Is the One-Person Syndrome Limiting Your Business?
How is your joy of business?
When Business is Me, Myself, and I
“What can I do to improve the number of my clients?” This is a question that comes up frequently in my business seminars. Usually, the person asking it loves what they do – whether it’s coaching or being a motivational speaker – but there are other aspects of their business that they don’t enjoy.
The good news is, you don’t have to do it all.
If marketing, making sales calls, answering email inquiries on time or book keeping is not something you truly enjoy, hire someone else to do it. That’s the joy of business! It’s not about having all the answers but rather having the tools to deal with any situation that arises and changing what’s not working for you.
Often, when someone has founded and created their business from the ground up, they don’t want to hire extra staff. They say it costs a lot of money, it’s too complicated, how do you find the right people; there are so many different points of view about hiring staff.
Joy of Business – So Many Ideas, So Little Time
I have been there myself.
When Joy of Business first started, I employed one person who was great at technical systems. I had so many ideas and lots of things that I wanted to create, but each time we talked about them she said, “I’m not a creator”.
She said it five times before I got it. I had been so comfortable with one employee that I didn’t want to step into the unknown area of hiring a second or third person. When I finally realized that my business needed a different energy I hired two more people.
What Energy Does Your Business Require?
There are three energies you require for a business to work. They are creator, connector, mover. It doesn’t have to be three people; it’s three energies.
As the creator, you’re creating the energy of the whole business. Creators are visionaries; they are the ones who have a plethora of ideas and they come up with new ones all the time. Often, creators will judge themselves harshly because their ideas don’t come to fruition. What they don’t know is that they’ve got to add connectors and movers to their business.
The mover is someone who can perceive the future and see what needs to be put in place today to have that future. They are energetic, ambitious and know how to run a business. The mover will always look at the possibilities and ask a question like, what’s going to be required next? Personally, being a mover is one of my favorite things.
Which Energetic Vantage Point is Your Favorite?
Thirdly there’s the energy of connector. The connector is someone who will talk to anyone and do whatever it takes to get the message out there. Connectors are easy to spot, they’re the person in the supermarket line who talks to everyone.
They’re the person who gets in the elevator and has a chat. Connectors make great sales people, so if you’d like more clients then find connectors for your business. Most people who’re great connectors think it has no value.
Which one are you? Usually, the energy you think has no value is the one you’re great at but you mistakenly think everyone can do it. Some people cross over; they may be great creators and also have the energy of a mover.
There is a fourth energy which is a foundational person, someone who is capable of being the creator, connector, and mover simultaneously. A foundational person usually makes a great manager, or CEO, as they have an aerial view of the business.
Going Beyond Predictability to Create Revenue
Just because you own the business, or are the boss, that doesn’t make you responsible for everything that occurs. If you’re the one that’s responsible, then you constantly must judge whether you did a great job or a mediocre job because it’s all on your shoulders.
That’s one of the ways that businesses ensure there is predictability. Prediction does not create anything because you’re always looking for a certain result and you never have to be greater.
When a business is based on predictability then you must create all the revenue streams – and that’s a lot of hard work! You have another choice. The choice is to remain predictable or choose a different reality.
A different reality with business could be asking for a contribution from everyone you work with. So many people don’t do that with their staff. Just for today ask the people with whom you work to contribute to the business.
Literally ask them, “What would create the possibilities for more money, more clients, more revenue streams to show up?” Allow that contribution and be willing to listen to the whispers of possibility that show up. It’s a different invitation for money. It’s a different invitation for your business. What if you didn’t think about it and were willing to create it and have it show up?
