly, if it were as simple as having a good attitude and a plan, you wouldn’t need this book. If it were as simple as getting started and making a single change — one time — and never having to change again, you’d have made that change long ago and probably be on a never-ending vacation of self-satisfaction.

“it’s easy to make changes and get immediate results”

Indeed, old habits die hard. Change is not an event; it’s a process. Understanding that is the key to having a “turnaround mindset”. Having a plan - one that is well-thought-out and has an intended direction or outcome - is vital. Believing that you can and will do whatever it takes to succeed can make the difference between being “almost there” and being exactly where you want to be.

Here’s a seductive proposition - it’s easy to make changes and get immediate results and improvement in a business! Almost anyone can do it and I mean anyone; it happens every day.

But it’s much harder to sustain those changes.

People assume that once made, a change will sustain itself and maybe even last forever. But patterns of the past re-emerge. People often revert back to old habits, familiar systems and the previous ways of doing business. Old habits really do die hard and there’s comfort in the familiarity of the way things were, including ways of thinking and methods of doing.

It takes time and effort to change what has become habitual. And it is less of a challenge doing what has always worked rather than what’s needed now. There is a sense of safety in thinking and doing what you’ve always done and thinking what you’ve always thought. But when circumstances change, a business that doesn’t adjust or adapt is on the road to obsolescence or extinction.

“I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”

George Bernard Shaw

Besides knowing that change is a fact of life and business, what else makes up the right mindset?

Having an effective mindset involves having clarity and confidence in yourself and your thinking. You need to be clear about what’s important to you, why it’s important, what you’re intending to do, how you are going to do it and what doing “it” will mean to you and to others who are affected by your actions. Having clarity and confidence makes it easier to attain the congruency and consistency which are vital to earning the trust of both ourselves and others. You have to find clarity and focus. This is where your Mission, Vision, and Values statements comes into play. It serves as the backbone for growth, providing a standard of strength and integrity. Furthermore, it is a motivator unto itself, reminding you of the purposes behind your every action.

Setting and adopting a turnaround mindset begins with the following four steps:

1 Revisiting your Mission, Vision and Values.

2 Forgetting about the past, focusing on the present, and creating your future.

3 Redefining yourself and realigning your company.

4 Making your mark and focusing on increasing value for your customers, prospects, stakeholders, and yourself.

Your “mission” for tonight (and you’ve already chosen to accept it) is to think through these four points on the next few pages. Invest the time and attention in the questions you and your business deserve and you’ll be prepared for your 10 day journey.

Think deeply and passionately about what you want, why you want it, and how you can get it. Consider how you can create more value for others so they have a reason to work with you, do business with you, and choose your company above all others. Consider what your business means, what it stands for, and what you stand for.

Revisiting your Mission, Vision and Values

The following is one of the most important keys to the turnaround’s success. Give yourself all the time, space and creativity you need. Take it seriously—take your business seriously—and remind yourself of the meaning of success. Remember that this is real business and that the turnaround will require real work. Whether your business is based on relationships or merely transactions, this is the work that will determine your level of success. Before you begin the journey of transforming your business, the first thing you have to do is simply read through your existing Mission, Vision and Values statements.

That is, if you have them.

Don’t have them written down? Don’t worry; you’d be surprised at how many businesses don’t have a written mission statement. A mission statement is a clearly articulated vision or a defining set of values for a business. If you fall into the category of businesses that don’t have a mission statement, it’s okay. By the end of this first evening you will have it written down and have a clearer understanding of why your business exists, where you want it to go and how you want it to operate - and why.

If you already have your Mission, Vision, and Values clearly stated — congratulations! But it’s still the time to revisit your purpose for being in business, where you want to go and the guiding principles under which you lead and manage your business.

Either way, you will begin the process of transforming your business, regaining control of your future, and embracing the journey towards a more profitable, productive and rewarding future.

Equally important, you’ll be clear on what you’re aiming to do, why you want to do it and what it will look like along the way.

This exercise will make your leadership more effective, your decisions more congruent and give your actions more impact. What could be more important right now?

So, let’s consider what exactly your Mission, Vision and Value statements should contain.

If you already have them for your business, now is the time to get them out and to review them. How well thought out are they? Are they easy to understand? Do they give you a very clear focus of what your company is all about? Are they clear and concise or confusing and full of buzzwords or abstract terms? Are they still relevant to your business today or has your business changed so much since they were written that they are no longer valid?

Your Mission Statement should describe the purpose of the business and its reason for existence. It should focus on the primary intention, the beneficiaries and the value created for all.

Your Vision Statement should describe the business you are building and in what time frame you envision it being completed (in a few well-constructed sentences). A great vision is both compelling and propelling, meaning that it both pulls and pushes people toward something greater than themselves.

Your Values Statement should be a list of what your business stands for. It should clearly express the principles that are non-negotiable as far as you are concerned, so that anyone thinking of joining or doing business with you will know exactly what is expected of them and how they will be treated by you or your business. It should also contain the core values and principles upon which your business operates, what’s most important, and the reasons “why”. Your business values should be congruent with your personal values and your professional principles. Who you are becomes evident and is reflected in the business plan you create. Personal beliefs and morals will provide energy and sustenance for your business when all else fails. In this way, your personal, organizational and business values must be aligned within your values statement for your business. Be honest with yourself as you evaluate your existing Mission, Vision and Values. What you do must be congruent with what you believe. When you think about or read your Mission, Vision, and Values statement does it represent what your business is, who you are and what you aspire for your business to be and become? Do you feel a deep sense of connection, passion and motivation when you think about them?

Here are a couple of examples for you to read and consider in crafting your own. Keep in mind, the goal is not to imitate or even emulate anyone else’s Mission, Vision or Values. The sample statements below are just a guide for form, structure and to serve as food-for-thought.

Vision statement

“McDonald’s vision is to be the world’s best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.”

Google Mission Statement

“To make the world’s information universally accessible and useful”

Mission Statement (from a small builder)

To be the preeminent provider of superior construction services by consistently improving the quality of our product; to add value for clients through innovation, foresight, integrity, and aggressive performance; and to serve with character and purpose.

We have added additional examples on our website if you need more guidance. Please visit www.The10DayTurnaround.com/ resources.

These examples serve as a way to guide you in concisely articulating your mission, vision and values, and are not for you to blindly adopt or follow. You should not only craft your own mission, vision and values statements, but they should be written in a way that inspires you, guides you and helps you turn your business into what you want from this day forward.

Interesting exercise, isn’t it? If you are like many, you are probably a little surprised, even shocked right now by how much has changed in actuality since you originally planned your business identity. That’s okay, because we will be fixing that shortly.

This brings us to the end of the “night before” your 10 Day Turnaround. Tomorrow begins your first full day of work. Congratulations for taking these first important steps towards the re-engineering of your business and getting into the right mindset. You’re on your way to recapturing the potential and maximizing the performance of your business. More success awaits!

Reflect on your achievement and celebrate your accomplishment. This day will be a defining moment in your life and your business.

What follows from here in this book will take you ten days to complete. Continue to read one chapter each day and complete all—yes I mean all—of the questions and homework in each chapter on the day that you read it.

It will not be enough just to read this book with good intentions. You need to have your pen and paper at the ready and harness all your energy and the other resources you will need to address the questions that each chapter will raise for your business. You must dedicate the next 10 days to the turnaround of your business. The rewards you stand to reap will repay your efforts countless times over. So rest well, Day 1 is a powerful stepping stone on your path to progress.