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Apr 24
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The Strategy Paradox – Tactics Or Subterfuge

By Coaching Consulting Strategy No Comments

I always talk about the fact that the word ‘strategy’ is often one of the most abused, overused and misunderstood words in any entrepreneur’s vocabulary. Everyone assumes they’re being strategic, when in fact, they’re being tactical.

Many of the clients that I work with and coach often get the concept confused as a means to describe their objectives and goals – rather than a methodology that needs to be constantly adapted to help them achieve success in their market.

Let’s do some real unpacking and figure out exactly how strategy works and how it effectively applies to business.

Unpacking War – The Origins Of Strategy 

There are many ways to build a company strategy, as there are numerous strategies and methodologies out there, along with a wide selection of tools that support the use and abuse of a great one.

But it should be said that there exists no perfect strategy methodology and that a lot of dependence lies on the complexity of the person’s barriers; like the maturity of their business and how quickly and aggressively they want to build the business and maintain it.

The strategies used for entrepreneurs need to feed the entrepreneurial dream, versus a corporate dream and they should most certainly be differentiated.

In unpacking strategy and it’s roots, you’ll find that it was born out of war with the need to ensure victory over a common enemy. The ultimate price to pay was that of death; with all the many fatalities war has brought there needed to be a way of thinking that would reduce loss and increase the odds of victory.

This boils down to the need of defeating your opponent in the most effective way possible. As soon as there are competitors in the same space; you cannot co-exist and need to take some kind of action to achieve a long-term goal of success.

“No Plan Survives Contact With The Enemy.”

The German field marshal, Moltke the Elder, said that “No plan of operations extends with certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy’s main strength,” meaning that any strategy is always vulnerable and rarely goes without the need for adaptation to the ever-changing circumstances in war.

This extends to the use of any strategy in pretty much any arena – whether it’s boxing, business, or battle. No strategy is bulletproof and should always be used with the clear understanding that circumstances can change at any given moment, so adaptability is key.

In business, you might build a strategy (with a solid plan of action) that you take to market and as soon as you engage with the enemy – your competition, clients, the industry – your plan ends up being imperfect, leaving you with no choice, but to adjust that plan accordingly.

You should never be completely comfortable with your strategy and need to realign it at multiple stages; it needs to always be flexible enough to change or adapt.

I’ve never seen a person, whether it’s one of my clients or someone in a competitive environment, build a 12-month or even 3-year strategy, get to the end and achieve their goals without changing that strategy – a perfect strategy simply doesn’t exist.

One of the biggest stories that come to mind reaffirming this is the battle of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, a battle also known as “the Sound and the Fury”. These formidable boxers prepared for months studying one another’s fighting techniques, strengths, weaknesses and abilities, each coming up with a strategy to win the battle – until that plan came into contact with the enemy.

During the 3rd round, both boxers were forced to shed away their strategies, as Tyson surprised the world by biting a sizable portion off of Holyfield’s ear. In no way could Holyfield have planned for such an insane turn of events, throwing his strategy straight out of the window. Even with Tyson having lost control of his temper, none of what had happened was planned for and changed the outcome for both parties involved.This example provides insight into the ever-changing nature of strategy and how to approach it going forward, rather than believing it to be a fixed solution.

With Strategy, “It Always Depends” 

The answer to any strategic question or method is “it always depends”, as certain variables can alter the strategy at any stage of it being implemented.

It always depends on what the ambitions are, where we are in the market, how well we’re funded and what leads or resources we have; which results in a constantly dynamic and often imperfect strategy implementation. There’s always a strategy that makes sense at that given time and there are always factors that can alter its viability.

It’s important to understand that strategy is generally broken down into six core stages:

Understanding the current situation; where you are in the market, what works and what doesn’t, where or who your opposition are; your pricing and everything that talks to where your business is today.

Goals, objectives and what you hope to achieve; by making use of the variety of ways to set a plan of action and assessing how close or far you are to achieving your desired results; and knowing exactly what it is that you want to achieve and by when.

Implementation of high-level strategies that can be used to achieve the goals and objectives set, bearing in mind any changes that need to occur during that stage.

The tactics and methods used to activate those strategies in the best possible way and by when they should provide results, or will be in need of re-evaluation.

Granular-level actions to identify and decide who is going to be doing what, how they are going to do it and by when; what needs to be done daily, weekly or monthly to achieve the strategy.

Control and measurement of the strategy, deciding when and how to check-in and gauge the success of the strategy; making sure that what is being implemented is working or failing and coming up with ways to find out how to measure any needed changes.

In building your strategy, it’s always wise to check on these stages and understand how, why and whether or not the strategy is working for your business in the best possible way. Strategy isn’t as clear-cut as it may seem and taking the necessary steps to ensure that it’s suitable and working well is very important to any business owner, leader or entrepreneur.

What’s that? You want more?

You’re seeking more advice on strategy, tactics and how to assess or implement them into your business diet? I have all the right meal plans, supplements and measuring tools you’ll ever need to get your business into perfect fighting form;

Get in touch with me as soon as possible – let’s get you fit, strong and ready to eradicate your competition in the first round:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Let’s destroy your opponents, together!

Mar 09
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A Great Recipe for a Gripping Consultant Coach

By Business Coaching Consulting Entrepreneur No Comments

Just in case you were curious, wondering what it takes to be an ideal business coach or  consultant, what the difference is between those and a mentor and where exactly I fit into the equation, worry not.

For I am here to unpack it for you.

While they all have a very similar ring to them, there are differing definitions for these occupations. Each one is different in a few ways and it’s important to be able to distinguish them from one another, just so that you make the right choice when picking one to bring out the best in your business.

 

So, how do all of these differ from one another?

Let’s start with a mentor: even though it’s someone you know and respect, who offers you both guidance and advice, they tend to come unstructured – with no goals or timelines that are set, remaining unaccountable to their processes and guidance. They also tend to be subjective in their approach, giving you opinions on how, or why certain things should be done.

This is not what I do.

So then, am I a coach? Coaching tends to have a more structured approach – with set periods of time, there are goals made that should be adhered to and accomplished. A coach is also paid for their time, so there’s more pressure and accountability that comes with the package. While remaining objective, they are non-advisory in their nature, tending to stay away from giving advice, but rather have a clear mission to understand where you are so that they can help motivate you and find solutions – keeping you on a path to achieving your dreams and finding success.

Although I touch on some of these points – this is not what I do.

Ah! So I must be a consultant?

Not exactly.

While a consultant also has more accountability and helps in defining their client’s objectives, they often work together with the client to achieve their goals and to bring better results by being part of the process and producing actual work. With a project-based approach, there will be clear timelines and deadlines that need to be adhered to, while they are also very advisory in nature and have a lot more to say when giving direction.

 

“Spillly. WTF?!  What do you do then?”

 

I’d consider myself a hybrid. I sit somewhere in-between coaching and consulting – helping you define your growth objectives and assisting you in achieving them with strategic thinking, planning, advice and an outcome in mind of how to get there. I am objective towards your targets and goals, respecting the objectives that you’ve set to accomplish and will push you toward learning and attaining more to get to your desired outcome.

The role I play in my clients’ lives is that of a silent-theoretical partner – one who is always a call or text away. I act as a catalyst to the success of your business, helping make the right decisions, while inspiring, motivating and educating along the way.

 

Intelligence + Emotional Aptitude 

A person’s IQ (Intelligence Quotient) has been used for many years as a predictor of success and a way to determine how intellectually capable a person is in any given environment. Affecting everything from school and job performance, to income and health, IQ was seen as the ultimate test of character.

Until, EQ came along.

Emotional Intelligence has gained massive popularity in recent years by giving spotlight to empathy and its effects on leadership. It is the ability to connect with people on a higher level, sharing personal experiences and understanding which results in better leadership skills, mental health and job performance.

What if you were to combine these two powerful social commodities?

With my coaching-style built on a rigid foundation of both intelligence and emotion, I’m able to bring the right ingredients to a wide variety of scenarios. With IQ, the ability to logically piece together all the observations over the years gives me the foresight to pick up on risks, behaviours and immediate benefits within your business.

While EQ lends itself to my years of understanding and working with hundreds of staff (as well as clients’ staff) and identifying what makes my clients and the people around them heard and understood. I take a clear-cut route to finding and fostering connections with people.

 

Strategic AND Practical

Not only will there be a need for a healthy combination of EQ and IQ, but there are elements of strategy and practicality needed to make for a well-rounded approach.

In being strategic, there should always be a plan of action that encapsulates the needs, desires and end-goal of my client. Through careful, thorough analysis, I will provide the tools and steps to implement and execute a plan that will bring about the best results.

Being practical means that it’s always better to have a certain level of involvement in the process. Being able to add value and effort where needed, so that results are proven and not just from a theoretical standpoint. Putting in actual creative effort – not only providing ideas.

If there was a coordinate plane to help you visualise where exactly I sit on the axis of both EQ and IQ; Strategy and Practicality; I’m slap-bang in the middle. Blending all of those aspects best I can to complement you and your business.

Fresh Ingredients Go A Long Way

The longer I spend as a family man, a coach and a business owner, the more I learn and grow those commodities. By finding the right fertilizers and giving just the right amount of nourishment, my lessons and advice become ripe for the plucking. Giving my clients only the freshest ingredients to savour all that I have to offer.

A successful business consultant/coach not only has the intuition and ability to use all of the right information at the right time, but also knows all the right measurements needed for their secret recipe.

The desire for your success is of great importance to me. It is my duty to understand your goals and challenge you to achieve more, all within your boundaries and levels of discomfort.

As a business consultant and coach I act as a propellant in helping you achieve success, clarity in your dreams and goals, healthy business growth, financial stability and a sense of joy in what you do.

 

I am a coach that cares;

That listens;

That understands and seeks to find understanding.

So, go ahead. Squeeze the best out of what I have to offer.

Let’s get together for a fruitful discussion and an enticing cup of something strong.

You know where to find me: 083 253 3999 or brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feb 01
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The Myth of Partnerships (Why Ownership is Everything)

By Business Coaching Consulting Entrepreneur No Comments

In starting a business, many would consider having a partner as necessary, helpful and a way to allow you more opportunity further down the line. You’ll find that costs are shared and will find it easier to navigate through rough times with a trustworthy companion.

But, does it really make life easier?

Quite honestly, I’d beg to differ.

Maybe I’ll rub you the wrong way, but I couldn’t really care less.

I’ve come to find that in the 8+ years of experience coaching business owners, there is far too much time spent on dealing with partner-related issues, instead of focusing enough energy on growth and strategy in the business.

 

You Don’t Rush Into Marriage – So Why Would You Do It In A Partnership?

Sure, there are definitely a whole lot of benefits that you could find in starting a business with a partner, but they tend to be very surface-level; you eventually find the pool runs extremely deep and you’re only just learning how to swim.

I cannot even fathom the amount of conversations I have as a coach around business owners having to deal with pesky partners – it’s both scary and hilarious acting as a sort of marriage counsellor to clients that have to deal with this.

There are so many issues brought up, it’s almost not even funny.

When partners don’t pull their own weight and the burden is left on only one capable individual; when partners get paid high salaries, without a certain level of responsibility and accountability; when partners’ spouses get involved and make life unbearable for everyone else – it can often be a bitch to deal with a bitch.

More often than not, having a partner – sometimes two – ends up being a burden on the most involved business owner. Going in with the idea that 1+1= 3, is hardly ever the case. That addition of a partner doesn’t always necessarily result in better outcomes.

If you’re looking at it from the perspective of comfort, then get a damn business coach (like me), or find yourself a husband or a wife; all the comfort you need can be found there without the risk of an unpredictable ally.

People often rush into taking on a partnership without stopping to think about the future and the possible repercussions. You wouldn’t just find someone and then marry them from the get-go, would you? You would take the time, get to know them, discover their vices and develop a lasting relationship before getting down on one knee.

Why, then, do people rush into partnerships, only to find resentment further down the line. It just ends in a nasty divorce, filled with resentment.

1+1 ≠ 2. It Just Doesn’t.

When starting a business, you should employ the skills that you require versus partnering with them. There are often situations where it might be a bit expensive to pay for a particular skill that is required, so the business owner will cut costs by offering shares, instead.

This is a very dangerous mistake.

There comes the quick realisation that great skill doesn’t necessarily translate to a great partner. They often don’t go hand-in-hand and that’s why it’s far easier to employ the required skills to do the work.

It needs to be said that separating ownership from employment is vital to a better working system – just because a particular skill is provided, it doesn’t mean that you should be paid a high salary; the skills provided and offered should be an indicator of the profit you get to pocket.

I’ve also found that one of the biggest losses that come with the decision to partner-up is that of freedom. Your freedom is the perceived option of choice and partners tend to pluck those choices away from you. Leaving you with little, or no leverage when it’s absolutely essential.

In losing some of that freedom, you don’t always take on just the partner, but also their spouse. A husband, or wife of a partner can wreak complete havoc on the business in bringing personal issues to the equation.

Jealousy often comes up (“why does he get to drive that car and you don’t?”); or even vengeance can play a role (a partner is caught-up in an affair and gets caught, now there’s money being siphoned from the company to pay for silence and to save their reputation). Oh, sweet blackmail.

So many things can go wrong and often do.

I believe that ownership is everything. Having ownership means better control and ease of leveraging when it’s required; employees are far easier to make decisions around, where partners – and even minority partners – make it difficult.

 

Sometimes, Just Sometimes, It’s Forgivable To Partner-Up 

In going against what I’m preaching, I do find that there are specific conditions that warrant the use of a partner. Although I’m primarily against having a partner when running a business, I do believe that sometimes (only sometimes) it’s forgivable to work together with one.

There are certain provisions that need to be made and specific things that need to be adhered to when making the commitment of partnering up.

Get your pen and paper ready; write this down.

So in certain cases like Sergey Brin and Larry Page, or Wozniak and Jobs, you’ll sometimes find that the right partnerships can exist. Which can produce massive results and skyrocket you way past the stratosphere.

When looking for the right partner, then you need to find a polar-opposite in skills, to complement both of your abilities. If you’re creative and a designer, then seek to partner up with someone that has an MBA, or who’s involved in law; with an analytical skill set that can help in the decision making, or vice versa.

You need someone that you work well with to divide and conquer the business, have separate roles and responsibilities and both have a keen desire to grow the business to the best of your abilities.

It CAN be advantageous to have the opportunity to go on holiday from time to time with the comfort of a partner that has the company’s best interests at heart – one that would be able to run things smoothly if either one of you had to be away for whatever the reason.

However, I will say that it isn’t easy to find a perfect match; Cupid doesn’t waste any time on business partnerships, he’s got his own industry to run.

 

So you can walk away from this red in the face with rage, because you’ve already made the mistake of finding an insignificant other, or you can heed my warning and be very careful about taking on the tremendous risk of a partner.

They might act as a band-aid, but might also be infected; waiting to give you gangrene.

Dealing with these relationships can be quite difficult, so if you’re in need of some partnership counselling and more perspective from somebody who’s seen this far too many times, someone who has sound advice: I’m a ring, or email away:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

May 16
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How To Identify A Team Players In Your Agency

By Business Management Coaching Consulting Hiring Recruitment

The best leaders seek out A players for every area of their business. This is not a problem for the most successful and profitable businesses. But your company, especially if it’s a startup, might not have the financial ability to hire A players for every position. So what can you do to find these people on a shoestring budget and how do you recognize an A player? What are the common competencies and traits they possess that make them more qualified than their peers? 

This excerpt is taken from “The Marketing Agency Blueprint: The Handbook for Building Hybrid PR, SEO, Content, Advertising, and Web Firms” by Paul Roetzer. It covers the personality traits that you should be looking for when hiring A team players.

“Although intelligence and experience are key, their character, internal drive, personalities, and innate abilities are the intangibles that truly differentiate great candidates from good ones. Let’s take a look at some of the most desirable competencies and traits of marketing agency A players: 

Analytical: They make quick decisions based on logic and reason. They love data, and use it to educate, build consensus, and drive action. They are measurement geeks, and look to apply critical analysis to agency activities, and they integrate it into every phase of client campaigns. 

Balanced: They maintain a strong work-life balance. They have personal interests and hobbies that regularly present opportunities to unwind and recharge. This keeps stress levels controlled and energy high. Balance becomes more critical as professionals move up into management levels, and their responsibilities and stress levels grow. 
      

Confident: They put in the extra time and energy needed to gain knowledge and experience, which translates into confidence and composure. Confidence is not to be confused with arrogance and entitlement, which are two of the most undesirable traits of an agency professional.

Creative: They bring innovative approaches and thinking to projects. They have an innate ability to work within standard systems while efficiently integrating original ideas and strategies that strengthen the agency and client campaigns.
        

Detail-oriented: They are incredibly organized and thorough in all communications and activities, which instills tremendous confidence in their clients, peers, and managers. They rarely make careless mistakes. Their attention to detail enables them to excel at time management and project management.
        

Focused: They avoid multitasking in favor of concentrated effort. They know priorities at all times and work efficiently to deliver. They have the ability to shut off distractions, and are often the most productive and efficient workers.
        

Intrinsically motivated: As defined in Daniel Pink’s classic book, Drive, intrinsically motivated people seek: autonomy, the desire to direct their own lives; mastery, the urge to get better and better at something that matters; and purpose, the yearning to contribute to something greater than themselves.
        

The “it” factor: They maintain a strong presence and positive aura. They command attention when they walk into a room and exude confidence without an air of arrogance. They have an intangible element that cannot be defined, but it makes them uniquely capable of succeeding in an agency. They are born leaders.
        

Listener: They excel at listening and understanding the needs of others. They are adept at making others the focus of conversations.
        

Positive: They bring a positive energy to the agency that is uplifting and encouraging to the entire team. They make favorable first impressions. People want to be around them and work with them.
        

Relationship-builder: They know that strong relationships are the key to success in business, and proactively build connections with peers, clients, media, partners, and vendors. They are strong communicators who do the little things that matter, such as sending personal notes to recognize achievements and milestones. 
        

Risk-taker: They take calculated risks. They do not let fear of failure hold them back, and, as a result, they tend to be more aggressive and proactive professionals on behalf of the agency and its clients.
        

Social web savvy: They monitor and participate in forums and social networks relevant to their interests and the industry. They engage with peers and influencers, and they maintain a professional presence on all social networks that positively represents themselves and their agencies.
        

Strategic: They are capable of fully assessing situations, and considering short- and long-term outcomes. They know how decisions and activities affect different audiences, and how they work to achieve business goals. They make seemingly unrelated connections others commonly miss.
        

Team player: They function extremely well within a team environment, but they also excel when working independently. They always seek opportunities to support team members and encourage collaborative learning.
        

Tech-savvy: They stay immersed in technology news and trends. They continually evaluate emerging products and solutions for opportunities to improve efficiency and performance.
        

Writer: They possess exceptional writing skills and the capability to clearly and concisely articulate their thoughts. They use creative and technically sound writing to produce powerful and effective communications. Copywriting is one of the most valuable competencies in a marketing-agency professional.”