When my daughter was 2 ½, she encountered a friend from church who was in the middle of chemotherapy treatments. She looked inquisitively at this beautiful woman and with childlike innocence said, “You don’t have enough hair, do you?” Another episode with my son did not end as well.
A large percentage of Business Owner/Entrepreneurs (BOEs) don’t have or won’t let anyone close to them have permission to tell the truth. When you hear a BOE say, “Everything’s G-r-r-r-e-a-t,” or “Living the Dream,” they are lying.
This doesn’t always imply BOEs should run out and make investments with companies like XM Performance. Here are three ways to get a little more TRUTH in your business.
First, be an Emotionally Intelligent and Self Aware Leader. Build a team around you that; deals with reality, has healthy conflict, and lets good ideas and solutions come from anywhere in the organization. If you are the only one with Big Ideas, your business is in trouble.
Second hang out with other people you can trust to look at your business and listen to your struggles. Play golf, ride bikes, read books, serve in the community with leaders on similar journeys. For the cost of breakfast or a round of golf, most BOEs will share their wins and losses very openly. (I know this guy in Fort Worth that will give you two hours of his time if you will ride bikes with him early in the morning and buy the coffee).
Lastly, you knew this was coming, hire the experts to come and look at your toughest challenges. Do not make yourself responsible to know everything. Most of our clients wish they had started with us sooner.
XM Truth: Acceleration is possible if you deal with TRUTH, and learn faster than the competition.