Chronophage

Translated literally, the word chronophage in French refers to something is time consuming.  French cycling enthusiasts often say that to be a great cyclists is chronophage or it takes time.  In fact, anything that is worth doing well to a high level of quality takes a great amount of time.

We live in a world of instant gratification.  Fast food, fast computers, instant email deliver at the speed of light on countless devices almost anywhere on the plant.  Instant gratification does not exist in the world of those who pursue greatness and aspire to perfection.

It is impossible for someone to become great at an endeavor if they do not enjoy the journey to the top.  Many life coaches and business consultants often say that life has a way of spitting you out where you do not belong.  They often refer to the fact that when you are pursuing something that you are not good at, it becomes too painful to endure.  The end result is that we end the effort and search for somewhere else to direct our energy.

Many top executives often say that failure is a result of quitting just before a breakthrough to success is made.  A top habit of most successful people is their capacity to endure beyond the point where most will not.  The challenge for entrepreneurs and small business owners is to know whether their effort is headed towards inevitable success or if the marketplace simply does not want whatever they are offering.

Here are three questions to help answer the question above:

1.  Why are you pursuing this endeavor?
2.  Who or what is your nearest competition?
3.  What do you offer that is superior to your largest competitor?

How long have you been pursuing your dreams?  What success and failure have you faced? Please share your thoughts. We value your input.

Dare To Stand Out - Your Career - Your Responsibility

Do you stand out?  If you are reading this, you are likely a self motivated risk taker who prefers to make their own path to success.  If you are anything like me, you've looked at your boss from your previous job and had serious doubts if you could depend on him for your family's financial future.

Yes, it is true.  When you work for a large corporation, you are along for the ride in whichever direction the leaders take you.  That regrettably often includes the wrong path.  Tired of depending on others to make decisions for your own future?  Lead your own business.  Create your own career path.

Ask yourself these questions:
1.  Where do you want to be in three, five and ten years?
2.  What are your three top talents?
3.  What are your three limitations?
4.  Why would you take control of your career path?

Remove from your mind the image of climbing the corporate ladders.  It is more likely your career path looks like a photo of a mountain range rather than a ladder.  There is no more simply straight up or straight down career ladder type paths.  Modern careers follow paths that tend to go over the hills and through the woods, through the tunnels, down the valleys and up the mountain side once more. 

A career skill set can no longer just include your core competency for success.  Complimentary skills are now very critical to keep your core skills competitive.  Consider these complimentary skills like salt and pepper for popcorn.  These subjects enhance an already great foundation.  If  you are a web designer, consider strengthening your personnel management skills to lead your team of subcontractors.  If you are a sales professional, consider having a foundational knowledge in psychology and communication.

What are your top three skills?  Where are your limitations?  Please share your thoughts.  We value your input.

Know Your Strengths For Success

Your values can be a great tool for accomplishment in your team and your organization.  The secret to high achievement is to make your values compatible with the goals of your company.  Turn the strengths of you and your team into productivity for the overall mission of your group.

The ultimate motivation and reward for turning values and strengths into productivity is the feeling of compatibility.  Top talent will require much more than good sentiment to maintain that high level of performance.  Your team will need:

1.  Consistent and new opportunity.
2.  Inward and outward recognition of achievement.
3.  Fulfillment of personal values.

These three points give you and your team a higher likelihood of harmony and long term success.  Compatibility of values between the team and the organization is a must have for productivity.  A mutual beneficial relationship must exist in two ways:

A.  The organization needs to receive from its employees what it needs to meet set goals.
B.  Employees must receive from the organization what they need for personal fulfillment.

What are your two greatest strengths?  How can you apply them to your group or team?  Are your values and that of the organization consistent?  Please share your thoughts.  We value your input.

Dos and Don'ts of Great Talent Development

It is inevitable that you affect your team in one way or another.  As a small business owner, you are either contributing to developing your greatest assets or you are contributing to their destruction.  There are plenty of studies on how to affect your team in a positive way and what to avoid. 

A business owner always wants to avoid certain practices that are generally known to break down good talent.  Some seem obvious, others are not so clear.

Three actions to avoid:
1.  Be careful to not reward behavior that you do not want in your organization.
2.  Avoid building a team upon the weaknesses of your team members.
3.  Never set long term goals based on short term skills.

Positive actions to encourage in your team are not as clearly defined.  Less clearly defined objectives are more challenging to measure.  This fact does not release a small business leader from pursuing a positive effort towards perfection.

Three things to do for growth of talent in your team are:
1.  Focus on the strengths and natural talent in your team.
2.  Develop and communicate specific expectations based on those strengths.
3.  Hold scheduled performance reviews on those expectations.

Focus on performance accomplishment rather than potential.  A potential for rain will never water your garden.  Only the action of the rain falling where you need it most will achieve your objectives.  Contribute to the long term development goals of your team members.  It is not enough to simply train a staff member towards a skill set.  That skill set will only will only be an advantage to you when it is developed over a lifetime of experience.

How do you reinforce the strengths in your team? What do you do to discourage the behavior that emphasizes weaknesses?  Please share your thoughts. We value your feedback!

Performance Feedback

Great leaders all have their unique strategy for evaluating team performance.  While each is unique, most have common threads.  Good performance reviews have these three elements:

1.  Start with a clear statement of expected big picture contribution.
2.  Keep a detailed record of that team member's performance.
3.  Measure the detailed record against the expected goals in step 1.

As a leader, proceed with caution!  New and relatively inexperienced team members are extremely open to the influence of your leadership team.  Like the boat in this image, it is headed nowhere without the influence of directional forces.  Pay close attention to the mentors who lead young talent.  Be sure the prevailing winds are leading your team in the direction you want to go.

A.  Emphasize what has been accomplished above expectations. 
B.  Reinforce those actions towards future goals as that is the most likely path to more success.
C.  Clarify any areas where expectations fell short. 
D.  Provide your team with the tools to improve in any areas that are lacking in performance. 

What performance feedback measures do you use in your team?  Please share your thoughts.  We value your feedback!