This summer has provided me with the unique opportunity to literally pick up and move our household to a wonderful new location that will better serve my growing business and family. Being a strategist, I routinely help teams find new paths and take change journeys. Yet when we are the ones impacted by the event, those principles we talk about are felt in very specific ways. They also lead to very specific benefits you can bring to your own business.
#1: You examine the elements you have in the light of a new paradigm
Many of us have things in our daily path that were once useful, but over time have fallen into infrequent use. In preparation for our move, we worked hard to leave anything behind that didn’t serve either our family or my clients.
A personal example was some backcountry hiking gear that was well past its prime and had cluttered our garage for years. In my business, I had boxes of disc-based simulation software that I used as a metallurgist. (that’s now available as an app – smile)
Action Point: What are you keeping in maintenance mode in your business that no longer serves your current customer base? How much mindshare could you release by getting it out of your firm? Having trouble identifying those investments that have run their course? Start by looking at those “legacy” investments and make sure that they really are making a contribution. (A good analogy for those of us with a big digital toolbox is to pull a list of monthly subscriptions and make sure they are pulling their weight)
#2: By clearing out space you create the opportunity for new organic growth
Having gotten rid of some of these items that I didn’t even realize were draining me mentally, I found myself making room for new activities in my business and personal life. My family and I are now finding more time to be together and I have rediscovered the magic of reading good fiction. In business, I have found time to develop deeper relationships with referral partners and clients – opening the doors to some really exciting work.
Action Point: What quality of life issues are you putting off that letting go of would make room for? What growth challenge are you facing that might yield to renewed focus? The best way to rediscover these is to think back to the last time you felt really in the zone. What were you doing then? For some of you it will be more time to explore either mentally or physically, for others it will be more time to connect and collaborate.
#3: New physical patterns change your focus and attention
We have strategically located ourselves in ways that minimize our commuting time and brings us closer to family. The unanticipated benefit is that our new location has given us opportunity to meet new people and see the world in a completely different way.
My business example is that I have made time to redo all my information gathering systems, and have been able to pare down the list to a few sources that provide a rich gateways to other great sources. This has already yielded some new insights, and will help me serve my clients at an even a higher level.
Action Point: Commit to two weeks of keeping notes on two things: how much time you spend on tasks and how much of a contribution they make to your mission. After two weeks, compare the two lists of effort and contribution. Consider carefully those areas that are consuming your time and not moving the needle on what you were meant to do, and of course double down on those smaller, more productive tasks.
An intrinsic truth – when we stop infusing ourselves with freshness, our value creation suffers
Because we do it so infrequently, we have no idea how deep the patterns are in our daily lives. Many times these patterns are positive and allow us to create consistent value. What I have found by changing up every pattern, is that the useful ones are quickly established, but the ones that were purely rote, drop quickly.
Short of physically moving, you can experience freshness by intention, and summer can provide those opportunities. Consider seeking out an on-site session (so you can observe and ask better questions) with a client or customer. Then, pick one item to go to work on.
If you would like have a discussion about how my Right Project, Right Team, Right Plan diagnostic could help you find those areas that can release energy in your firm, drop me an email, or give me a call at 847-651-1014.
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