TheBusinessCommandos.com

Today we’re going to look at a major key to business success that very few businesses truly understand the power of, which is why don’t put much thought into.

The best business leaders totally embrace this, which results in them playing the game of business at a far superior level to everyone else.

My mentor shared this lesson with me in the early days and the truth is I never understood the significance of it at first and once again it revolves around doing things 180 degrees different to the vast majority. What we are talking about is… WHY.

What do most business owners focus on when starting a business?

In 95% of cases it is WHAT they do or HOW they do it… And that’s the message they communicate to their market place.

Where as the successful 5% minority start with WHY, they communicate their reason why to their market place. As leadership guru Simon Sinek from the US says – “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it!”

Starting with why sure isn’t going to win everyone, but that’s a good thing. You don’t want everyone, you just want to attract those who believe what you believe. This is a total game changer… When you work with those who believe what you believe, they are easier to deal with, trust is established must faster and it is a true win-win with both of you heading in the same direction.

For example, why is Apple so successful? After all it’s just a computer company isn’t it? Apple doesn’t tell the market place WHAT it does – sell computers. Apple tells the market place WHY they do it or what they believe, Apple say; “We believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently.”

And everything they do and take to the market place supports their WHY or vision or the reason they exist, depending on what language you want to use.

Apple have attracted a cult following, people will line up all night to get the latest innovation like with the IPod, IPhone, IPad, etc, etc… Apple have raving fans is a BIG way. Just think about the way Apple customers rave about their latest Apple gadget everywhere they go… That doesn’t happen with IBM.

There are so many benefits with clearly communicating your WHY, not only does it attract the ideal customers for you, but also the ideal team members to continue driving your business growth.

Virgin are another awesome example… Virgin have created a fun culture where people are happy to work for them even though they can get paid more working somewhere else. Virgin go into market places where a big player is taking advantage of the consumer and Virgin present themselves as the people’s hero – giving a great value for money option.

Virgin have a culture that people want to be a part of, internally as team members and externally as customers… They certainly don’t attract everyone, but they attract those who believe what they believe.

There’s another way in communicating what we’re talking about here and that is; “Create a cause, not just a business!” People achieve amazing things when working for a cause they truly believe in.

If you’ve spent time with me at one of my events you will already know how I emphasize the importance of tapping into a much bigger purpose than yourself. Most people focus on themselves when starting out, which is the weakest driver of all.

When you focus on a cause much bigger than you, that is when the magic happens. I’ve seen it time and time again in business and in the Special Forces, we are all capable of achieving amazingly great things when you tap into our reason WHY.

And here’s the cool thing with your WHY… You can’t fake it!

One of my mentor’s Paul Dunn helps me with being a better communicator and Paul taught me that most people communicate from the head, where as the best communicators come from the heart. As he says “You’ve got to shift from head to heart”

Telling people WHAT you do is coming from your HEAD.

Sharing your WHY with people is coming from your HEART.

When you find your WHY, it is infectious and has a magical effect on you and your team in pushing forward to serve your market place. This is a core focus in our all new business by design program and a key component to your strategic GAP MAP.

So what’s your reason WHY?

Start with your reason why and you will attract the right people to help you with the how and what and most importantly, you will attract the right customers for you.

In rapping up here’s our reason why, The Business Commandos exist to; “Challenge People to go Against The Grain to Join the Elite Entrepreneur Minority”

Retaining team members in the 21st century is a large problem for a lot of businesses. Business owners are required to be more entrepreneurial in this area and embrace out of the square creative thinking to retaining team members and maintain an entrepreneurial culture.

In this segment we will cover some keys to retaining and attracting quality team members. It really comes down to marketing, but on an internal basis, rather than an external basis as the case with clients.

Start with the basics:

• What are your target markets (teams) needs and wants?
• How do they currently feel about the organisation?
• What can the organisation offer them?
• How can the organisation translate what they have to offer into benefits for team members?
  And finally the big one…
• What is your team marketing USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? – Why are team members going to want to work for you rather than someone else?

Richard Branson’s Virgin Blue are a great example of what we are talking about (at the time of writing). Generally Qantas staff get paid substantially more than Virgin staff, however Virgin have created a fun and happy environment to work in, that people want to be a part of and are happy to be paid less to be a part of that culture.

The truly great Entrepreneurial organisations satisfy the 3 key attributes to attract and maintain team members, which is summarised as GEL;

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES – Growth is one of the 6 human needs, hence their must be growth opportunities for team members within your organisation to keep them happy. Everyone wants to grow in one way or another.

ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE – Team members want to work in a fun, happy and healthy work environment with good conditions and be a part of an entrepreneurial culture.

LEADERS CHARISMA – Team members want to work for charismatic leaders. If team members respect and like who they are working for, they are more productive. The days of the army sergeant major type of leadership are long gone.
Make some notes on how you can improve in making your business the work place of choice for team members.

Yours in success,

Aaron Parsons
http:/www.BusinessGrowthGuru.com