How can you do great work? Peak performers often focus on clarity, concentration and concrete results. Let’s assume you have the attitude and ability to succeed in a specific activity. You can then take the following steps.

1) Clarity.

Imagine you are tackling a specific task. You may be writing an article, mentoring a person, playing a sport, running a meeting, leading a business or whatever. You can establish clarity by saying, for example: “The real results I want to achieve are: a) To ______ b) To ______ c) To ______” You will then organise things to give yourself the best possible chance of success. If you are competing in sport, for example, you will eat the right food, get enough rest, achieve peak fitness, mentally rehearse the potential scenarios, prepare for every eventuality and ensure you are ‘fully present’ during the event. You will take the equivalent steps in your chosen activity.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. Looking to the future, do two things. First, describe the specific activity where you want to do great work. Second, describe the specific results you want to achieve when doing this activity. Try completing the following sentences.

The specific activity where I want to do great work is:

*

The specific results I want to achieve when doing this activity are:

*

*

*

2) Concentration.

Peak performers pay 100% attention to the task in hand. They concentrate fully – whether they are listening to a person, putting a golf ball, leading a meeting or whatever. Poorer performers split their energy. Some potentially fine athletes, for example, fail to take care of their bodies, visit night clubs rather than rest or make elementary mistakes in competitions. They ‘take their eyes off the ball’, get angry with officials or lose the lead because they ‘celebrate victory too early’. Peak performers are fully present and focus on the task – be it mentoring, kicking a ball or whatever. One person’s list of ‘Dos’ for concentrating fully included.

* Do plan ahead and set aside blocks of time to focus on each specific activity.

* Do be crystal-clear on the results to achieve from each activity.

* Do put yourself in a place where you can fully concentrate on the activity. For example, in a quiet place – not an open plan office.

* Do make clear contracts with any other people involved about them also concentrating on the activity. For example, people taking part in a meeting should focus on the task. If appropriate, they can have email and telephone breaks every hour – rather than doing emails in the meeting.

* Do pay 100% attention to the task in hand.

How can you concentrate? Looking at the specific activity where you want to focus in the future, try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to concentrate when doing this activity are:

*

*

*

3) Concrete results.

“Once I am absorbed in an activity I develop a creative rhythm,” said one person. “Then I keep going until I deliver the goods.” How can you do this in your own way? How can you continue to concentrate? How can you find creative solutions to challenges? How can you encourage yourself on the journey? How can you be a good finisher? If appropriate, how can you encourage your colleagues to keep working until they achieve success? Looking at the specific activity where you want to focus, try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to deliver concrete results are:

*

*

*

Peak performers demonstrate many different qualities. But they all have one characteristic in common - the ability to concentrate. They then utilise this ability to deliver great results.

How do you measure your efforts? Some people neglect their talents by comparing themselves with others, saying: “If I can’t be Number 1, there is no point in taking part.” James Fixx, author of The Book of Running, described a remedy for this disease. He told a story that, roughly translated, went:

Great performers focus on ‘playing their own game’ and compete against themselves. Here are 3 ideas for being the best in your class.

1) You can start by defining what you do best.

Try tackling the exercise called Being the best in my class. Begin by describing the activities in which you deliver A’s, rather than B’s or C’s. For example, when you are cooking, gardening, teaching, selling, solving problems or whatever. Try completing the following sentence.

The things I do best – my ‘A’ talents - are:

*

*

*

2) You can aim to be the best in your class.

Great performers feel a sense of duty towards their talent. How can you use your gifts? If you are good at singing, you may want to put more energy into using this strength - be it in a choir, a rock group or whatever. If you are good at teaching, find ways of passing-on your knowledge. Consider how you can become the best parent, musician, inventor, athlete or person you can be. Try completing the following sentence.

The things I can do to do my best
- and be the best in my class - are:

*

*

*

3) You can encourage other people to be the best in their class.

How can you help others develop their natural talents? Many people still define themselves in relation to others - whether it is in terms of school results, body size, career or whatever. People can build on who they are, rather than worry about who they are not. A rose can become a better rose, it cannot become a daffodil. “Be who you are - only more so,” is the message. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to encourage
people to be the best in their class are:

*

*

*

“My partner is ill, which is difficult in itself,” said one person, “but one of the hardest parts is answering questions about their illness. People ring up and, though they are well-meaning, it takes ages to answer their questions. I don’t want to be rude – but it can be very exhausting. The phone calls start with them expressing sympathy, but sometimes the roles get reversed and I end up giving them therapy! Have you any suggestions about how to deal with these kinds of situations?”

Can you recall a time when this has happened for you? You may have suffered a bereavement, lost a job, experienced an illness or whatever. Part of you wanted to be open with people, but it was tiring repeating details. Certainly you may want to talk about the issues with kindred spirits, but other enquiries may be more invasive. How to deal with such conversations? One approach is to tell people you don’t want to talk about it. Another is to create a ‘script’ you can follow to be ‘polite’, but also manage your own energy. Let’s explore how to make this happen.

1) You can clarify your script for answering enquiries during a difficult time.

“This is what we did,” said the person mentioned earlier. “The three key lines went something like this: ‘Thank you for asking. a) X (my partner) has decided to embark on a course of treatment. The stats say the chances of success are fairly high, but you never know with these things. b) We are finding that, in some ways, it is making us stronger. We are appreciating the simple things in life and plan to go on several special trips. c) The course is x months long and we will let you know of any further developments. How are you?’”

“Having a script meant we did not have to rethink every time somebody phoned. We just returned to the themes. Putting it together also helped to clarify our philosophy for dealing with the illness. We revisited our priorities and spent time enjoying our relationship. Sometimes we elaborated on the script with different people. The key thing it did, however, was to provide a compass we could return to during conversations.”

You would, of course, follow this approach in your own way. Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, describe a potentially difficult situation where you might want to use a script to deal with ‘caring enquiries’. Second, imagining yourself in that situation, describe the three key messages you might want to give people. (Obviously it is hard to predict such a situation, but it can be useful to consider your potential strategy.) Try completing the following sentences.

The potential difficult situation where I might want
to use a script to deal with ‘caring enquiries’ could be:

*

The three key messages I could give to
people who make ‘caring enquiries’ could be:

*

*

*

2) You can follow the script for answering enquiries during the difficult time.

“Divorce is never easy,” said another person, “and it is hard to be ‘measured’ after a separation. My partner and I obviously got our act together in terms of talking with the children – something that has continued till this day. Explaining the news to others was more challenging, especially as some wanted to know the details or talk about their own divorce! So, in my head, I devised a sort of ‘press release’: saying we had enjoyed being together for many years, but then simply grew in different directions. I kept returning to these lines, rather than being drawn into recriminations. It became a kind of mantra that protected me from too many questions, though obviously I did a lot of soul-searching.”

How can you follow your ‘script’? Certainly there may be some people with whom you want to go deeper – but there will be others who, for whatever reason, put you under pressure. Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, describe the specific pressures you may need to deal with when answering queries in the difficult situation. Second, describe the things you can do, if appropriate, to follow your script when answering enquiries. Try completing the following sentences.

The specific pressures I might need to deal with
when answering enquiries during the difficult time are:

*

*

*

The specific things I can then do, if appropriate, to follow the
script when answering enquiries during the difficult time are:

*

*

*

3) You can use the script as a guiding compass during the difficult time.

The script can also provide a ‘guiding compass’ – something you can use to clarify and communicate your philosophy in the difficult situation. One couple took this approach when their daughter, Kelly, became depressed after suffering setbacks at school. Previously she had seemed happy, but she did have a strong need for affirmation from her parents and authorities. Something happened when she was 14, however, and her school grades collapsed. Kelly stopped attending dancing and art classes – activities she loved – and retreated into herself. Her only interest seemed to be spending hours working with horses in the local stables. Everything came to a head one day when the school rang to say Kelly had fainted in class.

“We were worried sick,” said her father, “but we got help from an excellent counsellor. She explained things in a caring but matter of fact way. First, the doctors could not find anything physically wrong with Kelly. If the fainting continued, however, it would be good to get further medical opinions. Second, Kelly tended to seek reassurance, which wasn’t coming from the exam results. She needed a sense of success: but this had to come from within her, rather than by trying to please other people. Third, like many youngsters, Kelly was seeking ways to be in control of her life. It would be important for her to find positive, rather than negative, ways to make this happen.”

“The counsellor said there may be many reasons for Kelly’s behaviour, but our role was clear. It was to provide a caring environment in which we gave her consistent messages. She suggested that one way to do this was for my wife and I to agree on the messages we wanted to keep giving Kelly. These could become our guiding philosophy during difficult times. This wasn’t rocket science, but it made sense. So my wife and I settled on our messages to give Kelly. These were:

a) We love you. In other words, we care for you, not your grades or outward achievements.

b) We will encourage you to follow your passions. These may be horse-riding, painting, dancing or whatever.

c) We recognise you will be making many more decisions in the future. Many of these will be for you to make – though on some we may have a view! We care for you, however, and will do whatever we can to support you.

“My wife and I tried to stick to this framework. There were ups and downs over the years, but Kelly seems much happier these days. She is now at university studying art – though she keeps threatening to become a vet!”

The ‘guiding compass’ approach is used by counsellors to help people to clarify and – when appropriate - communicate their philosophy during crises. They can gain strength from it time after time. People do not have to think about reacting to every twist and turn along the way. They can return to what they believe-in – then translate their philosophy into action. Looking at the difficult situation you may face in the future, how could you use your script in this way? Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to use the script as
a guiding compass during the difficult time are:

*

*

*

There are many ways to deal with ‘caring enquiries’ during crises. One approach is to clarify your ‘script’. You can follow this to be ‘polite’ but also focus on what is important during the difficult times.

There is some dispute where this phrase originated – though the favourite is from the world of motor racing. The F1 team may be gung-ho about winning the Grand Prix – but first they must get everything right to complete the race. Otherwise they have no chance of winning. The same principle applies to doing fine work or achieving your goals in life. So let’s explore how to get into the habit of being a good finisher. (You can also clarify your successful pattern for finishing in the companion piece called 3 tips for the art of finishing.)

1) You can clarify what you want to finish in your life.

Let’s start with the big picture. What do you want to finish in your life? You may say, for example: “I want to have given my children a great start in life; to have travelled to South America; to have been a great partner for my spouse.” Why clarify these long-term aims? It develops the discipline of focusing on the end-goals – the ‘What’. You can then channel your energy towards achieving these aims. This enables you to get into the habit of finishing both the small and big things in life.

“I did a similar exercise to this one 10 years ago which clarified my priorities,” said one person. “The exercise was actually called Two years to live. It invited me to describe what I would do if I only had that time remaining. Caring for my family came first, but then it highlighted several other goals. One was to complete a book that I had spent ages planning to write. Seeing this written in black and white increased my sense of urgency. Soon afterwards I began working on the book and went on to self-publish it on the internet.”

Hopefully you have more than two years to live, but it can still be useful to clarify what you want to complete. The following exercise invites you to do two things. First, to describe what you want to finish. Second, to describe the specific things you can do in the next month towards achieving those goals. Try completing the following sentences.

The specific things I want to finish in my life are:

*

*

*

The specific things I can do in the next
month toward achieving these goals are:

*

*

*

2) You can clarify what you want to finish in the next month.

Let’s narrow the scope. You have clarified several life goals and the steps you can take towards these in the next four week. Looking at your personal and professional life, what other things do you want to finish in the next month? You may want to complete a specific work project; hit your financial targets; conduct several performance management sessions; hold a tough but necessary conversation with a difficult team member; return your tax returns; clear-out the garage; fulfil your promise of taking your children to a football match or whatever. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I want to finish in the next month are:

*

*

*

3) You can get into the habit of finishing things each day.

Good finishers are compulsive list-makers. They frequently take time-out out to list what they must do the next day and week. List-making is only the start, of course, because the words must be translated into action. Finishers recognise their ‘prime times’ – the times of the day when they have most energy. Organising their day to protect and capitalise on these times, they complete as many of the key tasks as possible. Building-in time for rest and recovery, they may also use the low-energy times for doing grunt work. Looking back at the end of the day, they reflect on: a) The things I have finished today: b) The things I need to finish tomorrow. Making a fresh list, they repeat the process – and continue the habit of being good finishers. You will, of course, follow this path in your own way. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to get into the
habit of finishing things each day are:

*

*

*

“In order to finish first, first you have to finish,” is a crucial principle. It has implications far beyond preparing a Grand Prix car or training for a tilt at the Gold Medal. It is about getting into the habit of completing fine work. You are then more likely to complete what you were meant to finish in life.

“‘Do what you find exciting’ is a simple rule, but it is so easy to forget – especially during the ‘middle years’,” said one person. “Many people become numb and start to settle for the mundane. Sometimes it takes years – or a big shock – before they relight the fires in their lives and work.”

Certainly many people feel excited during their younger years. Every day is an adventure. They explore, travel and learn. Some people keep this ‘tingle factor’ alive. Some let it rest for awhile, then pick it up again late on in life when they enter their ‘second spring’. Let’s explore how you can continue to hit the heights throughout your life.

1) You can clarify what you find exciting.

What do you find exciting in your life and work? When do you live the ‘A’ life – feeling alive – rather than the ‘B’ or ‘C’ life, feeling bored or cramped? When does this happen in your personal life? You may feel exhilarated when writing, painting, skiing, bungee-jumping, cooking, travelling, inventing, creating, teaching, exploring or whatever. When does it happen in your professional life? You may love working with stimulating people on stimulating projects. What are the warning signs that all is not going well? You may get headaches, forget things, feel lethargic, lose the spring in your step or whatever. What do you then do to re-take charge of your life? Try completing the following sentence.

The things I find exciting are:

*

*

*

2) You can do the things you find exciting.

Start by looking ahead in your life. What are the exciting things you plan to do in the next month?

“That question shook me,” said one person. “Looking ahead, I saw a wasteland – work, commuting, work, commuting. I used to love working – but then it became boring: people sitting in rooms pretending to make decisions. So I changed job within the company and launched a ground-breaking product. The deadline was tight, but the role was fulfilling. Looking at my personal life, I returned to playing the piano, which I found both exciting and healing. My wife and I also decided to spend more time in Cornwall. Something happens when I cross the Tamar Bridge. Maybe it is simply recalling my childhood holidays, but suddenly I feel freer. The biggest change, however, has been in my attitude. Nowadays I look to the month ahead and plan how to inject excitement into my life.”

“But what about the joy of being caught by surprise – doesn’t that have a part to play?” somebody may ask. Of course, but sometimes ‘spontaneity takes a lot of planning’. Such planning involves developing the habit of stimulating your mind, body and soul. Try completing the following sentence.

The steps I can take to do more
of the things I find exciting are:

*

*

*

3) You can keep doing the things you find exciting.

How can you maintain the good habits? How can you stay on the crest of the waves? Remember Charles Handy’s view of The Sigmoid Curve. (See illustration.) People, organisations and societies often drift down the declining side of the curve before they come to their senses. They need to continually surf the waves to develop, rather than die.

“Three years ago I had an alarm call,” said one person. “Previously I had always been super professional with clients – then something happened. On several occasions I was almost late for a client appointment or failed to rehearse the meeting properly. Quick thinking retrieved the situations, but I heeded the warning signs. I had become bored. Looking at my client list, I began spending more time with those I found stimulating, which generated more work with these people. Since then I have got into the habit of doing quarterly checks to ensure I am doing fulfilling work.”

How can you keep surfing the sigmoid curve? How can you keep doing the things that give you a buzz? Excitement is crucial if we are to stay awake, alert and alive. Try completing the following sentence.

The steps I can take to keep doing
the things I find exciting are:

*

*

*

Every person has certain themes they follow in their life. They may aim to encourage other people, build beautiful things, fix problems, create prototypes, fight for justice, pass-on knowledge, work to build a better world or whatever. Sometimes they find and follow these themes – sometimes they don’t. “During my twenties I was idealistic,” said one person. “But I have lost my way a bit during the past ten years. Certainly I want to care for my family, but I am uneasy in my work. I am wondering if there is something more – something that might provide a greater sense of purpose in my working life.” Here are three steps to consider when exploring your life-themes.

1) You can find your life-themes.

There are many approaches to finding your life-themes. One is to tackle the exercise called My guaranteed income. If you had a guaranteed income for the rest of your life, what would you do? You might travel around the world, enjoy holidays and give money to other people. But then what would you do? How would you spend your time? Can you see any themes?

“My theme was growing things,” said one person. “I would devote more time to tending my garden, directing plays at the local youth theatre and teaching courses in creative writing. Throughout my life I have been fascinated by helping people - and things - to fulfill their potential. I have tried to play that role as a parent, as a partner and in my work as the leader of an arts centre. There was a period when I got seduced into sitting in meetings doing ‘strategic work’, but I quickly returned to the grass roots. My best work has always been around demonstrating how art can benefit the community. The common theme, however, has been helping things to grow.”

How would spend your time if you didn’t have to work? Describe the things you would do – then see if you can find any themes. Try completing the following sentences.

My guaranteed income

The things I would do if I had a guaranteed
income for the rest of my life would be:

*

*

*

The themes that emerge from these things
I would do if I had a guaranteed income are:

*

*

*

What themes emerge when people do this exercise? Many focus on the eternal human activities. These include, for example: exploring, learning, creating, designing, building, caring, healing, encouraging, educating, enabling, simplifying, communicating, orchestrating, leading, shaping, trading, ‘selling’, implementing, coaching, facilitating, problem-solving, measuring, entertaining and performing. Different people then put together different combinations of these themes.

2) You can follow your life-themes.

Consider how you can follow your themes the future. One person who made her living running a communications business said:

“My theme is ‘expressing people’s essence’. Ever since I was young I have been interested in finding people’s ‘story’. I love to explore and then tell the real story behind who people are, what they do and how they do it. Nowadays I practice it in several ways. One vehicle is writing people’s CV’s – but I produce something very different from the conventional format. I also help organizations to communicate their success stories. This goes beyond the normal kind of ‘good news’ story. I try to get to the heart of the matter, meet the people involved and show the real value of their work. Frequently I meet people who have a great story to tell. But they don’t know how to share it or reach a wider audience. That is my role. I am a communicator who expresses people’s essence.”

Looking at your themes, describe how you can follow and express these in your life and work. Try completing the following sentence.

The things that I can do to follow
and express my life-themes are:

*

*

*

3) You can fulfil your life-themes.

Following your life themes will be rewarding, but sometimes you may need a greater sense of fulfillment. How to make this happen? There are several ways. First, you can learn to ‘enjoy the journey’ as much as reaching the goal. Sounds zen-like, but it is more likely if you are pursuing a theme that gives positive energy. Second, you can develop the art of finishing. You may want to express your theme by creating a delicious meal, renovating a house, writing a book, fixing a problem or whatever. Seeing a ‘finished product’ gives a sense of satisfaction. Third, you can pass-on the fruits of your learning to other people. You can share it with students, apprentices, readers, listeners, mentees or whatever. Passing-on knowledge to willing learners can be extremely fulfilling.

“Enjoy the process as much as the prize,” we are told. Certainly this is more likely if we are following our key life-themes. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to fulfill my life-themes are:

*

*

*

“I get lots of ideas,” somebody may say, “but I do not know how to translate these into getting paid work. Have you any suggestions?” Let’s explore getting the right balance between creativity, customers and cash.

1) Creativity.

Creativity often involves the process of ‘opening up’ and ‘closing down’ before settling on your ‘finished product’. Inspiration is the starting point. You will normally start with an idea - be it to solve a problem, invent a product or provide a service. You will then ‘open up’, gather information and explore many different directions. After awhile, you will want to ‘close down’ - keeping the good parts of the idea and discarding others. Sharpening your focus, you may ‘open up’ again - getting more information on your chosen topic - before again ‘closing down’. You will keep following this creative process until you are happy with your ‘finished product’.

Creativity also often involves the process innovation, implementation and impact. You innovate, implement the idea and make a positive impact. If you want to get funding, however, it is important to apply the ideas for customers. There are a few rules to follow.

a) Build on your strengths. Always use your ‘A’ talent. Customers are more likely to buy brilliance - so focus on what you do best.

b) Spend some time in a ‘white room’ creating your ideas but then, when appropriate, go out into the world to make sure your ‘product’ can help customers.

Creativity is fun - but you will also need funding. “Get out there and get your first three customers,” is the advice given to budding entrepreneurs, “the customers will help you to shape your future offering.” This brings us to the next step.

2) Customers.

“I don’t like to sell,” somebody may say. “It feels like I am imposing on people. “ I agree - so sometimes it is important to reframe this as: ‘helping the customers to succeed.’ Get alongside customers, share your knowledge and help them to reach their goals. Before taking that step, however, know how to ‘position’ your finished product for potential buyers. If you are planning to work for organisations, for example, show how it can help them to improve their profits, product quality or people. Then go out and help customers. You are not selling - you are helping them to succeed.

“But what about money?” somebody may ask. “I have been told that it is ‘unprofessional’ to work without getting paid. But I am stuck in a negative circle. My network is small, they don’t have much money and I have not got any paid work. What do you suggest?”

“Actors need to work - otherwise they seldom get considered for future parts,” is the rule in the theatre. I take a similar view when it comes to knowledge workers, for example, finding potential projects. It is vital to: “Get out there, get alongside customers and get working.” Providing you do good work, somebody will say: “How can we take this further?” That is when you can ask for funding.

“But I don’t want to be taken to the cleaners - or be seen as unprofessional,” somebody may argue. Agreed - and everybody must develop their own style. My own approach, for example, has been to visit potential customers and spend a couple of hours with them once or twice. The aim is to pass-on practical tools they can use to succeed. If they would like a third visit, we explore the possibility of funding. This is one approach - other people will find alternative methods that get business.

Build a reputation for doing superb work. Make clear contracts, satisfy your customers and do that ‘little bit extra’. Get to meet other people in the organisation. If appropriate, clarify their challenges and share your know-how. Keep following these principles, expand your network and build the business.

3) Cash.

“Man does not live by bread alone,” is the saying. True - but we do need food to survive. So it is important to get paid. Freelancers often remember the satisfaction of sending their first invoice and getting the money in the bank. Being from a certain tradition, I believe in generosity. If you want to follow the fulfilling road and get funding, however, it is good to develop commercial awareness. Granny’s advice still remains: “You have to earn more money than you spend.”

Try tackling the exercise on this theme called Creativity, customers & cash. This invites you: a) To describe your creative idea: b) To describe how you can get potential customers: c) To then perform superb work and get the cash in the bank.

Creativity. The creative idea I have is:

*

Customers. The specific things I can do to
reach out and get potential customers are:

*

*

*

Cash. The things I can then do to perform
superb work and get cash in the bank are:

*

*

*

“My life is in chaos,” explained one mentee during a session. “Everything was fine until 3 months ago. Now my work is unsatisfying, my partner and I are having problems and my health is suffering. I want to get my life back on track and put everything right overnight. I know this is impossible, but have you any suggestions?”

You may have encountered such a situation in a mentoring or coaching session. There are three key themes you can explore to help the person to succeed. If appropriate, you can also apply this approach to growth in your own life and work. Let’s explore these themes.

1) You can grow by focusing on yourself, your relationships or your work.

Some people want everything fixed tomorrow – but this seldom works. Just like after experiencing a setback, it is vital to focus on one area of solid ground and get a success. Certainly this must be relevant and work towards the longer-term goals. But the key is to take charge, set a specific goal and get an early win. Success breeds success. Gaining confidence in one area can then spread to other parts of one’s life and work. So how to help the person mentioned in the introduction? He said:

“Looking at the three areas, the most critical is my relationships. Returning home from work, I don’t communicate with my wife, preferring to dive into my study to do email. My son is suffering problems at school – so I must give him more encouragement. Finally, I need to rebuild relationships with some old friends.”

Building on these thoughts, he set the following goals. a) To create time each evening to talk with his wife. They also planned to go on ‘adventures’ together – sailing, skiing and walking. b) To encourage his son to focus on what he did best – sports, music and film making – and learn how to manage the more difficult issues at school. c) To rejoin his ‘old boys’ 5-a-side football team. Concentrating on one area – relationships – could create positive momentum.

Let’s imagine you want to develop. Which specific area would you like to focus on – yourself, your relationships or your work? Try completing the following sentence.

Looking at the three areas – myself, my relationship & my
work – the first area I would like to focus on to get a success is:

*

*

*

2) You can set specific goals in this area, work hard and achieve success.

“I decided to focus on my work,” said another person. “Why? Looking ahead, I could see problems on the horizon. The company I worked for had lost direction – failing to prepare for the future market. Bearing this in mind, I aimed to do three things. a) To agree with my bosses on realistic targets. This proved difficult because we had a ‘matrix’ organisation with lots of ‘dotted’ reporting lines. So this involved multitudes of meetings and, in some cases, mediating between my bosses. b) To spend 80% of my time out of the office, working with customers and getting early successes. Third, to schedule one meeting a week with head hunters or with people in my network who might be potential employers.”

“Throwing myself into the activities, I won some early sales. This fulfilled my first part of the bargain and satisfied the bosses. But the real movement came from contacting my network. Looking back, I don’t know why I had not done it before. Within 3 months I had two offers – taking one with a forward-looking company. What did I learn from the experience? Stay in charge - and move sooner, rather than later. If a crisis comes, focus on a few things – preferably the ‘right things’ – and get some quick wins. Keep working and never rest on your laurels.”

Let’s return to the area in which you want to develop. Try doing three things. First, describe the specific goal – or goals - you want to achieve. Second, describe the benefits of achieving the goal. Third, describe your action plan for reaching the goal. Try completing the following sentences.

Looking at my chosen area, the specific
goal – or goals - I want to achieve is:

*

The benefits of achieving this goal will be:

*

*

*

The specific things I can do to work hard to
reach this goal and achieve success are:

*

*

*

3) You can build-on this success and focus on the next area you want to tackle in your life or work.

Success in one area can spread to other aspects of your life. One person reacted to a break-up, for example, by getting her own act together.

“I had neglected myself for so long,” she said, “so it was important to exercise my muscles. I did that literally, by going to the gym, entering a half marathon and, on the domestic front, moving into my own flat. There are certain things I miss – like buying food for one, rather than two – but it is liberating to do what I want without ‘asking permission’. Feeling confident, I began making changes in my work. This has led to more job satisfaction.”

How could you build on success? Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, describe the next area you want to focus on – be it yourself, your relationships or your work. Second, describe the specific goal you want to achieve in this area. Third, describe the things you can do to reach that goal. Try completing the following sentences.

Looking at myself, my relationships and
my work, the next area I want to focus on is:

*

The specific goal I want to set in this area is:

*

The specific things I can do to work hard to
reach the goal and achieve success are:

*

*

*

Sometimes events can seem overwhelming. At those times it can be useful to focus on one part of life – yourself, your relationships or your work – and get a success. That provides the springboard for tackling other aspects of your personal or professional life.

Nick Hynes is somebody who loves to build leading edge businesses. During the past decade he has led and sold companies such as Overture and The Search Works – both of which became leaders in their fields. He likes to find a space in the market ‘where the rules have not yet been made’. Nick then employs enthusiastic people who deliver excellence. So where do you work best? Is it in a place where the challenge is to improve the existing system? Or is it in a place where the rules are not yet written? Looking at the latter, let’s explore how you can thrive in such a space.

1) You can put yourself in a place where you can pioneer the new rules.

Several years ago Nick Hynes gathered all 20 members of the company for a super teams workshop. Opening the session, he said:

“How many of you have previously worked in marketing? I see, around 90%. How many in digital marketing? Around 40%. How many in our specialist area? Around 10%. That is not surprising, because we are blazing a trail. We must do what we know works - which is why we are having today’s workshop – but we will also be inventing new rules. My role is to set the company’s goal and explain the guidelines. But I am also going into new territory and will need your help as specialists. The company’s goal is not up for debate. But along the way we must have your input on implementing the strategy. One caveat: once we have made a decision, we do not go back to debate - we deliver. Because our backers demand that we produce results. So before we begin the actual session, I am prepared to take any questions – though some I may not be able to answer. Then, after the workshop, it will be up to you to decide if you want to come on the journey.”

Laura is another person who enjoys making the rules – but she often does this ‘to the side’ of an existing company. Her latest venture, for example, is running the retail arm of a technology business. The company wanted to expand into the High Street and already had some outlets, but these shops were performing badly. So they recruited Laura to build the business. Because the ‘rules’ for running retail did not exist within the company, she was able: a) To build on the existing shell; b) To set the rules for running the retail arm; c) To do whatever was necessary to deliver success. Laura’s approach is taken by many people who want the benefit of a ‘centre’, but also have freedom to build successful prototypes. (Once the prototypes develops a good income stream, the centre may want to roll-out certain processes, but we will come to that later.)

So how can you find a place to make the rules? Nick and Laura are leaders who can, to some extent, ‘call the shots’. They must still present a compelling case to win the backing of sponsors, however, be these senior managers, a board or bankers. But examining their careers provides a pointer for others starting out on this road. During their twenties and thirties, both Laura and Nick sought out leaders who were doing pioneering work in their respective fields. Nick joined Air Miles, the loyalty company, during its formative years. Laura worked with an innovative and highly respected retailer. You will, of course, pursue your own path towards finding pioneering work. This may be in an entirely new field; or ‘to the side’ of a company that provides the freedom be inventive – providing you succeed. If you cannot be the leader of such an enterprise, then hitch your wagon to somebody who has the ability to make the new rules of the game. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to put myself in
a place where I can pioneer the new rules are:

*

*

*

2) You can pioneer the new rules – but also reassure your sponsors by delivering some quick results.

Nick Hynes underlined a key point when speaking to his people: “Our backers demand that we produce results.” Imagine you have found your ‘perfect role’. You have the chance to invent the rules. Your backers – be these bankers, a board or your manager – may appear supportive, but they will be extremely nervous. So get some early wins. Manage your sponsors by focusing on the 3 Rs: responsibility, reassurance and results. Take responsibility by being proactive with your backers. Go to them, rather than wait for them to come to you. Demonstrate that you are on top of the job. Reassure them by showing you have a clear plan – even if you know some things can change – and always provide accurate information. Results are crucial, however, so do whatever is necessary to deliver the goods. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to reassure my
sponsors by delivering some quick results are:

*

*

*

3) You can deliver great results – then move onto the next place where you can pioneer the new rules.

Laura and Nick each have a track record of delivering great results - which certainly helps when you are looking for future backers. This underlines two points. It is important: a) To set a specific goal which, when you achieve it, will be considered a success. b) To do everything possible to deliver that success. This means setting the right goal and implementing the right strategy in the right way. If you are a leader, it means putting the right people in the right places to get the right results. (The link at the bottom of this piece shows how The Search Works practiced this approach.) Whether you are a leader or an individual contributor, try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to deliver great results are:

*

*

*

Pacesetters don’t hang about. Like returning explorers, after a short rest they want to embark on the next adventure. Where to find such opportunities? Sometimes these can be within your present work place, particularly if it wants to utilise your experience. Good organisations then make sure you have the mandate to deliver the desired results. Sometimes you may look outside the organisation. Having done pacesetting work, you will have met many people on a similar journey. Some will be in your company; some will be with ‘competitors’. Your next venture may emerge from conversations with these people or your key sponsors. It will not come from a ‘job advert’. So go out to meet people, explore their challenges and help them to succeed. Sooner or later somebody will say: “How can we take this further?” You can then embark on the next adventure. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to move onto the
next place where I can pioneer the new rules are:

*

*

*

“Be positive and professional, but don’t try to persuade,” was the approach of a therapeutic community I ran in the early 1970s. Young people applied to join the community – frequently wanting to escape from detention centres, mental hospitals or troubled families. Our approach was to outline what we could offer – the ‘results’ – plus the ‘rules’ to follow and the potential ‘rewards’. It was then up to the young person whether or not they decided to join. We did not try to ‘persuade’. Why? We did everything possible to present the offering in a professional way, but it was important to respect the individual’s right make their own choice. The same approach applies in many others situations. Let’s explore how you can follow these steps in your own way.

1) You can be positive, professional and prepare properly.

Imagine you are being asked to pitch for a piece of business. Some sales-people see this as a competition. They want to ‘persuade’ the client to ‘love them’ and win the business. Other people see it as a positive opportunity. They can do their best and ‘control the controllables’ – but they cannot guarantee the outcome. They must aim to understand the customer, clarify their own offering and present in a professional way. The client can then decide what is right for them. Let’s explore how you can pursue this latter route when working to get business.

a) You can be crystal-clear on your own offering to the market.

Great performers are niche-suppliers. They focus on what they do best and do it brilliantly. They are crystal-clear on: ‘What’ they offer; ‘Why’ they offer it – the potential benefits to customers; ‘Who’ they offer it to – their specific target group; ‘How’ they offer it and ‘When’. So start by being clear on what you can offer to potential customers.

b) You can be crystal-clear on what the customer wants – their picture of success.

Clarify what the customer wants. You need to clarify who are the key sponsors – the decision-makers; the real results the customer wants to achieve; the challenges they face; the strengths they can build-on; the things they can and can’t control; the resources they have available; the ‘dos’ & ‘don’ts’ for working with them; the things they have tried before; the possible quick wins; the best way they receive information – such as through slides, stories, etc; and any other key information. Build-up a picture of what the customer wants.

c) You can clarify what you can offer to help the customer get what they want – plus the way you would work with them – and prepare for the presentation.

Then make a decision. Ask yourself: “Bearing in mind what I/we offer and what the customer wants, do I/we want to work with them?” If so, continue with your preparation. If not, be prepared to walk away.

Assuming you want to go-ahead, do everything possible to set-up the session to succeed. Prepare your presentation and then double-check everything. Contact the client to confirm the time of the session; the people who will attend; the specific goals of the session; the guidelines – the topics people will and won’t want you to cover; the physical set-up; the dress-code. Rehearse everything – going into the building; meeting people; setting-up the presentation; giving the presentation; the questions people could ask and the potential answers; the things that could go wrong – and your back-up plan. Rehearse – then relax and look forward to the presentation.

How might you follow some of these steps in your own way? Start by thinking of a situation where you will be ‘presenting’ something to ‘the market’. For example, you may be making a business pitch or outlining what you offer to a potential client – a customer, mentee, student or another person. Identify the specific person – or target group – to whom you are presenting. Then, bearing in mind the stages mentioned above, try completing the following sentences.

The specific person – or target group –
to whom I will be presenting will be:

*

The specific things I can do to be positive,
professional and prepare properly are:

*

*

*

2) You can present positively and professionally – but not try to ‘persuade’.

Great performers know their chosen market. They master their specialism – as chefs, singers, business people or whatever – and present the benefits to the market. Certainly they are prepared to customise what they offer to get ‘win-wins’, but not to the point of diluting their offering. The ‘80%’ of what they offer stays the same – because that is what interests the potential buyer. The other ‘20%’ can be altered – within parameters – to make sure customers get what they want. Let’s imagine you have taken this approach and are ready to make the presentation.

Getting to the venue early, you will again mentally rehearse everything that is going to happen. Meeting people, you will be professional, polite and connect with them in your own way. Moving into the presentation, you will establish credibility, then focus on clarity, connection and concrete results. Let’s explore these points. Credibility: establish this by showing people that you understand the world from their point of view. Clarity: show you understand the results they want delivered - and how you can contribute to achieving this picture of success. Connection - connect by giving people examples from their world. Concrete results: again outline ‘What’ you would deliver; ‘How’ you would deliver it – including the guidelines for working together - and ‘When’. This latter part to include some early successes.

Move onto the question and answer session. This is your opportunity to really connect with people. Listen carefully and, if appropriate, ‘play back’ the question to make sure you heard it properly. Give your answer – complete with real-life examples. Move between the ‘concept’ and the ‘concrete’. You may start by answering on strategic level, but then outline specific examples that bring it to life. Dare to describe both the pluses and minuses of your answer or approach. Check that you have answered the question, then move onto the next. Conclude the session by thanking people for their time and finishing in a positive way.

“But shouldn’t you try to persuade people to adopt your point of view?” somebody may say. You can only do your best – and some things are beyond your control. The best ‘persuasion’ is showing you can help the customer to succeed. People have the right to make up their own minds. If it is the right ‘fit’, there will be the chance of long-lasting success. If not, then it won’t work anyway. Let’s return to the situation in which you would like to make a ‘presentation’. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to present in a positive &
professional way – without trying to persuade - are:

*

*

*

3) You can often get positive results.

This approach obviously has both pluses and minuses. The pluses are: You stay true to yourself; you do your best; you get to know the customer and their picture of success; you offer what you believe will help them to succeed; you try to connect and show how to deliver concrete results; you increase the chances of getting business with customers with whom there is the right ‘fit’. The minuses are: there is lots of time and energy spent preparing and making the presentation; the customer may not want what you offer; you won’t get business with customers who don’t ‘get it’ – but you don’t want that anyway.

Bearing these factors in mind, what are the possibilities of success? Providing you have reached the right target group – and do the right preparation and presentation – the chances are pretty high. You won’t ‘win’ every piece of business but, in the long term, you will get enough to continue prospering.

Let’s return to the situation in which you will be presenting. Looking at all the steps we have covered so far, try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to do
my best to get positive results are:

*

*

*

“What happens if you get a piece of business, but then the client does not fulfil their part of the deal?” somebody may ask. “Isn’t that a situation where you should try to persuade them to adopt your approach?”

Let’s return to the ‘contracting’ process I described in the therapeutic community. Sometimes a young person would ‘sign-up’ for the programme, but then break the contract. They knew the goals and the guidelines – so it was not a matter of trying to ‘persuade’ them to behave differently. We acted immediately and they left the community. Certainly they could re-apply to re-join at a future date – normally around 2 months - but they must then be prepared to follow the rules. They had chosen to break the rules – and there were consequences.

“But you can’t behave that way with clients,” somebody may say. “They are paying the wages.”

Let’s assume you have made clear contracts with a client. Everybody has agreed on the ‘What’, ‘Why’, ‘How’, ‘Who’ and ‘When’. Three months into the work several things are happening. First, you are fulfilling your part of the contract. Second, you have produced some early successes. Third, the client is not fulfilling their part. They are failing to provide resources, failing to pay bills, failing to meet deadlines or whatever. You can be polite and professional – but outline the options. Start by revisiting the goals and saying something like:

“Let’s go back to the results we aiming to deliver. These are: 1) To _______ 2) To ________ 3) To _________ Bearing these goals in mind, there are several options as we go forward together. Option (A) is to follow the original contract. Option (B) is to follow some parts of the contract. Option (C) is not to follow the contract. There may be other options – and each has consequences. We would like to continue working and follow the original contract, but would like to hear your point of view. Which route do you want to follow?”

Sounds tough – but you are simply stating the agreed contract. It is up to the person, team or organisation if they want to continue working with you. If so, great. If not, you must be prepared to move on. Great performers are niche-suppliers – so this calls for continually reaching out to potential customers. The more opportunities they have, the more power they have to say ‘Yes,’ to some people and ‘No,’ to others. They can then continue to be positive and professional – but not try to persuade.