Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
Steven Covey’s second habit in his classic “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” is ‘to begin with the end in mind.’ Good chess players play two moves ahead. Great chess players often see many more than two moves ahead, anticipating what their opponents will do. Actors memorize their lines and rehearse over and over again so when the director yells, “Action!” everything comes out relaxed and natural. Students review notes, take practice tests and create flash cards to help them study and prepare for tests.
For anyone involved in sales, making your customers and clients satisfaction and delivering memorable experiences day in and day out is a great plan.
A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all. – Michael LeBoeuf
What is your strategy for success? Maybe before you answer that, we should define what “strategy” even means…
Sometimes it makes really good sense to have a strategy for how you’re going to approach things. Doctors, pilots, and attorneys don’t just approach their jobs without having some sense of what they are trying to accomplish. A “plan of action” is something that helps us prepare to have the best possible outcome.
What’s your strategy for success? Do you have a daily routine that you follow? Does your day begin and end at a certain time? Does your schedule include exercise, meditation or personal time? Are you available 24/7 or do you “unplug” on purpose to refresh your attitude, mindset, and focus?
Sometimes No Strategy Can Be a Good Strategy
Depending on the situation (and the possible risk for the parties involved), facing something with no pre-conceived notions or expectations could be a good approach. Having no strategy could sometimes be the best strategy so that pressure is reduced and expectations aren’t shattered early in the game. I often head to the golf course with not a thought in mind about how I will play or what I will shoot. On the other hand, sometimes I’ve thought way too much about my round and when the shots don’t happen the way I hoped they would in my mind, anxiety and frustration sets in.
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden used to say “be quick, but don’t hurry.” Depending on your business goals, time frame, and needs if your customers or clients you’re working with, determining if you need a strategy or not is a good place to start. Remember, just because you have a strategy or plan to begin with doesn’t mean things can’t change in a hurry. How you react to those changes could be the difference between success and failure. Remember what boxing great Mike Tyson once said about people’s plans – “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
If You Choose Not to Decide…
Some people excel not because of their strategy of doing things, but instead because they determine the things they will not do. American educator Michael Porter says, “the essence of strategy is choosing what NOT to do.” It’s like the Canadian band Rush sang in their hit Freewill, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” What might be on your “Don’t Do List” this week?
I like the strategy each day of building relationships, solving problems, and having fun. It seems to work for me.
What’s your strategy for success this week?