17 Aug The Hunt
“I’m on the hunt for who I have not yet become.” – Unknown
A Leader
I’ve been told for years in order to be a Leader “you have to have followers.” I still believe this to be true, however recently I was watching a John Maxwell video and he said “To be great, you have to help others with their change, and before we can help others we have to know ourselves.” Deep right? So to be a great leader you have to help others with their change which builds a followership of people who you inspire and who inspire you.
The Hunt
Then this morning, this quote “I’m on the hunt for who I have not yet become,” magically appears. What a way to catch my mind and spirit this morning. It really got me thinking, particularly because in just a few short weeks, Leading to Unlock, LLC will celebrate one-year in business! Wahoo!
The word ‘hunt’ has me particularly jazzed because it means I can continue to be an explorer, and investigator, an inventor and an innovator! What a way to start the day!
Personally
The first year has been mostly about testing n’ learning. I have made some mistakes, faced some adversity, and it has been VERY EXCITING! The quote above is inspirational in so many ways, it opens my mind to reflect on the past year. What have I learned? What needs to improve? What are my customers saying? What should I hone or expand? What people have entered my life? What people have exited my life and why?
The most important question I’ve asked myself is, what foundational elements are most important for ME to feel successful? The three elements are 1) I surround myself with people who care about ME, encourage ME, and energize ME 2) I continue to test n’ learn, test n’ learn, and test n’ learn so I can improve, help and learn from others 3) I continue to invest in my personal and professional growth through knowledge building and networking.
Another insight I had from the John Maxwell video is nothing moves forward without a plan, practice, and reflection. I like to think about what I want to accomplish in the next year or three years. What’s my goal? What will it take to get there? What relationships will I need to reach my goal? What’s in it for them? Once I have some ideas then I begin to practice and reflect. Pretty simple when you get right down to it.
Professionally
If I change the quote above to read “I’m on the hunt for business who have not yet become.” I can begin to apply the same questions to my professional life. Wow! How simple does my life become if I focus on one or two personal goals and one or two professional goals?
The same applies for when Leading to Unlock helps a business owner or a department head with their strategic vision to grow their business or to transform it from what it is today. Some business owners want to exit their business and we are here to help navigate, whether it be to prep the business for resale or transfer of ownership to a family member. We work off the premise that business owners should take the time to outline their short-term, mid-term, long-term strategy so they have a road map for the future. We ask specific questions, for example: What working capital will you need? What are your financial statements telling you? What are your employees or customers telling you? What do you need/want for the future?
The questions help us with the plan and helps us identify the passion, insights, and desires for the business owner. I’m a true believer in defining the ‘WHAT’ and ‘WHY’ makes the “HOW” easy.
On the Hunt
As I explore my past, present and future it really helps me understand what I want to do with others which in turn gives me great satisfaction. I formed Leading to Unlock to help YOU and YOUR BUSINESS be great for a long-time! Let’s talk. Contact Gail at 860-930-6521