Next week marks the 2nd half of 2024. If you want to finish the year strong, no matter how things are going for you right now, today’s newsletter is exactly what you need.
What follows is based on almost 30 years of experience, helping small business owners achieve their best results. It’s a very straightforward approach. And it works in every industry and profession.
And it starts with us taking a look at how our business has performed over the first half of 2024.
Reflection and action
If we reflect on our progress and discover we’re on course to hit or smash our 2024 targets, we need to take action.
- To stay focused.
- To persevere.
- To carry on doing the right things, correctly.
If we reflect on our progress and it looks like we’re not on course, we need to take action.
- To accept the urgency of the situation.
- To decide that more of the same is not an option.
- To get strategic. Important: Most business owners don’t know what an effective strategy is. Here’s a short, brilliant explainer video, by Professor Roger Martin.
- To make better decisions.
- To take better actions.
- To finish strong and turn things around.
And here’s the GREAT news
Whether we’re on target or off target, we can still make this a very successful year. Equipped with the right strategy and support, our decisions will improve, our actions will improve and our results will improve.
The key is to act. And to act in accordance with the results we’re currently experiencing.
Lots of small business owners get this wrong. Many of those who are off target today, will stay focused, persevere and carry on… with more of the same. They’ll stick with what they’re doing and hope that things will improve.
Over the years, I’ve helped thousands of businesspeople to transform their results. In every case, their turnaround success started after they took that number one step above. They accepted the urgency of their situation, which inspired them to make the required adjustments.
Yes, I do this same exercise myself
On a personal note, the only reason my own business has been successful over the years, is that I have learned to review my progress, or lack of progress, and then to act accordingly.
If I was using the same approach to my business in 2024 as I was using even a few years ago, my own business would be contracting today.
We all need to reflect on where we are, and then act accordingly. So please take time to see where your business is today, look at its direction of travel, and make the required adjustments.
Photo: Richard Stachmann on Unsplash