Matching Actions to Goals

"Man, I'm just soo busy, it's crazy, I litteraly have no time." Then this rolls right into an excuse for dropping the ball. Sound familiar?

I just got off the phone with a client who is very successful by anyone's standards and we've had successful projects in the past....I know you're waiting for a "but" so here it is. BUT, he is the worst person at follow through on the big picture items that could make the most difference to his company long-term. One of the things that I insist on at FLI is that we follow-up and follow through with clients. This is how we drive results for the client, by doing everything possible to hold the client accountable and this particular client is the most troublesome case we have on our roster from that one perspective.

There's nothing wrong with a healthy work ethic, however, be careful this doesn't lead to far too much working IN the business rather than ON the business. The result is a lack of actions matching goals. Am I breaking new ground with these comments, not in a million years. Does it need to be said daily because so many SME owners are stuck in the daily routine rutt? Absolutely.

Break-free of this energy sapping, day-light burning routine! Here's a quick questionnaire on how you identify whether your daily actions within the business are matching your goals for the business.

1. Ask yourself if you can trust your employees to do the work for you. (Learn to delegate and train. Establish an atmosphere of trust and confidence in your employees, even when they make a mistake.)
2. Are you dropping many of the items you're juggling? (This might be a sign you're doing too much.)
3. Are you constantly late for appointments? (This might be a sign you're doing too much.)
4. How much time do you have for reflection during the week? (This might be a sign you're doing too much.)
5. Did you expand your market penetration last quarter? How about last year?
6. Is your marketing getting the type of response you need or want?

Learn to assess what needs to be done on a priority basis NOT an urgency basis. The highest priority for owners and CEO's should be new opportunities for doing business. Constantly ask yourself, "Is what I'm doing right now the most effective use of my time and will it get me closer to my goals? Could I delegate this task?

Now, I'm not at all saying that you should let everything else go completely and stop managing your business. I'm only suggesting that you realign your focus balance to include tasks that will generate the most value. Think about delegating more, organize your time in such a way that you are afforded some to think big picutre. Take a few quiet moments to look at the battlefield and strategize for the future.

Too often business owners develop a need to just be busy, so they take on tasks. Whether they somehow feel more important, more successful, respected by their peers simply because they open every new conversation with "Man, I'm just soo busy, it's crazy, I litteraly have no time." who knows.

Learn to rise above this and start making more money as a result.

Do you see value in what was said above? Are you "A really busy entrenpreneur?" Let's here from you.....