What is your workday mantra? The Chairman of The Rawls Group, Loyd Rawls, reminds us often to “do good, have fun, and make money.” I believe it is a tone to set for the day.
The order in which it’s spoken makes all the difference. I find myself often wondering if I’ll hit all three, in that order, when going through my day. Are the options under consideration going to do “good”? If so, will the outcome feel or result in good, and for whom? What kind of difference will it make to those involved? And, will it be “fun”? If involved in a challenging business scenario, working in a bit of fun while working thru the issue may result in your partners or team members to more likely work together and take on the challenges of growing a business. Finally, I ask myself if the outcome will make money. After all, we are in business to generate a profit, and if we’re not, then how do we expect to survive?
In a perfect world, I’d stop and contemplate each decision or potential outcome and maybe sleep on it to get it right. Life moves quickly and most of the time you must simply see the pitch and hit it. I’ve found that there are three that have helped me in this quick analysis which you may find helpful:
• Have a work mantra or a work vision that pulls you towards a central point of values such as, “Do Good, Have Fun, Make Money”
• Be aware of your mantra daily and actively working toward fulfilling it
• Assess yourself after the fact, or an after-action report as the military likes to say. Stopping for a moment and asking yourself what just happened, or debriefing the situation goes a long way towards recognizing the end in mind when I begin the next time.
For example, just recently as I walked through Orlando International Airport around midnight, I lamented about being there before sunrise that same day. I’d been through Atlanta and Louisville. I was physically and emotionally drained after intense rounds with clients about their family dynamics. I was mentally numb and more concerned about remembering where I’d parked my truck, than the outcome of any business decisions.
As I walked, I heard a voice say, “well, we had a good trip and a good day today.” Looking up, I see Loyd’s grinning face and respond with, “yeah, I suppose so.” To which he said, “we did good, we had fun, and we made a little money.” After a pause and a hand shake, I said, “yep, sounds like a pretty good day to me”.
Having the mantra and staying true to it is what keeps me moving towards the next day. What’s your work mantra?
Dan Iosue is an Associate of The Rawls Group, a business succession planning firm. Dan specializes in dealing with the issues that must be resolved by business owners to implement succession strategies geared towards building business value. For additional information, visit www.rawlsgroup.com or call 407-578-4455
Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter to stay informed on how to overcome related succession planning issues.
Business Performance
Business Performance
Business value is tied to performance. Top talent, strategic vendors, and creditors will be influenced by the organization’s competitive advantage in the marketplace. Traditionally, transitions generally bring with it a drop in profits. It is crucial that your business is operating at peak performance in order to fulfill cash flow needs and expectations during times of transition.
Click the following links for more drill-down resources on Business Performance.
Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter to stay informed on how to overcome related succession planning issues.
