Break-through for business growth
As game-changing CEOs, chairs, directors, executives and business owners, we can often find ourselves frustrated, stuck or uncertain about our best next moves. While these feelings might not sit on the surface, they can niggle at the backs of our minds – often for long periods of time.
For many, these discomforts escalate with the weight of expectations, of needing to have the answers, of being the one to set the direction and pace, of charting the course through new territories and of having to juggle a myriad of competing priorities – largely all on our own.
How do you handle these times? Some of us rely on gut instincts to guide us. For others, it’s about working things through by ourselves as best we can. Others prefer to test beliefs and assumptions, challenge logic and fully stretch option choices by talking things out with trusted others who draw on deep and varied experiences.
If we’re ambitious about growing our business and our people, we're well aware that we need to take considered, deliberate risks and step out of our comfort-zones into new territory. We know we need to place the bets that will position us for the future. Yet these choice-points are often highly ambiguous, risky and unnerving.
Challenge. Perspective. Clarity. Confidence.
Consider the last 12 months. How many times did you really have to stop and think about which decisions to take, which to accelerate, what to stop and how to pivot? It’s been a remarkable year – COVID has forced us to pause and completely rethink how we work, our impact on others, our business models, our supply chains, where we work, and even how we socialise and go about our day-to-day.
Many of the assumptions that underpinned our past are no longer valid, or at least they’re radically altered. New mindsets required, as is a new level of emotional resilience to constructively deal with the frustrations, doubts and fears that can overcome us. Amongst all these shifts, there are new opportunities to be quickly found and exploited.
As you reflect, what might have been possible over the past year, had you had more confidence, perspective and encouragement to re-gain your bearings, and uncover break-throughs against a backdrop of distracting white noise? What if you’d had a personal senior advisor, sounding-board, coach, galvaniser, accountability-partner, guide, role-model or advocate by your side?
Better decisions for growth.
As progressive business leaders, we regularly find ourselves at interesting, unchartered cross-roads such as now. And it’s times like these that we need the kind of grounding conversations that help us to find the answers within, gain clarity and perspective, and help us uncover how we might tackle the most challenging dilemmas and choices. We need someone – or a set of people - we can bounce ideas with, get to the root of issues and guide us to consider situations and opportunities for growth in new and different lights.
At times like these, business growth mentors help us to clear away the ‘white noise’ and blockages that are holding us (and our businesses) back from seeing and realising growth opportunities. With a growth mentor beside us, we’re better armed with a tremendous source of support, guidance, wisdom, experience, strategies, tactics and techniques. And it’s these things that steer us towards stronger decisions, greater clarity, valuable reference frames and mindsets, and increased skills and ability to set and reach goals we never thought possible.
Find your business growth mentors.
Finding the right business growth mentor can be tricky. What do you look for? While it’s not always possible to find everything in one person, we've come to see that there are 5 attributes that add greatest value:
- Proven track record of heading up and/or enabling growth in a range of organisations similar to and larger than your own – they need to “get” what it takes to succeed and grow at different levels of maturity,
- Level business head and a strong growth orientation – they need to be able to see, inspire and guide you to realise new commercial opportunities,
- High emotional agility and with whom you have a strong connection or affinity – these days we are well aware that ‘business is personal’ and ‘relationship chemistry is everything’, so look for the “spark” beneath the surface between you both,
- Strong curiosity about the future – someone who asks insightful questions that helps you to think bigger, more boldly and holistically, and guides decisions that accelerate (not compromise) future value,
- Skillsets, knowledge, networks and experiences that complement and extend your own – so that you benefit from insights and mindsets that help you accelerate your game.
Along with all the new challenges and white noise in the world, it looks like 2021 is set to bring a myriad of new opportunities, pivot points, big bets and many smaller but important decisions that will help you carve your new growth trajectory. Do you have the right kind of business growth firepower backing you?
Curious to explore how you might accelerate your growth in 2021? One of our business growth mentors would be delighted to brainstorm with you, obligation free.
Just text “Growth chat pls” to Elisa on 0408 864 182 and we’ll make a time. If you prefer, call or drop an email to elisa@futurecrafters.com.au
