Successful, Sustainable GROWTH Requires:
Awareness, Education, and Implementation
Actually, ANY kind of success requires awareness, education, and implementation. First, let’s clarify what kind of success we’re talking about. In this case, because our focus this month is on entrepreneurial growth success, that’s what we’ll stick to but this is one of those “teaching moments” that can easily apply to many areas of your life: career, parenting, volunteering, etc. We’re not just talking about passive success though. This is a recipe for PROACTIVE SUCCESS. It won’t just happen. YOU have to take responsibility for committing to success and then taking the steps to achieve it.
Let’s rephrase and break down “the recipe” so you can see what I mean. How about this? PROACTIVE, sustainable success requires: Awareness, Education, and Implementation.
Peg’s “success recipe”:
- AWARENESS begins by defining the problem. What do you need/want to succeed at? It’s helpful to identify realistic, quantifiable (measurable) goals. Then, and this is very important, assume that you don’t know everything. I often say that the root cause of ALL failure is lack of awareness. It’s easy to say but not so easy to overcome. The only way to get past this is to consciously assume that you don’t know all of what it will take to succeed at this particular venture. Then, GET CURIOUS. Begin to ask questions, seek our experts and advisors, do some research, etc. Finally, ASSESS what more you need to learn in order to be truly successful.
- EDUCATION follows and can come in many forms. You might take an official class or course of study but much more likely is that you’ll “self educate”. Read a book, search the web, talk to experts, take a training class, etc. You can greatly accelerate your success in learning by surrounding yourself with the right people. If they don’t have the answer they can steer you in the right direction! By the way, I’m a HUGE proponent of continued education in the area of entrepreneurism. CE is generally required in the corporate world. It amazes me how people who have “grown up” in that world so easy step into the small business environment and think they don’t have to keep learning. (enough editorializing!)
- Implementation is where the rubber meets the road. How many times have you attended a workshop or seminar and then, DID NOTHING? Oh yeah! I’ve been there too. Taking ACTION is the hard part of being PROACTIVE. This is where an accountability system can really help. Do you have a partner, colleague, co-worker, friend, etc. that can help you? It’s great to set up this arrangement BEFORE you need someone. I have several accountability systems that I use for different purposes. I belong to a CEO roundtable, facilitate several small groups, have an advisory board, and, probably most importantly, have 2 or 3 friends/colleagues that I trust to give me good feedback-and I use them as sounding boards!
With this “lesson” we’re wrapping up 3 months of focus on “Growth”. In our Legacy ACCESS Entrepreneurial Development Cycle this means that next month we’ll move to Innovation (The 4 phases in this cycle are Discovery, Beginning, Growth and Innovation). As I’m sure you’ve seen and or experienced in this “new economy”, GROWTH does not continue unless you INNOVATE!
At our upcoming Legacy Connection Community meeting we’re honored to welcome Dr. Jay Kayne, director of entrepreneurship at Miami University. Jay is one of the regions best kept secrets! He’s an expert on innovation/opportunity seeking and has recently launched a new venture to teach and empower innovation.
You're invited....
July 1st
8:00 AM Networking
8:30-10:00 Working on the Biz!
4555 Lake Forest Dr, Blue Ash, OH 45242
Suite 590
I hope you'll.......SAY YES!
Peg Stookey
Founder of Legacy Connection
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