By Dave VanHoose
You researched. You planned. You pulled all-nighters. Gumby is green with envy at how far you’ve stretched yourself to get your business up and running. And it’s been paying off. While you have so much to be proud of, and you should take time to celebrate your success, don’t order that next round of ritas just yet.
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It’s normal, and downright necessary, to spend much of your time dealing with what’s staring you in the face when you first start your business. Everything’s urgent and the natural impulse is to react to what’s right in front of you. But once you’ve become somewhat established, it’s time to take a deep breath, dig a little deeper and become a strategic thinker.
It’s not easy, I know. For most of us, it’s a radical departure from what we’re used to and how we think of ourselves. Take my partner Dustin. His claim to fame for years was that he was ‘the marketing guy’. It became a habit, his core identity, complete with a cape and super powers most of us could only dare to dream of. But the scary, and also exciting, reality about committing to grow your business is that it forces you to step outside your comfort zone big time. Think of how challenging it was for mild-mannered Clark Kent to have to learn how to fly, save people and–what about those tights? Not everybody can pull that off but it worked for him. A key part of scaling your business and replicating your success to explode it exponentially means moving on from that identity you’ve settled into, removing yourself from the daily to-dos and leveraging others in a purposeful way. We’re not talking a lobotomy but we are talking a major shift in your mindset. It doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a process (I can hear you, “Ugh, another growth opportunity!”). You have to define what works for you.
So how do you evolve into a strategic thinker if you don’t know what one really ‘looks’ like or have tangible behaviors you can wrap your thinking and actions around? Here are five habits of true strategic thinkers to get you started.
1. Constantly look outside the box–We’re always being told to think outside the box, but strategic vision is the first step in establishing a leadership position–and keeping it. While your competitors are consumed with focusing on what’s directly in front of them, you need to anticipate where your industry is headed at all times. Build an external network of partners who can help you keep a pulse on what innovations and trends are happening in your industry and what’s on the horizon. Then ask yourself how you can leverage that intelligence in ways that’ll wow your ideal clients and have them standing in line to get a piece of the action.
2. Question the status quo–The very word, leader, implies you don’t follow the norm or take things at face value just because that’s what everyone else is doing. Ask questions often–about everything–to uncover the real issues rather than slapping band-aids on surface symptoms. Challenge conventional wisdom. Break through any biases based on limiting beliefs that aren’t serving your mission.
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable–People search for clear direction and certainty. When things get fuzzy, we’re often quick to make a snap decision. It might make us feel better in the short term but can head us in the wrong direction. Patience is a virtue for good reason. Gather information from many sources, look for patterns, question assumptions and test. Reward curiosity and questioning–make it part of your company culture. Rather than promoting the old ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ mindset, instill an attitude of ‘Constant and Never-Ending Improvement’ (CANI) throughout the ranks.
4. Decide–No, we’re not talking out of both sides of our mouth. While it’s important to weigh options, ask questions and push boundaries it’s easy to get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’. Set a goal, a timeframe and don’t let the quest for perfection hold you back. Nothing’s cast in concrete. Make the best decisions you can with reasonable information in a reasonable time–but at some point take a stand and take action that moves you towards your goals.
5. Understand there’s no mistake–Alexander Bell, about inventing the light bulb, said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Look for the lesson in every success, and every attempt that didn’t turn out quite the way you expected. Encourage constant feedback so you can shift course quickly. Reward well-intentioned efforts regardless of the outcome and evaluate what you can do different. Celebrate the courage to be different as long as it aligns with your vision and supports your mission.
When there’s no kryptonite in sight, try relying on these core strategies to sharpen your strategic thinking skills. Before you know it, you’ll develop your own x-ray vision for taking your business beyond what you thought was humanly possible. Can leaping over tall stacks of money in a single bound be far behind?
Dave Vanhoose is the CEO and the master platform & webinar trainer at 7 Figure Speaking Empire. Dave’s masterful execution of sales presentations is evident in his own success, and in that of his students. Dave is mentor and speaker coach to some of the most experienced speakers in the seminar industry. He masterfully takes a seasoned veteran and amplifies their platform abilities to new levels. For more information on Dave VanHoose or Speaking Empire, just visit http://speakingempire.com
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