Focus and Shoot

One of my earliest childhood memories is watching Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) win his third Most Outstanding Player award while leading UCLA to its third straight NCAA title in 1969. Of course, March Madness? is now ingrained in our sports psyche. From the unveiling of the brackets in mid-March, to the playing of "One Shining Moment" celebrating a new national champion, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship captures our nation's attention.

Each year, the Men's Basketball Committee ranks the tournament teams on an S-Curve. The top #1 seed sits at the upper right on the "S" and the 65th rests at the bottom left, with the remaining 63 teams listed in order between them. In your industry, it might be possible to rank businesses in a similar way, and, much like players shooting free throws in the NCAA tournament, everyone on the S-Curve would have the opportunity to achieve better results by focusing on the keys to their success.

Success Handler Action: Spend a few moments thinking about your small business. In your industry, where do you rank on the S-Curve? Are you near the upper right with top performers, somewhere in the middle, or falling toward the bottom left? Now, think about the reasons you placed yourself in that position. Here are some questions to consider:

~ Do you have the personnel to make you a "top seed"?

~ Do you have the equipment to be among the best at what you do?

~ Are you coaching employees to ensure you get the most out of their talent?

~ How do your customers view your small business? Are you ranked among the elite?

~ What will it take for you to move higher up on the S-Curve?

One of the small business leaders we coach has an outstanding team, a strong product in a growth industry and a solid marketing approach. Yet, like many business owners, he is not achieving the results he expects. Put in sports terms, they have a good game plan, but their execution is coming up short.

We are currently helping them implement a strategy to reach outside their comfort level ? to think beyond what worked before and to more closely focus on what is needed today. We are also working to focus their efforts beyond the walls of their location ? to get out and spend more time with their customers and prospects.

Success Handler Action: What is it that's keeping you from reaching your goals? Is it fear of change? Lack of resources? Fatigue? Here are six steps to give your team the mindset of a winner:

1. Call some business acquaintances and ask how they motivate their employees

2. Read (or re-read) Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People"

3. Get your business plan out of the drawer and update it (think like a coach: X's and O's)

4. Candidly discuss your situation with your financial advisor

5. Take your employees out for a celebration; the best teams bond together off the field

6. Get to work one hour earlier the next two weeks and work on your business, not in it

All teams begin their seasons with the same record and same goal. The one that cuts down the net at the end worked together better than everyone else. While big state schools tend to win the most championships, smaller ones celebrate success every year in the NCAA tournament. Whether you're the biggest in your industry or the smallest, the oldest or the newest, there is opportunity to renew focus on your business and shoot your way up the S-Curve. Begin thinking and preparing like a champion, and you will achieve surprising results, much like those Cinderella Stories.

Copyright � 2004 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he's been there ? as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.

---

To Thine Own Self Be True--Its Better for Business: What Arthur Andersen Would Say to His Company

As a child, you probably heard, "to thine own self... Read More

Five Ways to Turn Resistance into Opportunity

Resistance. It isn't something people cherish or enjoy encountering. We... Read More

Poor Employee Performance: How to Deal

KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS: "Document !Document! Document!" Keep a record of... Read More

Is Your Company in Need of Family Therapy?

How Companies Are Like FamiliesLike a family, a company is... Read More

Performance Evaluation: How To Create Change

STEPS TOWARDS GIVING A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW: Give specific feedback.... Read More

What is Knowledge Management Anyway?

When you think of all the things companies have, you... Read More

Workplace Security Plan: Does Your Company Have One?

Consultant's Perspective...The threat of violence whether it emanates from a... Read More

Argue Your Way To Business Success

"Jack" (not his real name) is a vice president of... Read More

Appraisal Interviews: What To Say & How To Say It

STEPS TOWARDS A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW:Don't say: "You just don't... Read More

Dont Take New Hires for Granted

Hiring good people is only half the battle. The other... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Structure

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Training Adults, Not Teaching Children

Adults are vulnerable to personal and professional embarrassment from poor... Read More

Focus Leads To Nonprofit Success: Is Your Organization Rowing or Drifting

Picture yourself standing on the bank of a river watching... Read More

Innovation Management ? what are the practical impediments?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

10 Resolutions For The New Year!!

Each year many people create a list of resolutions designed... Read More

Management Training: Are You Satisfied With The Results?

If you're not satfied with the results of your management... Read More

Performance Evaluations Can Be Beneficial

THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW MEETING: It's a fact - most supervisors... Read More

Where Else in Your Business Do You Accept a 60% Failure Rate?

I recently surveyed CEOs and Business Leaders of large companies... Read More

Steps to Build ISO 9001 Compliant Program

Implementing an ISO 9001 system represents a major effort. However,... Read More

Delegation for Business Leaders - How Letting Go Works

A leader's role is to focus on those areas of... Read More

Internal Communication: 12 Essential Elements

There are 12 essential elements of a successful internal communications... Read More

Knowing versus Doing - Execution In The Workplace

Have you ever worked with someone who always seemed to... Read More

Lawyers With 2 Hands And Everything Else

I heard this back a few years ago. The boss... Read More

Turning a Negative Employee Into a Positive Asset

Several years ago, I took over the supervision of a... Read More

Business Innovation ? Tacit Knowledge

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Knowledge Mapping

This module focuses on the basics of Knowledge Mapping, its... Read More

Goodwill is an Intangible Asset

'Goodwill' is regarded as an intangible asset in a business.... Read More

What Makes a Good Appraisal Interview?

WHAT MAKES A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW?Here is a tip for... Read More

Employee Orientation: The 90 Day Difference

Why do some new managers succeed while others fail? It... Read More

Where Businesses Fall Short

1. No vision. Successful businesses have a clear vision or... Read More

Five Essential Hiring Practices

Recruiting and hiring are often done in haste, leaving the... Read More

The Idol-Makers

The end of the television season in May included the... Read More

Business Innovation ? Status Games

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More