Every business owner has a big dream for their business and wants to make it happen. The problem is that sometimes we hire people that don’t share our core values or core focus. These people may behave in a way that we don’t understand because it’s not who we are. It shouldn’t be so hard to find the right people to be productive in our companies.
We’ve all heard the quote, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Early in my coaching meetings with clients, it’s critical to find out what they stand for, even if it means taking a loss in their company. I also had to determine what my core values were when I started The Profitability Coach almost 15 years ago. If you’re interested, I’ll take you inside my head (sometimes, it’s a dangerous place!).
Decide on Your Core Values
Connectedness- I believe there are links between all things. There are very few coincidences in life and almost every event has a reason.
Strategic- I believe there are alternative ways to proceed in any given scenario. All you must do is spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Belief- I have a specific set of beliefs/values that are unchanging. Out of those values emerges a defined purpose for life.
Adaptability- I tend to live in the moment, take things as they come, and discover the future one day at a time. You might say I try to “go with the flow.”
Empathy- I can sense the feelings of other people by imagining myself in their situations.
If you’ve never done this exercise before, I encourage you to take the time to determine what you stand for and hire people who believe in the same things you do. You may even want to develop a core values speech that you share with each person you’re thinking about hiring.
Choose Perseverance
Very early in life (when I didn’t want to do my homework), my father told me, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Studies show that perseverance is an essential quality for success in life. It often tops aptitude and raw talent and is a more accurate predictor of success in life.
Laid off at 54 years old after 32 successful years in banking, my income went from six figures to zero in a single day. I started The Profitability Coach at the height of the Great Recession with one idea in mind. I had a dream to make business owners better financial managers of their businesses. 15 years later, I would not be where I am today, with the wonderful life I’ve been given, without choosing perseverance. I am not alone in this experience. Not a year goes by when I don’t hear other business owner stories of perseverance and how they wouldn’t be where they were without it. If you have a business story about perseverance, I’d love to hear it!
