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Grand Designs is a fascinating programme that features the unique stories of people who realise visions of building their own homes. It follows their journeys from initial idea through to actual completion. The hosting and narration of designer/writer Kevin McCloud engage the viewer in the often emotional stories that serve as backdrops to the manifestation of buildings that become homes.
Homes that owners are proud of! Homes that were once thoughts in the minds of their resilient owners! Homes that were created to last!
Digging the foundation of these homes may be likened to identifying the core values of your business. They both require going deep within an already existing reality to lay the basis on which something solid will be built. Building your own home requires a strategic blueprint and loads of patience and sacrifice – just like your establishing and maintaining your business. Resilience pays off when the focus is clear.
Another lesson from Grand Designs is the benefit in establishing a qualified team who are prepared to be flexible in their approach to complete the mission at hand. Factors that threaten to delay building include adverse weather conditions, limited lines of credit, issues with suppliers and the availability of specific materials.
Factors that affect your profit in business include changing market conditions, cash flow problems, poor service from suppliers and failure to implement effective measures in a timely fashion. Your business is only as good as the team around you. The holder of the lowliest position is as valuable as the holder of the most high profile position – and all positions in between – because each position uniquely contributes to the manifestation of the main mission. For example, the virtual secretary you rarely see directly impacts your business imagery. A dirty office makes a poor first impression. It looks bad on your business if someone answers your contact line as if they were annoyed by the disturbance.
The idea gives birth to the blueprint which brings forth the team who manifest the vision. How do you create a strong foundation in order to survive? What steps can you take to support the longevity of your business? Are there any rituals you can incorporate to build a solid business?
Here are 4 rituals to develop (or keep doing):
1. Surround yourself with an effective team of people who possess specific skill sets and add value to your vision.
2. Trust your gut instincts.
3. Form collaborative partnerships to get things done in a timely manner.
4. Respect your time. Meetings are productive with agreed points of discussion noted in advance. Business calls should stay on point, emails written clearly and diaries used to organise your day/month/year.
Excavating involves the careful removal of earth from a particular area. In archaeology, excavation is concerned with the exposure, recording and processing of remains that were dug up. To excavate one must go within in order to create space for/or to unearth something new. Going within yourself to identify then bring life to your vision is truly a grand design.
The blueprint in your mind takes form once it is written down and actioned. You excavate then build in the similar way you go within yourself to then cultivate your vision. Another parallel is that the ‘race’ of developing a business is not for the swift but for those who endure and stay relevant over time.
Acquisition is cheaper than maintenance which means that technological advancements and new ways of solving old problems must be taken on board. Critical thinking should trump emotional nostalgia.
Financial analysts are suggesting that two of the reasons that a 125-year-old American retail giant like Sears has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (at the time of writing) are shifts in consumer spending and the rise of e-commerce. Some 142 stores are expected to be closed by December 31, 2018. It’s reasonable to conclude that decreasing market share is an indication that the brand became irrelevant. The foundation was built after the excavation but little attention was paid to the future upkeep.
Assess the relevance of your business and ask challenging questions regarding market share, technological advancements, customer spending patterns and current changes in your industry. Keeping abreast of the factors that impact your business growth will grace you and your team with your own grand design.
You may also like: Is it time for Emotional Intelligence?
About the Author
Malik Muhammad was raised and educated in Jamaica, read law in London and is the conceptualiser of The Empowerment Mastery System. This system is based on The 8 Principles of Self Empowerment that are guaranteed to improve your quality of life, elevate your wellbeing and help you / your organisation or your business to make measurable progress.
Malik enjoys vegan cooking, quad biking, jazz and yoga. He is an after dinner speaker, workshop facilitator and convenes international & corporate inspirational seminars. Malik specialises in sharing self-empowerment techniques with diverse audiences.
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