“Success can be so simple, so why complicate it? Firstly work out exactly what you want to do and secondly go ahead and do it.”
Simple yes: easy no.
Here are some thoughts on why we as business owners don’t always achieve the results we want and some “what to do” hints that will help improve your achievement of results.
1. Fulfilling our Commitments To Ourselves
We are often so busy fulfilling commitments to our customers, suppliers, employees and perhaps also families that we find ourselves with little time to commit to those business-building projects which would make a radical difference to our business results.
“A commitment is doing what you said you would do long after the feeling you said it in had passed.”
Commitment is that powerful force that persists long after we have planned or agreed to do something. Making a commitment is straightforward: the trick is to fulfil those commitments by taking responsibility for them and making results happen.
This can be a huge differentiator for us personally and for our business.
Finding ways to help fulfil our commitments makes us more reliable, more referable and helps us achieve the results we want: especially when we commit to ourselves.
Commitment Hint: Make yourself accountable for the result not just the activity
Step 1: 
Write down the measurable result, not just the activity, you have committed to.
Step 2: Find someone you can agree to discuss progress with on a regular basis.
Step 3: Review the results of your activity with that person as agreed.
So for example
Instead of framing a commitment as an activity
e.g. develop different service packages for my business – Gold, Silver, Bronze.
Frame the commitment as a result and make yourself accountable.
e.g. launch 3 new service packages for my business, Gold, Silver, Bronze by 31 March to generate £X additional revenue by 31 December. Report monthly to Uncle Fred on my progress.
2. Discipline to do Our own Work
“Discipline is a habit of taking consistent action”
We have determined what it is we need to do, formulated a plan of action, made a commitment and made ourselves accountable for the results of those actions. Great, so we can get back to business as usual and it will happen. Alas, we also have to discipline ourselves and perhaps manage others to get it done.
“It’s not done until we’ve done it.”
Putting in place the discipline to take consistent action becomes a habit and as business owners we find that results flow from this.
Discipline Hint: Cluster activities into mini-projects, formulate a timetable and track the results
Step 1: Instead of having a long list of activities, break these down into your individual business building projects i.e. who is doing what and the expected results.
Step 2: Formulate a timetable for undertaking these activities and block out the required time in your diary, or allocate time to others.
Step 3: Track and review the results of your activities so that you are monitoring not only that you have completed them but that they are having the desired result.
So following on from our example
Project1: “Gold Service” Pre-launch (a mini-project)
Expected Result: Launch planning finalised by 31 January
| What | Who | Effort | When |
| Gold Service Offering | Me | 2 hours | 10 Jan |
| Gold Service Price and Profit Calculations | Me | 2 hours | 17 Jan |
| Gold Service Positioning | Me | 2 hours | 24 Jan |
| Gold Service Promotion Plan | Me | 2 hours | 31 Jan |
And so on …..
Schedule times in your diary to complete the activities 
In this example
track the number and value of Gold packages sold, from launch date to 31 December
and meet with Uncle Fred on a monthly basis to review results 
3. Realistic Planning is Preparing to Win
“The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.”
Most business owners have a plan of what they would like to achieve, even if it is simply in their heads.
By clarifying your plan you can help ensure that you are clear about what you want to achieve and are not taking on too much.
Where you are going?
Who you are and what you stand for?
How you are going to get there?
What actions will you take?
What results will you achieve?
What will your sales, costs, profitability and cash-flow look like?
By making your plan a living document you can help ensure you are planning for progress and results.
Realistic Plan Hint: Be Clear on your Priorities
Once you have completed the first pass of your planning you will no doubt have a long list of ideas and actions as long as your arm! If you do not determine your priorities you will become overwhelmed and disheartened or will be side-tracked by the day-to-day.
Be brutal – divide your actions into 3 categories
Crucial
Desirable
Extra
Schedule only the crucial within a specific time-frame and only then assess the desirable and leave to once side the marginal.
So the secret to achieving results in your business is threefold
- Fulfil those commitments to yourself not just others
- Adopt a discipline to get done what you have to do
- Get planning to win
Need help planning and developing your business? For starters, we can exchange and develop ideas – no charge, no strings. If you are willing to invest an hour of your time looking to the future of your business then please contact me.
Your comments would be most welcome and if you have found this blog useful please share this with your followers.