As we hurtle towards the end of 2017 most of us focus our attention onto what we want next on both a business and personal level.

Over the last few weeks, I have had several conversations with directors and owners who said they want to accelerate their growth next year and have a real ‘shift’ in their performance.

This always makes me initially nervous until I have done more digging.

Why?

Well the truth is many people say they want a ‘shift’ and yet when it comes down to it; they don’t-and that can be for many reasons.

Because of our back ground here at Centredexcellence we can help recruitment organisations make big shifts in their business performance. The consequences of this, some folks aren’t ready for.

 

 

Now, let me say something about that, because your reaction might be, “Well, come on, Nicky. Surely everyone’s ready to have a shift?”

Well, maybe and maybe not.

Lots of people say they are, but when it comes down to doing what needs to be done to get that shift, many aren’t willing to do what it takes and I’ll explore this more in the next section.

First though here is something that is hugely relevant and under pins all our achievements and that is the way we think.

Ever heard the saying from friend or colleague, “I’m my own worst enemy?” Never a truer word said, because often we are the only thing stopping our own progress and especially when it comes to how we think.

One area that raises its head when it comes to success is ‘self-worth’ often followed by ‘self-sabotage’.

Did you know that over  33% of all lottery winners declare bankruptcy post their windfall? Some data suggests this figure is even higher. One on the main factors is their lack of self-worth and belief that they deserve it.

Both Katy and I have noticed this with recruitment organisations too (a sector where fast growth on the back of a growing economy is predictable and highly possible).

The truth is rapid success brings up peoples ‘stuff’, it brings up their fear of, are they deserving of creating this amazing organisation – are they good enough?

So, there needs to be a good portion of willingness of; “Yeah, I’m ready,” on your side to ensure your hard work pays off.

The reality of the shift

Shifts take, openness to different ways of working, action, time and resource. Which also means you will need resilience and determination by the bucket load.

 

Bill Gates one of the most successful business owners on the planet, is known for a couple of cryptic quotations: 

“Life is hard, get over it-Bill Gates”

And this gem that many people overlook: 

“Must people totally over estimate what they can do in one year and conversely underestimate what is possible in 10-Bill Gates”

 

Doing it differently

As a start, you must be open to doing things differently. The level of thinking and actions that have you positioned where you are currently will also need to shift.

Rarely when moving forward does the, “yes but………. ….” phrase help. It is a fact of life that we only grow when we are outside of our comfort zone.

If changing how you work to embrace the new business landscape makes you uncomftable, that is normal-welcome to the club. The good news is all the rewards are on the other side.

 

Speculate to accumulate

Remember the saying that, “you need to speculate to accumulate”? Well it’s totally the same in business. Limping along with out of date software or a CRM that doesn’t work won’t get you where you want to go. Avoiding investing in a marketing assistant till you are ‘ready’ isn’t what the big
guns do.

 

Be in it for the future

Lasting change does take time. Of course, you can get fast results by changing some simple things, however sustainable revenue and value is built over the longer term. Better to increase revenues by 20% in the first 6 months and then by 250% over the next 24.

That takes three things; planning, investment and patience.

Get support

It is rare that organisations in the service sector grow exponentially without support. That is being resourced with the right team and partners/suppliers around you and importantly someone else.

That person is either a business coach or mentor. Normally someone who has been there, done it and worn the tee shirt. The truth is the investment you make in a coach or mentor is normally returned to you 10-fold.

Ready to make a shift next year? Then let’s have a conversation. You can get in touch here.

 

To your success,

 

Nicky and Katy

Important Free Audit To Download 

Is your Recruitment Business Fit for Growth?  Download our free Business Health Audit to see how you score and what you need to change. You can download it here.