I like simple formulas, don’t you? My mind naturally tracks solutions in this way.
My friend and fellow Vistage Chair, Gary Brenglass, taught me a business formula recently.
Success equals capabilities minus dysfunction.
uncover
Give this some thought. I have. Where is the dysfunction in your organization? Many people quickly answer: “Communication. We need to communicate better.” I hear this frequently.
But lack of communication is merely a symptom of something hiding deeper within the organization. It can manifest as:
- A leader who hoards information and weaponizes it for an advantage;
- A department head who does the same;
- An inadequate system of tracking key performance indicators so that no one really knows where the organization stands at any given time.
- A severe lack of trust and team building. Rivalries between leaders. Broken links between a corporate owner and an affiliate;
- Suppliers and buyers who do not trust one another.
Uncomfortable
Dysfunction does not show itself readily.
In Vistage, we practice the lessons of the clam and the pearl. The pearl only grows when the harvester (that is your Vistage chair – me) opens the shell and irritates the mantle. “It’s kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster’s natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.”
It is the easiest thing for a CEO or business owner to continue to go along without searching for the deeper dysfunction. That’s why many leaders value Vistage and business coaching. Your Vistage chair is trained to keep scratching, keep irritating you with deeper and deeper questions.
Uncomfortable? Sure. The highest compliment I receive from my members is the body language when they are physically uncomfortable, squirming in their seats. I want them to dig deep for answers. My job is to help them find the dysfunctions in the organization. That never happens in a conversation that takes place on the surface. You have to dig deep.
My job is to help them create pearls (of insight and wisdom).
De-clutter
So often my mind is cluttered with thoughts, tasks, agendas and more. Every alcove of my brain is stuffed with something I must do. This is why I forgot I got the plate out of the cupboard – I was already thinking of what food I was going to put on the plate, and what I would do after I ate it.
In our training, we are asked to hold an object, feel its texture, its temperature, the shadow it creates. When we walk, we are asked to focus our sharp attention on a single object and see its shape and shade, and then to switch to a more diffused focus. To feel our feet, the muscles in our legs. In other words, to think about what is happening right now and to put up a guard rail against all those other thoughts of “what happens next.”
I am far from perfect at this practice. My mind drifts, but then I remember to bring it back to the moment.
This relates to how I try to conduct business. To focus on what I decide is important in the moment, and not to respond to the most recent text, phone call or email. Jim Canfield, an excellent Vistage speaker, told my Vistage group, “Ninety percent of the work your people are doing is coming out of their email ‘in’ box.” Rather than react immediately, mindfulness asks us to respond thoughtfully. I have decades of training in the reaction mode. Don’t you? But mindfulness brings me to a place where my thoughts are clear and my actions strategic. I am walking toward this horizon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Business Coaching?
The best coaches help you build mental fitness – an acuity for running your business and your life. It is different from consulting. Consultants give you the answers. Coaches help you search within yourself to find those answers.
How Do I Know if Business Coaching Is Right for Me?
Do you ever find yourself saying, “It’s lonely at the top”? Then business coaching is right for you. As your coach, I am a clear-eyed colleague who tells you the truth about your decisions. Whether you’re making excuses or breaking through to a better place.
Do You Only Work With Established Companies?
No. I work with all kinds of companies. Start-ups. Established companies who are headed in a new direction. The only qualification I ask of you is, “Do you have a growth mindset?” If the answer is yes, let’s work together.
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