How Will You Get Traction in Your Business?
Last year, I came up with a little saying, “You’ve got to get traction to take action.” It was catchy and pithy enough to become a bit of a mantra that helped me stay motivated and focused when I needed it. In the meantime, we had been working on expanding and refining our Victory Circles programs. As we started to discuss the roll-out of our 2012 programs, Cheri Ruskus, founder of the Victory Circles, came up with another membership level that’s focused on getting your business plan written. Guess what she called it? Traction!
Victory Circles is already an auto racing metaphor. We wave the checkered flag for accomplishments and have an Acceleration coaching program. Running a business is a race that you can win.
But that’s not all. Traction is an acronym to highlight some of the important elements of business planning that our program offers.
So when you’re looking to get Traction in your business, keep these things in mind:
T – Time – You need to put aside the time to work on your business, including business planning. We business owners have a lot on our plates, so it’s imperative that we schedule time, preferably on a weekly basis, to work on our businesses.
R – Recognize the important requirement to write the business plan yourself – the act of writing the plan can make the biggest difference. Work on writing skills to communicate the mission and passion of your business.
A- Alignment - Make sure your plan is aligned with your goals, values, objectives and strengths. You’ll be much more engaged in the process and more likely to stick with it.
C – Courage, hope and belief. Mindset is a huge component of success. Come to your plan with the courage to be self-employed, the optimism to embrace a positive vision of the future, and a belief that you can do it!
T – Three master mind principles are essential in your success. 1 – Definite Chief Aim – Know the purpose and mission of your business; – 2 – Accurate Thinking – Think things through in a systematic way, and take time out of your business to plan. 3- Self-Confidence – You need to have the confidence to implement your plan.
I – Intention, input and implementation. Be clear on your intentions . Make sure they are viable, quantifiable results you’re intent on achieving. Get input from others – you can’t do it alone! And figure out an implementation plan for how are you going to make it happen.
O – On track – This is where your plan will keep you.
N – Now is the time! Stop waiting to get this done. Start now.
Gloria M. Miele, Ph.D. is a Business Development and Leadership Coach and Victory Circles facilitator in Southern California. She is passionate about helping others discover and develop their strengths to achieve greater business success. Visit her website at www.optimaldevelopmentcoaching.com and sign up to receive a free Business Plan Template.
I love this, Gloria – especially all the yummy words that really capture the energetics of this program. What a great service for people to really think about their businesses and take action to make their goals and dreams come to fruition.
Thanks, Laurie. Glad you found the writing delicious. Very excited to help others get their business houses in order.