This post was contributed by Elese Coit, Hera Hub member and CEO of TrueChange Consultants, a human potential education and consulting firm that partners with business leaders to help transform teams and team leadership.

Strategic thinking often slips to the bottom of the entrepreneur’s to-do list. But business success is made of both sweat and strategy–not unlike climbing Mount Everest. Although I know this well, our business had an “almost complete” strategic plan for more than a year. (Good thing we weren’t climbing Everest!) We realized the folly of this approach and now have 3 ways we stay strategic in our business:

  1. Reflection: Reflective thinking on client care, services, goals and purpose
  2. Attention: Tuning in to the landscape (both inner and outer)
  3. Neutrality: Separating business results from happiness and self-worth

Reflection.

LighthouseThe purpose of reflection is to travel beyond what we know into the realm of insight and new thought.  I tend to believe that I know our business, market, clients and challenges very well. Amazingly (to me!), I am often wrong. Opinions fool us by masquerading as truth, so use insight as part of your strategic approach. If you reflect on your business and not just work in your business, you’ll begin to make adjustments over time instead of needing to turn the Titanic once it’s too late.

Reflection is an unhurried and open-ended thinking process that may be challenging if you are accustomed to being busy-minded, as most of us are. However, it can generate profound insights and it is very natural to do. Here’s one way…

Have a curiosity session. Tell a willing friend you’d like them to listen deeply as you reflect on the purpose, goals, and vision of your business. They should remain quietly curious and give you undivided attention without speaking. Continue as long as you feel a sense of ease.  Afterward, have your friend ask you questions, but try to stay out of problem-solving mode for as long as you can.

Attention.

My business partner and I tune inward when we need to solve problems.  Recently she faced family challenges and had some inner turmoil.  These feelings were a sign that she was getting wound up inside and she’s good at recognizing this and caring for herself. Eventually, she realized she needed to rethink some aspects of our work that were not a good fit with her personal priorities.  I was glad we didn’t try to blow past her discomfort and instead found a positive solution.

Ever ignored that knot in your stomach as you agreed to discount your services more than you wanted to? It’s important to know how to read the signs of your own feelings so you can care for yourself and your business well. Even when things get difficult.

Neutrality.

Hot air balloonLook at your business as if it belonged to someone else. I watched an episode of Shark Tank recently and it was obvious that most contestants were surprised by the questions they were asked. They were so deep in their own business it not occur to them to look through an investor’s eyes.

Your business may take up most of your time, but it is not the measure of whether you are a valuable or good person. It’s not you. Worth, value, happiness — even success — these are yours whether your business does well or not. If it is a challenge to look at your business in a neutral way, you might be forgetting this. (Watch a few episodes of Shark Tank. Can you answer the shark’s questions for your business?)

These three ways of operating have brought a deeper strategic focus to our business. They’ve helped us save money, stay on track and avoid crisis mode. If you find them useful, let me know!

Resources

  • Develop a better understanding of listening to your gut feeling in my book, “Inner Directed.” 

P.S. If you are a Hera Hub member and want to create a top-notch business plan, attend the next Hera Hub Strategic Planning Day. I also welcome anyone, member or not, during my Project and Team Management Guru drop-in hours from 12-2 on Thursdays in the Hera Hub Sorrento Valley location.

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Elese Coit works with business leaders to create high-synergy teams that deliver breakthrough results. She is former Director of Project and Program Management at British Telecom and is currently the CEO of TrueChange Consultants. Her firm helps teams raise performance and overcome challenges by discovering the dynamics of their hidden inner capacities. She edited the book, Invisible Power; Insight Principles at Work. Everyone’s Hidden Inner Capacity, with authors Ken Manning, Robin Charbit and Sandra Krot.

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