• 08Dec

  Win-Win Collaborations Last

  Business and Health, Inspiration for Business, entrepreneur to ceo 4 Comments

  

  Collaboration is another aspect to consider in my series about shifting from Entrepreneur to CEO.  Previous posts in the series focused on your strategic action plan, and shedding toxicity.

  In this post, I share my thoughts about the importance of surrounding yourself with people who align with your model for collaboration.  These partner-worthy pros have skills that you don’t have and offer you an opportunity to share your expertise in kind.  You’re able to create a win-win relationship for sharing in the work and growing your businesses together. Collaboration is kewl partnering way to connect to others, gain a following, become the expert in your field, and create lasting relationships with reliable business professionals.

  With the many experts available, it’s important that you identify people willing and able to promote a favorable climate for collaboration.  Invest the time getting to know more about how they work to gain a sense of the chemistry you have with them.  Connect to people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work in action WITH you.  These go-getters recognize progress and productivity as a means for exponential growth. They totally "get" your style and embrace your collaboration fully to get things done.

  Get clear about what you seek in your collaborator by creating a profile of their values, skills and characteristics your collaborator must possess. The word "must" may seem a bit strong and it is.  Having the right values, skills and characteristics guarantee the relationship will withstand any bumps in the road.  In that event, it is totally a MUST to know you’re right for each other before the collaboration begins.  When you approach your potential partner, share your vision for success so you both know where they fit into it.  Remember that you are the captain of your ship and you want the relationship to be advantageous for everyone involved.

  Execute a non-disclosure agreement with signatures from both parties. You’re working with proprietary information from their perspective and yours. This is a great way to ensure you’re all equally protected.  Your success in the collaboration hinges on trust and your collaborator will support you in this process.  Like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket, you’re creating the
  space for a lasting and profitable relationship founded in promise and connection.

  How are your win-win collaborations working?

  Tags: business partners, business relationships, collaboration, entrepreneur to ceo, entrepreneurial roles

• 04Dec

  Your Strategic Plan As A Plan of Action

  Inspiration for Business, Strategic Planning, entrepreneur to ceo 1 Comment

  In your quest to shift to become CEO of your company, your success hinders on having a strong plan.

  Do you have a solid, strategic plan yet?

  If not, this is your personal nudge to create a plan that is proactive, purposeful, and highly strategic. It’s GREAT if you already have a plan. Continue reading to incorporate these key elements if they’re missing.

  A strategic plan is a deliberate approach to your life and business. Your plan is filled with action steps to help you to turn your hopes and dreams into real, tangible outcomes and accomplishments. Your strategic plan concretizes your business vision, mission and goals. It describes the attainable approach you, and your team will use to meet the objectives of your business. Your plan contains achievable action steps which have been clearly communicated to the team so team members are ready to take action at any given moment. If for some reason you are unable to act on the plan, someone from your team is empowered and informed to take the ball and run with it in your absence.

  It is smart to develop and maintain a strategic plan for your business. Bear in mind, your plan is a living, breathing record that you review often, adjust accordingly and monitor to evaluate the results of your efforts. While you’re in transition you can expect to make lots of changes — often. Give yourself permission to remain flexible and fluid without getting bogged down by change itself.

  Build your strategic plan around your vision, mission, and goals of your business. Write them down. If these critical elements are floating around in your head, your team cannot move your plan forward in your absence. Adding these key ingredients to the mix will truly help you to stay on course because you’ll have a solid blueprint for running your business.

  How’s your strategic plan looking now?

  Where are your opportunities to adjust your plan of action?

  What actions can you take to move your plan forward?

  The start of a new year is an excellent time to develop, revisit or renew your strategic plan. Start with your business vision, mission and goals. When the strategies surface and you identify milestones, embrace each and every one as part of your plan of action. Remember you’re in transition and it’s perfectly fine to approach the learning curve and embrace new opportunities to grow.

  I look forward to hearing more about strategic plan of action as you move from Entrepreneur to CEO.

  Tags: action plan, business goals, entrepreneur to ceo, entrepreneurial roles, mission, strategic plan, vision

• 04Dec

  Shedding Toxicity in Your Business

  Business and Health, Inspiration for Business, Inspiration for Life, entrepreneur to ceo 2 Comments

  Fostering a successful environment is important when you’re shifting from entrepreneur to CEO of your business. Shedding toxicity, including the negative influences, is necessary to stay motivated while encouraging your team to strive to have a productive day, everyday. Welcome team members who genuinely support you and lend positivity to every interaction. Welcome coaches, mentors, partners, and collaborators who inspire you and encourage your success. You definitely want to surround yourself with only the best-est, kewl-est and most authentic people who wish you infinite joy in each and every endeavor! This includes you, too! Make sure you’re promoting that same infinite joy with a healthy mindset.

  In 2004, I read Fearless Living: Live Without Excuses and Love Without Regret by well-known coach, Rhonda Britten. It totally changed my life! Britten challenged me as a committed reader, to recognize the toxic people in my life — people she refers to as “fear junkies.” You know these venomous individuals as the naysayers who impose their fears on you. You may also see the “misery loves company” types who want to hold you back or keep you where they are. Fear junkies are also notorious complainers who rarely have something positive to say. I think there is a little fear junkie in everyone.

  Stay aware so when you see their fear running amuck, you’re able to respond appropriately to respond to the toxins appropriately. I wholeheartedly agree with Britten’s recommendation to leave the fear junkies behind, especially when they pose a danger to you and your business. Potential danger means your interactions with the fear junkie create an adverse impact; trigger fear responses from you; or have a negative result in your life or business.

  Interestingly, the fear junkies aren’t always aware of how they show up in your world. That’s why it’s SO important for you to pay close attention to your associates, friends and even family members in your corner of the world. It doesn’t mean operate from a place of suspicious. It means being very aware of interactions which steer you away from a positive perspective or a focused way of thinking or being.

  Remember you are the CEO and that means that you have to execute your vision with precision and strategy. One of the kewl-est things you can do for your business is to shed yourself and your business of any and all toxicity attempting to take an extended seat in your business!

  Food for thought: Who are the fear junkies in your life?

  Tags: business relationships, entrepreneur to ceo, entrepreneurial motivation, fearless living, rhonda britten, team building

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