BIG BLOG
Learning from the Masters
BY JEFF REDMON/BREAKTHROUGH IMPACT GROUP
Recently, I attended my Metronomics Tip Top Summit with 50 of the very best business coaches in the world. Tons of takeaways from these grandmasters but here was an insight that should seem so obvious.
What does every sports team have in common?
✅ A Playbook
✅ A Scoreboard to keep score on their Open Playing Field, and
✅ A Coach
Why is it that our business teams are competing in their business Olympics without each of these firmly in place?
➜ A Playbook. Every business has business practices. They may be documented or not, but they have systems. How many of us have a documented strategic playbook that identifies the differentiating activities that make you truly unique and valuable to your specifically identified core customer. A rock-solid one-page strategic plan will help focus all of your activities on those elements that will have the biggest impact. Get a playbook.
➜ A Scoreboard. Do we play or watch sports and only look at the score at the end of the game to see who won? Without metrics and a scoreboard, you cannot know how you are doing until the game is over. Financials are a lagging indicator of past performance, not a real performance indicator. What are the metrics that tell you every day that you are making progress? Develop metrics and watch them daily.
➜ A Coach. A bit self-promoting, but every professional team, even pee wee football teams have a coach. The coach is not on the playing field but nonetheless is critical to high-performance teams. Even the best athletes in the world have a coach or coaches. A business coach will save you time, help identify your blind spots and provide accountability many business owners lack. Get a coach.