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Developing Your Inner Circle for Success
He was a self-made man who owed his lack of success to nobody. -Joseph Heller
Every time I watch the Olympics, I can’t help but root for the athletes from impoverished countries. Although some poorer countries are strong in one or two events, it’s frequently a lopsided competition as athletes from the USA and other first-world countries have a tremendous amount of resources at their disposal: nutritionists, sports scientists, teams of top-notch coaches, and cutting-edge training equipment. Meanwhile, the sprinter from Ufrikistan probably had to go into debt to buy his track shorts.
Yet there is an important lesson to be learned here about business. One of the largest determining factors in our level of success is the quality of the team that invests in us. Our potential can only be realized through the input of others who have more knowledge and battle scars than we do. If we want to realize our potential, it’s our responsibility to recruit a team that can train and challenge us to grow and motivate us to bring our A-game. So, you may ask, how do I do that? Where do I even start? Good question. Glad you asked.
Write a list of the skills and resources you need to accomplish your vision,
For help with vision casting, read this post.
To learn how to create processes to accomplish your vision, read this post.
and then think of a person you know (or would like to know) who is a master in that particular area. Write a name next to each need. Perhaps you need someone who is a sales expert, and you have an acquaintance who is a senior sales manager for an insurance company that could sell refrigerators to eskimos. Write him down! After you have your names, it’s time to go get those people.
It’s important to aim high. You want to pick people who give you the “Sweaty P’s”: sweaty palms and sweaty pits. In other words, people who are a bit intimidating because they’ve reached a high level of success. You might ask, “Why would someone like that give me the time of day?”
The truth is that most extremely successful people care less about making money now, than they did at the start of their careers. They are far more interested in giving back, being appreciated, and leaving a legacy. You may be surprised how many powerful people are willing to give of their time and expertise when you approach them and say, “You are the best person I know of at ________. Could you please help me become better in that area? I’ll make you proud.” Buy them a cup of coffee, schedule weekly phone calls, have them over for dinner, etc. With regular input from high-caliber people, even in small amounts, you may be amazed at the rapidity of your own growth. In the end, the best way to reach higher is to stand on the shoulders of giants.
Josh Wise
This post is an excerpt from our 360 Business THRIVE! class. Come join our next class for many more essential tactics for success!
