Still on the issue of EXECUTION 2015 and our goal of making this year work for you and your business, permit me to go further.
In my first unusual article on EXECUTION 2015, I pointed out the two kinds of execution that exists; Energy-Driven Execution and Strategy-Driven Execution. In the second installment of this series, I went a great deal to explain and analyze these two kinds of execution.
This is my third piece, and I am going to talk about a very key component that is not often mentioned when talking about personal, business or any other form of positive change in life. That very important component is YOU!
EXECUTION and YOU
Last two weeks, I got a call from a prospective client; the last time we spoke was in March 2013. She is the manager of a software developing company that produces financial management software for Microfinance banks in Nigeria.
In 2013, her boss, the owner of the company had given her a goal to increase the revenue of the company even if it meant diversifying their core business. In her own words;
“Tito, we need your help, things really have to change this year. We can no longer continue like this!”
So I asked for a meeting with her boss, to really evaluate their desire for a change, if things were really that bad and if they were really hurting well enough to want change.
We met, and he simply made an analogy that summarized his perception of the state of the business. He said;
“A company ought to be making at least 3 times in revenue the amount it spends paying salaries. And for some years now, they haven’t been meeting up to that goal.”
So what was the cause of the problem I asked; they weren’t making enough sales and he wasn’t sure if there was still enough market out there for them to sell to. And because of this uncertainty, they were considering diversifying into any other market or business that can guarantee better revenue.
From my experiences as a business development consultant, what a client says is the cause of their problem is OFTEN always NOT the cause of their problem. 95% of the time, it’s only a symptom of the real problem.
So I had to probe further, to really get to the root of the matter and asked; “why are you not selling as much as you ought to?”
He replied; “the market is saturated with other competing alternatives and there’s not enough demand for our products.”
“So what are you doing about this?” I probed further.
“Nothing. Developing other software or even upgrading the current ones we have is going to take some time and financial investment, and I am not certain that it will sell in the market when released. So I feel it’s just better we diversify into another market.”
Sensing what the real cause of the problem was, I asked the question I had already known was the root cause of the problem, but only delayed asking for re-affirmation sake. “What’s your current marketing strategy?” or “How do you currently make sales?”
“I worked in the banking industry before setting out on my own and I still have some contacts in that industry who sends me leads that I follow up on.”
“Oh! So you sell through your personal network?” I re-emphasized.
“Yes! And we have a few sales people who go out from time to time, but not really very effective. Most deals come from my network.”
“Alright, I will do some more digging with your manager and come up with a proposal that will help turnaround things for the company.” I concluded with him.
One and the half week later, I was done with my findings and sent him my proposal. That was March 2013, and this is February 2015, and only two weeks ago did I hear from them again after sending in my proposal.
And guess what?
It was a cry for help again!
The DREAMER and EXECUTION
I am very familiar with this process; after all, this is my 9th year in the business of consulting. I cannot begin to run through the number of people who come to me crying for help, but goes numb when presented with the blueprint for making change happen.
So when their call came again this year, I was not as patient or lenient as I was 2 years ago in 2013 when it was their first time cry for help. I told her point blank, that they weren’t ready for change but only dreamed of change and I wasn’t prepared to waste my time again!
She pleaded for me to hear her out first before crucifying them, and I did, only to further confirm my initial conclusion. The company still had the same number of employees, the same number of software products, less clients and the boss was still slugging it out through his contacts keeping afloat with whatever deal they can squeeze out for him.
These deals, even though they were outside the core business of the company, further justified his decision to diversify. After all, they were the source of revenue still keeping the company alive!
Things were still practically the same as two years before. They still didn’t have a working marketing strategy or system in place. They wanted to sell more without going through the necessary but disciplined processes of innovation, product development and marketing.
So how are things supposed to improve?
The dreamer wants change at the expense of execution.
The dreamer cries for help at the expense of execution.
The dreamer wants things to work, without ever wanting to work things out.
Here’s my candid advice to the dreamer, it will ONLY work, if you WORK IT!
The DOER and EXECUTION
Between where you are today, and where you aspire to be tomorrow, there’s a very big gap. The only thing separating you and this big gap is nothing else BUT you!
Clamouring for change, will NOT change anything.
Confessing change through the power of positive thinking and the law of attraction will NOT make change happen.
There’s only ONE command change submits to, EXECUTION.
And as I am sure you have already learnt from our discussions so far, not just any kind of execution, but strategy-driven execution.
The difference between the dreamer and the doer when it comes to execution is this; the dreamer WAITS for change, while the doer PURSUES change.
Wait is a passive verb.
Pursue is an active verb.
The doer seeks out information for change and applies it. But they don’t just stop there, they go further, they seek out guidance to help them maximize their results when applying the information for change.
There will always be a thousand and one things out there that you cannot guarantee will work, so lashing out on your own applying the several information you come across is so NOT smart. That again, is the definition of energy-driven execution, aka ‘trial and error’.
Your best bet is seeking out for what works and there’s only one way of knowing what works without incurring the huge expenses associated with trial and error; learning from those with results.
Results are the proof of what works. Nothing more, nothing else.
Doers seek out people who demonstrate what works through their results and they commit to learning from them as much as they can. Doers realize that to execute successfully, will require a certain level of mastery and such level of mastery cannot come from just acquiring information, but from INSIGHT.
Strategy-Driven Execution is INSIGHT-POWERED Action
There’s so much acquiring information can do, at the very most, it lets you know the things you might NOT be doing that you need to be doing. Meaning, information opens our eyes to greater possibilities far beyond our current realities.
When you are informed, you will begin to see things a lot more differently. You might even go as far as doing things differently. But that’s about how far you can go with information. Being informed doesn’t guarantee that you will achieve the results you seek.
To go further, to gain mastery over certain skills, activities, and processes, which will enable you to greatly maximize your results, you will need more than information, what you need is INSIGHT.
The difference between insight and information is CLARITY.
CLARITY is the knowing that comes from experience. And such can only come from INSIGHT.
This is why we all need guidance from time to time. This is the role mentoring and coaching plays in the process of creating positive change either in life or in business.
This is what it means to be strategic in your execution, because you have access to some certain level of insights that powers your actions.
Without these insights, your actions would be no different from other people who equally have access to the same information as you. But for the insights that are powering your own actions, your execution would be no different from others with the same level of information.
The Conclusion
I could go on and on, highlighting the differences between information and insight, but I really need to wrap this up here. I’m sure you get the point already.
If not, here’s the whole crux of the matter, YOU are the sole determinant of the extent of progress you make in life and in your business. To really deliver the change you so desire, you will require some level of mastery over certain skills, activities and processes that can only be acquired through mentoring or coaching.
Like I said last week, when I announced the EXECUTION 2015 program – a 1 year one-on-one coaching program for entrepreneurs who mean business this year. I can write all I want here, going further and further explaining to you how to execute better this year. But nothing much will change, at the very most, you’ll end up acquiring more information about the topic.
But to really get the INSIGHT you will need to scale your results this year through strategic execution, will require a deeper and closer look into your business which is absolutely impossible for me to do through a billion and one unusual articles!
So, here I am again, inviting only 20 unusual entrepreneurs who mean business this year to take this year long journey with me as we strategically power their businesses to the next level. Here’s a sneak peep into the business design framework we will be working with throughout the course of the program, click here.
Very limited spots available, click here to register and make payment with the information you receive next.
Here’s what you get from the EXECUTION 2015 Program;
- BUSINESS COACHING: 365 Days of unlimited one-on-one coaching with me, strategically guiding you through the necessary activities, and processes you need to take to achieve your business goals.
- BUSINESS TRAINING: 12 months of intensive business mastery training. We will be meeting once a month in a group to receive the necessary trainings that will equip you with the needed skills to execute on your goals. Without these necessary skills, it will be impossible to coach you.
- BUSSINESS SUPPORT: 365 Days unlimited access to me through emails, phone calls, whatsapp, BBM, Skype and even face-to-face. In other words, you are literally hiring me for one whole year to help you transform your business!
- BUSINESS MASTERMIND: this is the icing on the cake. Access to 20 other unusual entrepreneurs who are serious about growing their business this year, all learning together, brainstorming together and growing together. The synergy is immeasurable; the level of accountability and discipline amongst such a group is priceless.
All registration closes by the end of this month [February 2015], till next year before the doors will be opening again to enroll another set of 20 unusual entrepreneurs. So, here’s your chance to move beyond the dreaming phase and get serious with your life and business!
The Cost
The EXECUTION 2015 coaching program is the only first of its kind all inclusive business growth program for entrepreneurs that is not only affordable, but also offers 4 very flexible discounted payment plans;
- Monthly Payment Plan = N10,000/month [12 Installments @N120,000]
- Quarterly Payment Plan = N25,000/3months [4 Installments @N100,000]
- Bi-Annual Payment Plan = N40,000/6months [2 Installments @N80,000]
- Annual Payment Plan = N60,000/12months [1 Installment]
