Bringing problems to your clients
I’ve never heard of a business that says “We bring problems to our clients”. Have you? In that same spirit, it feels obvious to say “We bring solutions to our clients”. Assuming you’re reaching out to them, you’d want to find out if they have challenges they can overcome. And that transformation… would it be a problem? Assuming they reach out to you, they come for you to help them with something. So… would that also be framed as a problem? If you’re using “solutions” in your business,…
Can I con you?
That’d be a weird way to start a conversation. If you get to think of it, asking “Can I be honest with you?” sounds just as weird. Because, if you get to ask that question, your counterparty will think “So you weren’t being honest up till now?” It also implies to yourself that you’re holding things up “waiting for the right moment”… which is quite probable to never arrive. Blair Enns takes this approach of “Kind ruthlessness”. You keep the behavior of saying what you think —being ruthless…
De-scaling
Does de-scaling mean you get to make less? To be less profitable? To get less revenue? To sell less? What are your thoughts on it?
Grow grow grow
Your job is not to grow the business. Unlike what most people think and say, not everything is about growth. In fact, if you’re in an expertise-based business, scaling up might even hurt you more than help you. Your job is not even to make the business “sustainable”. Your job is to make the business right. Right for yourself. Right for your customers. Right for what they need. Right for the planet. And it’s not always about “growth”. One of the few things that grows for the sake of growth,…
What if —the other take
Friend of the list and fellow emailer, Genevieve Hayes replied to the What If email with a great opposite take to constraints. “I think the other interesting exercise is asking yourself “what if everything was perfect and there were no constraints”? I find that thought exercise helpful in working out what to cut from my life (i.e. things ! still don’t want to do even under the best of circumstances).” What’s the position you take so that you can come up with new things? What would you need to…
Don’t convince them
Give them the right information to make the best decision. An informed decision brings them peace of mind, sets the right expectations and removes buyer’s remorse. If you convince them and something doesn’t go right, they’ll ask themselves “Why did I actually hire you for?” And you know what else? To convince means you need them to change what they want. And if you’re taking that road, you’re not seeing from high enough. 🙂
What if
Asking this is to exercise constraints. Unlike what many people think —that to be creative, you need to have freedom— when you’re restrained is when you get to be more creative. Asking “What if” helps in thinking broadly. And that’s the first step. After that, saying “But this is all I have” will set you in a game of constraints. Where you get to push yourself on how to do things different. And depending on how these things get to be different, your approach will be more or less creative.
The less you know…
The more knowledge and more imagination, more originality. How do you get to know more? By knowing less. And then diving deeper. Deepening your expertise. Specializing. Seeing the patterns. With that, you know “What is” and all you have to do after that is ask yourself “What could be?” Start with this: what if?
Unreadiness
You won’t ever be truly ready for things to happen. There will always be something in the way, something you’d love to know a bit more of, something you won’t completely know or any (or some) level of risk, Yet, you have to act. And own it. Especially when you’re scared AF. It’s taking that responsibility, being “accountable” and brave to make —at times— bold decisions, knowing what’s at stake and yet moving forward because it’s all about that bigger, larger thing than just you. And when you…
Fill in the blank. By Tanya Moushi.
Today, this is brought to you by daily emailer and amazing writer Tanya Moushi. She’s got it right. Fill in the blank I feel excellent about myself when I ______________. I feel like shit every time I ______________. I’m ready to finally let go of _______________. I’m going to finally explore _______________. I’m extra grateful for ____________. This one is so full of gold and self-reflection. Perfect for preparing yourself for the next year.
