I recently re-engaged with a client who I had previously worked with. He is the CEO of a fast-growing accounting and bookkeeping practice. The first-time around we worked on refining his marketing message so that all of his marketing collateral and sales communication was super aligned with what his firm represents. When presenting to prospects he was able to engage more of the right clients, service them more fully and work with them over the long term. He said that what he learned from me was gold, so when he hit another roadblock in his business he reached out to me for some help. This time, when I asked him about what was going on in his business, this is what he told me:
“I feel like I’m treading water. My business is growing and I’m both excited about the future and scared because things are starting to fall through the cracks due to my ineffective processes and lack of proper systems to support this stage of the business. I have no clear growth plan or clear vision for the future, and I know I need to make some changes, but I don’t know how. I’m tired of being on the fence with this. I know I need to jump but I don’t have a roadmap. I need your help.”
Some business owners are so deep in the weeds of running their business that before they know it they’ve lost perspective on the long-term vision and they feel like they are constantly working in reactive mode, catch up mode, or subsistence mode. To be honest, it’s exhausting. Emotionally, your reptilian brain is in fight, flight or freeze mode 24/7, which makes it impossible to be calm and resourceful – the state you need to be in, so you can create a vision and plan for the future.
So, this leads me back to you the business owner, and how I can help you build a roadmap for yourself, so that you reach your destination. When I work with my private coaching clients, I am their personal business navigator – helping them adjust their sails so they always reach their destination. One of the foundational components for building a successful roadmap is to develop a solid outcome frame.
Communicating without an outcome is like taking a trip without a destination. If you don’t know where you are going, how will know how to get there? How will you know if you got there?
The outcome frame is a powerhouse goal setting framework. There are several components to creating a solid outcome frame, and I’ll share one of them with you: every good outcome frame starts with asking powerful questions.
“If you don’t like where you are, change it! You’re not a tree.” – Jim Rohn
When you want to be somewhere other than where you are, I invite you to take out a piece of paper and a pen, or some other writing instrument or recording device. Imagine for a moment that you create your own reality and enter into the realm of possibilities. Success is yours for the taking and there’s no such thing as failure only feedback.
From that space, ask yourself these four key questions:
- What do I want?
- How might I get it?
- How might I commit to that?
- How will I know if I’ve gotten it?
The secret to moving forward with focus and wild abandon is to have clarity of purpose, a strong felt sense for why you’re doing it, the resolve to stop tolerating what you have, and the hunger to go for what you really want no matter what.
Know that you’re not alone on this path. To be a change maker is a heroic journey. It takes courage, passion, and patience. It’s not for everyone. But, if you find yourself spinning your wheels or treading water in your business, and you’re getting tired of being the chief of everything, let’s talk. Are you ready to step into the driver’s seat of your business? I can help you get perspective on your long-term vision and the short-term roadmap for reaching your destination. Contact me for your 45-minute no obligation strategy session, and I’ll light up your path to a successful outcome.