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Sep 27
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Reducing The Load Of Your Slowest Hikers

By Business Coaching Consulting psychology Strategy No Comments

When building out your business, there’s always a clear, set mission to achieve significant growth and success – not only for yourself, but also the people that you take on that journey with you.

Similar to the task of hiking together with a team, you, as a leader and guide, must find a process that gets everyone to the top of the mountain in the most effective way, possible.

But what often tends to happen is that you and your team might be slowed down due to the hikers in the back; those that might be struggling to endure the arduous journey with you. And this usually means having to patiently wait for them to catch up to the rest of the team before you’re able to continue and push towards achieving your goal.

While culling those hikers might seem like an easy option, it’s often better to help them by offering to lighten their load, teach them a trick or two, or motivate them to succeed.

A Chain Is Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link 

Indeed, you may find it quite challenging to embark on that journey to reach the top and you will undoubtedly face certain obstacles, but through a healthy dose of desire and determination, you’re well aware of the effort and willpower it will take to get there.

Confronted by ravines, narrow ledges and the many areas of discomfort on the path to success, it’s your job to motivate and empower your team – so that they too help ease the process of getting to the top.

And although each of the hikers within your team have their own backpacks or loads to carry with them, there’s almost always a person (or select group of people) that struggle to keep up and endure the load. Contained in those backpacks are things like skills, personal issues, beliefs, etc. which come to affect the load that needs to be carried on the way up.

Some people handle their load better than others. While some need help to manage or compartmentalise their load in a more effective way.

The issue with those members that lag behind is that it restricts progress and productivity; it slows the entire team down and prevents you from reaching your goal in the fastest way, possible.

It certainly seems like a great option to just go ahead and send those slow, struggling hikers back home, freeing up the energy to keep pushing forward – however, a better approach would be to convince your strongest, fastest hikers to train, inspire and assist the weaker ones, instead.

To do this, you need to ask your strongest hikers to help carry or re-arrange the backpacks of those that are in need of assistance. By removing or re-organising their backpacks, you reduce work-load, provide them with more opportunity to be trained and developed, and create a sense of camaraderie amongst the team. This results in a better, faster and more effective unit.

Using Theory Of Constraints To Reduce The Load 

One of the most effective ways to view and come up with solutions to this situation is through the Theory of Constraints.

Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt, a physicist turned business consultant, came up with this model back in 1984 in his book The Goal, which teaches readers that every organisation, at any time, is limited in its ability to achieve its objective due to a single constraint.

Goldratt defined it as, “A thinking process that enables people to invent simple solutions to complex problems.”

This method is ultimately about focusing on different areas that need attention; attending to the weakest link on that chain and fixing the problem in order to increase productivity and prevent it from getting worse.

By using the Theory of Constraints, it’s important to find the answers to three big questions: What to change?; What to change it to?; and how to change it?

Answering these questions will ultimately provide direction and assist you in coming up with a plan to solve the problems that need to be dealt with.

In order to identify and solve the constraints that need your attention, a five-step method is usually recommended. This will help you find a starting point and give you a process that works effectively when tackling the situation.

The five steps are as follows:

Identify the limiting constraint. In the case of our team of hikers, take a close look at those employees that struggle to keep up with the rest of the team and that slow everyone else down. Figure out what it is that they need help with, whether it’s a reduced workload, more training, counselling, or positive reinforcement – you need to focus on finding the reason why they are struggling in the first place.

Exploit the constraint using existing resources before any investment. If you’re able to identify  the constraint, come up with solutions that don’t require extra money and attempt to remedy the situation through resources that you already have available. If the slow hiker has issues with work that they are struggling to understand, then request one of your stronger hikers to train them, give practical advice or explain how to handle it better.

Subordinate all associated activities to the constraint. Although it might seem a bit counter-intuitive, it’s important to consider that every working part of the system might be supporting and giving fuel to an existing problem. By slowing the whole team down, you’re able to identify any hidden issues or problems that might be affecting the overall performance of your unit.

Elevate the constraint by throwing money at it. Once you’ve identified and worked on the issue at hand, it’s important to invest money or resources in it – so that you’re able to increase its durability and prevent it from causing any further damage down the line. If you buy better backpacks with more compartments and space to get you through the hike, i.e. spending money on training and education for those who are struggling – you create a barrier for those same issues surfacing in future.

Repeat the process to identify and solve the next constraint you could face. Go back and identify new constraints to be worked on and improve the ones that you’ve already solved, while keeping the cycle going. Ensure that everybody in the team is on the same frequency and keep a sharp eye on any new constraints that need attention.

This method has many benefits for not only your team, but the company as a whole. It helps you find and solve the reasons behind a lack of progress within the organisation, it provides a structure for continuous improvement, and allows you to approach constraints or issues without the need for investment or spending extra money on unnecessary band-aids.

Reducing or optimising the load of your weakest hikers will bring about a much faster and enjoyable journey.

Have the talk with your fastest and most efficient hikers. Butter them up, paint them as heroes and make them aware of how great they are and that they have the power to make a valuable and significant difference in the operation of your business, as well as those that need help.

If you’re starting to feel lonely in the front; nobody to bounce your ideas off of, tempted to try new routes or paths, or struggling to find the motivation to keep pushing – then I can help you with that.

Being a successful business coach means that I look forward to every opportunity to make a positive and remarkable difference in the lives of the entrepreneurs that I work with.

I’m like Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings. I will enhance your journey while offering you the perfect advice, guidance and respect that you need as a business owner. I will share my network, strategies and formulae for success with you. I will help you find what you’re looking for.

Do it. Make the call, send the message. Reap the rewards.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Jul 30
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5 Reasons (Other Than Money) Why Entrepreneurs Work So Hard

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Motivation psychology No Comments

I rarely find entrepreneurs that don’t work incredibly hard in their businesses. They often make major sacrifices by spending loads of time away from family and friends, neglecting their health and giving up on moments of leisure (holidays, gatherings, etc.), in order to be the best at what they do.

Working hard to become successful and run a great business is generally for one major reason: making profit. Usually, making as much money as possible to have the freedom, security and comfort that financial stability can bring you is a huge motivator.

But I feel that it’s not always quite as simple as that.

I’ve come to discover that there are 5 more reasons (other than cash) that motivate entrepreneurs.

Let me enlighten you:

5.A Sense Of Guilt

Some business owners feel that if they’re not working, then they are being lazy, unproductive and aren’t making a valid contribution to society. People that deal with guilt generally have an internal narrative that reminds them of their obligation to work harder for themselves or for someone else (be it for family or to keep a promise).

There are many people that use guilt to drive their ambition for success and quite often do very well in running a business or in developing a strong career path.

And although it certainly does motivate them to do things, or at least get things done – it’s not exactly a healthy reason to work harder. Guilt often creates a sense of shame, especially if something doesn’t get done or get done right. Yes, we all need to be responsible and hold ourselves accountable, but shame can end up bad for your health and negatively affect your output.

4.High Levels Of Competitiveness 

Some people are highly competitive and absolutely love to win. Losing is never an option, so doing whatever it takes to be the best at what they do is a huge motivating factor. While competing for profits is one thing, competitive business owners see a challenge in almost anything.

Winning can be subjective, though; it’s relative to each individual and will differ from person-to-person. But the highly competitive entrepreneur is often never satisfied with one metric of success, rather they constantly seek out new benchmarks to measure achievement.

When you interact with someone that loves competition, you come across questions like, “How many people do you have in your business? What are your profits like? Who are your biggest clients?”. And usually, questions like these are aimed at gauging the level of success a person has, so that they’re able to determine the best route to take in order to become the better leader.

Being competitive can be great and help you in reaping many rewards, but there are a few disadvantages that come with the desire to always come out on top. There’s a fine line between the enjoyment of playing the game to win and negative motivators like jealousy, envy, and obsession. Sometimes being overly competitive can also mean that you secretly want others to fail, that you don’t want others to be on the same level as you, and that you don’t care who you hurt to get what you want.

3.Being A Perfectionist

Some people are addicted to perfectionism. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can sometimes play a role, but certain individuals can’t progress until they believe a product, service or task has reached the point of perfection.

The thing is that it takes a lot of hard-work, energy and time to try and attempt perfecting something. I’m not saying that being mediocre in everything that you do is alright, but putting too much effort into a product or service can sometimes do more harm than good. While causing you heaps of stress, which can lead to emotional outbursts, perfection is highly subjective and not always worth the attention that you give to it.

While it might seem admirable to give everything your all, it’s not always effective. Sometimes giving a product or service that is too polished can be off-putting. Also, by trying to make something perfect, you put yourself at greater risk of taking criticisms too seriously which might end up in feelings of failure and resentment.

2.Being A Control-Freak

I’ve come to find that plenty of business owners are driven to do the important work themselves in order to have complete control of the outcome(s). They love either being in control or take complete joy in controlling others. If they aren’t actively involved in the business (pulling the levers, engaging with the work) then they feel pained by a lack of control.

While I often suggest that giving clear briefings, delegating the work that needs to be done and evaluating it afterwards can give you just as much control – there are some absolute control freaks that simply can’t give up that sense of power. This insatiable need to be in control all of the time can be traced to the desire of being right all the time. It creates discomfort in others and displays deep-seated issues of trust.

It might seem like doing the work yourself would be a better approach and your pride might tell you that your involvement is crucial to the success of a product, service, process or operation, but there are plenty of disadvantages that come with being overly controlling. If there’s one way to annoy the living shits out of your employees, then revising their work over and over again is certainly a great option. You end up making people feel inferior and like they aren’t good enough. It can also create resentment and diminish the respect that people have for you.

1.An Addiction To Dopamine & Adrenaline 

This one has become more and more apparent, especially in business owners that work from home. These people are often motivated by the stress of getting work done – they thrive under pressure and quite often produce excellent results. Working hard and through long hours, they function well on the adrenaline and dopamine that comes with the pressure that they deal with.

The idea of producing great results under pressure is called eustress. Eustress is often associated with growth, productivity and skill development – but with any form of stress (whether good or bad), there is a chemical/hormonal reaction that takes place within the brain and body. When dealing with situations that involve pressure, there’s a release of adrenaline, dopamine and cortisol (to name a few) into our bloodstream and it’s not always healthy.

Dopamine is usually released upon achievement of a goal and leaves you feeling great – like a drug, this can become addictive. With adrenaline and cortisol – the two negative hormones that are associated with stress (and eustress) – you end up doing more harm than good. Adrenaline, our fight or flight hormone, causes the body to react to these situations (sweaty palms, frustration, mood shifts) and can have negative effects in the long-term. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is a slow-releasing chemical that can negatively affect our immune systems, blood pressure and digestion (along with others).

With a cocktail of hormones coursing through your veins, it can inevitably have negative effects. And one of the biggest issues is that of depression. Long-term, these chemicals will bring harm to the mind and body; short-term, you can be left with feelings of sadness and hopelessness.

Being that addiction plays a role, when you do end-up taking a break or vacation, then the lack of hormones will affect your mood and energy-levels; you’re basically going cold turkey and it will take up to 2 weeks for your body to stabilise.

Motivators Come In Clusters

Most business owners that are motivated by these different factors usually relate to two or more of the reasons listed above. Some people are driven by guilt and perfection, some by control and competition – each person has more than one motivator.

As a business coach that comes into contact with so many different personalities, I recognise some of these traits in some of the entrepreneurs that I assist.

Making them aware of what motivates them is crucial for self-awareness and understanding why they do the things that they do. In helping them realise these things, I’m able to advise and guide them towards better thinking, reasoning and action.

Knowing how these reasons affect you and why they might be unhealthy will push you towards becoming a better business owner, leader and human being.

As the saying goes: “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

Being a business coach means that I not only want what’s best for your business, but for you, as well.

I’m driven by the desire to make your life better, your business better and your approach far more effective.

You deserve a coach that takes every single thing into consideration and not one that is purely motivated by profits, control, competition, guilt, stress or perfection.

You deserve compassion, strength, wisdom and guidance.

So take what you deserve:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

Mar 23
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Scarcity VS Abundance Mindset

By Business Coaching Motivation psychology No Comments

As a business owner, you don’t only carry the responsibility of running your own company; you often assume the role of a leader that has to bring direction, guidance and ambition to others in order to build a successful business.

You act as a role-model to staff. You influence those around you. You create impressions that last.

That’s why it’s so important to be aware of the mindset that you carry, as you come to affect not only those around you, but your own behaviour, as well.

Indeed, constraints and obstacles will have an effect on your vision and can become a nuisance to accomplishing your goals, however, your perception will ultimately shape your reality and determine whether you fail or succeed as an entrepreneur.

Why Mindset Matters

 I’ve coached many business owners over the years and while personalities certainly differ, a common theme that I’ve come across is that of the two mindsets that people have: The scarcity mindset and the abundance mindset.

There’s always a problem or obstacle to face when running a business – unfortunately, it comes with the package. Being an entrepreneur is hard-work and nobody said it would be easy, but the way that some business owners go about solving particular problems can be ineffective, to say the least, and that’s often due to the limiting beliefs that come with having a negative mindset.

Based on the way that they approach a problem, there’s a level of pessimism and cynicism that ends up blinding their thoughts and governing their decisions.

Although we’ve become somewhat desensitized to those terms, being the pessimist or the cynic is a very dangerous path to choose. It doesn’t only have a negative impact on yourself, but bleeds through to others and can be harmful to business and personal relations.So much research has been done to prove how powerful the human mind is and how our mindset, philosophy and thought-processes can affect the behaviours and the decisions that we make.

It’s important to understand that we’re not like magnets; positive doesn’t attract negative and negative doesn’t attract positive. It’s quite the opposite, actually. If you remain positive in your approach, you’re far more likely to attract positive outcomes – the same applies with being negative and attracting negative outcomes.

Call it the law of attraction, a self-fulfilling prophecy or whatever you choose; at the end of the day, we are affected by what we think and the mindset that we carry with us on a daily basis.

Mindset matters. It shapes our interactions and achievements. It shapes the world that we live in.

 The 4 Constraints In Business That Affect Our Mindset

 With certain clients that I coach, I often come to recognise a mindset of scarcity and take the time to figure out the best way to understand where they’re coming from, so that I can help provide a solution to their problem.

Whether it’s a matter of strategic thinking, or day-to-day problem solving, they start from a negative standpoint, saying, “we can’t do that, because…”.

Often, the “because” is due to certain constraints.

“We can’t do that, because we don’t have the people, or enough people, or the skills in our people; we don’t have enough money to afford solving the problem; we don’t have the time to tackle these issues.”

The four biggest constraints are always around resources (lack of technology, skills, etc), people, time, and money.

These constraints can be problematic, but there’s always a solution to be found. So when I coach clients that deal with these issues, I start by recommending that they forget about those four constraints.

The Magic Wand

I like to use the hypothetical scenario of a magic wand that could wipe away all of those constraints with immediate effect and ask them what they would choose to do in their business and how they would go about it.

This usually brings about different thinking and solutions that they were previously unable to imagine.

It shifts the perspective from “how do we solve that thing?” to “how do we raise the money or find the right people to do that thing?”; creating a segue that changes their stance from reactive to proactive.

This brings about new ideas and changes the approach from scarcity to one more focused on the abundance that comes with solving the initial problem.

What I tend to find during this process is that there is no real shortage of solutions to the problem they’re facing, but rather that solutions were needed around those constraints. In my experience, solving the constraints opened the door to solving the initial problem.

This approach is based around an abundance mindset – one that seeks solutions through positive thinking. It motivates and allows you to think about problems differently and find answers from a different perspective.

Adopting An Approach To Abundance

 By adopting a mindset based on abundance, you begin to change your idea of life and business, as a whole. You see the advantages within the disadvantages and constraints; you find a silver-lining in everything that you approach.

It works itself into the way that you handle, influence and work with people. You’re seen as more positive and uplifting, rather than an emotional wreck that harbours problems and struggles to find solutions.

It prevents you from playing the blame game and invites you to take responsibility and accountability.

Scarcity acts like a leech on your thought processes and behaviour, while abundance acts as a catalyst to being a better, more productive individual. Again, we’re not like magnets in the sense that opposites attract; like attracts like, love attracts love, good attracts good.

Try it for yourself. Do the research.

And if you struggle, then fake it until you make it.

Struggling to find that silver-lining? Struggling to pick off all of the leeches that drain the optimism out of you? Worry not. I’m here to assist.

If it’s becoming so bad that it has an impact on your business, then get in touch with me and let’s discuss how I can help you move forward. I’ll bring all of the abundance you so desperately need and who knows, my cheerful attitude might just rub off on you – shifting your gear from scarcity to abundance.

Call me, Whatsapp me, contact me, today:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Feb 19
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Change Quotient – Better than IQ and EQ?

By Coaching Motivation psychology No Comments

Finding comfort, stability and security are amongst our top priorities as human-beings; we seek to find solace in being as lazy as possible, sitting flat on our asses until our legs go numb.

Some of the most intelligent people on this Earth choose to sniff out the easiest possible route to take in life to get rich as soon as humanly possible. That’s why you might find some of the top-tier criminals have some of the highest IQs.

Unfortunately, a high IQ doesn’t always translate to wise decision-making.

Then there are those with extreme levels of empathy, leaning toward the wrong-end of the spectrum of EQ. Tell me something, is it a form of Emotional Intelligence to be so wound-up about something – anything – exuberating such intense levels of empathy that it translates to high-level cringe? Think extremist vegans; feminazis; simps and the like.

Too much emotion can have you crying and even throwing earth-trembling tantrums for the most irrelevant horseshit.

It goes without saying that a healthy combination of intelligence and empathy can go a long way – as a leader, an employee, a business owner… a serial killer.

But without the ability to adapt to change, they don’t hold as much weight.

 Darwin showed us just how powerful natural selection is – the innate ability to adapt to changing environments and circumstances; inevitably resulting in longevity.

Stupid dinosaurs. They couldn’t even outlive roaches.

Even roaches, crocs (not those despicable shoes) and lobsters all stood the test of time, leaving the dinosaurs but a memory forever bound to history books. What a shame.

What a shame it would be if the top of the food chain – i.e. humans – were to act so weak and powerless. Our innate ability to adapt to changing circumstances makes us amazing, capable and with the potential to evolve faster than anything else on this Earth.

In the workplace, in business, in running the world, our consistent battle with adversity is one that makes us better, stronger and far more capable then any of our quadrupedal counterparts.

As humans, we are constantly faced with hurdles and challenges that test our mettle, that push us far beyond the boundaries of excellence and history has proven this to us time and time again.

Adapting to change is etched into our genetic makeup and psyche, it’s so natural and yet we scoff at anything that rocks our boat, anything that brings about a change in flow and direction.

CQ Is the New Black

Our Change Quotient (CQ) is becoming quite trendy and a far more popular indicator of how capable people are in their work environment – whether running a business, leading a team, or being the best employee.

Being able to adapt and change when adversity rears its ugly head is becoming just as important as one’s IQ or EQ and is a powerful determining factor in our capabilities as humans.

With the Covid pandemic pillaging and destroying businesses, jobs and lives, we’re left to see the determination and power in those that are able to navigate the unpredictable storm.

This burgeoning storm, like many others, has brought about immense change in some of the best ways possible; new ways of doing business, new technologies, new competition, new roles, new services and products.It seems like we only enjoy change when it suits us; which should be all the time.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about changing completely and having to forage for a new identity from the abyss, but we should constantly strive to evolve and grow, especially in times of adversity or extreme change.

Like a tadpole taking on new features and form, becoming something bigger and stronger without losing its identity, its DNA. Or a caterpillar adapting and taking on a newer, more powerful design, one that can take on far more challenges with poise and agility.

Your ability to change is a profound gateway to more possibilities and opportunities.

3 C’s of Change

 I’ve come to find that there are three different factors that bring about change. These three factors force you to evolve, or be left behind and eaten – gobbled up like a McD’s burger in a fat kid’s lunchbox.

Two of the three factors that play a big role in our ability to make provisions for adaptation shouldn’t be the only reasons to propel us forward in life, as they force sudden change:

Circumstance forces you to take a look at yourself, your position and make quick decisions that will have you adapt and survive. Covid, as an example, has forced us to deal with circumstances we were too relaxed to pay attention to. Only when the shit hits the fan, do we take a look in the mirror and say, “it’s time for a change”.

Don’t wait for a circumstance to creep up and swallow you whole.

Crisis demands that you pull up your socks and get the ball rolling with haste, or die. We hate it when it barges in, but neglect to acknowledge that it is a reality that needs to be addressed and planned for. When you’re struck with absolutely no choice, left wondering “why am I here and how did this happen?”, you’ve been battered by crisis and often find it’s too late to gather your things and run.

Everything gets swept up into the maelstrom and you’re left with no option, but to change.

Don’t wait for a crisis and be shocked when it does come kick your door down.

And finally,

Choice is the factor that we should all strive to undertake. Like the tadpole, or the caterpillar, we should seek and choose to evolve and adapt toward a bigger, better form. We need to make the decision, the choice to bring about change and always be prepared for uncertainty. Be eager to adapt and avoid reliance on comfort.

We all have free-will, so by exercising your ability to change and by showing readiness to adapt, you will find that great benefit and strength in adversity become your new norm.

Do you want to go beyond extinction, still alive and well, way past your due date?

Well then, I have just the thing for you…

… My number and my Email address.

It will take a little bit more than just reading this to prepare yourself.

You need someone that will get you armed to the teeth and ready for war,

Ready to take on the next massive shift:

Find change, before it finds you.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

..or just follow my mind as it dumps value all over the interwebs… @Spillly with three Ls everywhere; Twitter, Instagram, Facebook..