People Strategy 2

You can throw a stone across a river but you can’t throw a bird ….

So goes a Chinese proverb- I believe.  Have you noticed how many profound sayings are deemed to be Chinese proverbs? There is a lot of wisdom in the saying, nonetheless. The difference between a stone and a bird, of course is that the bird has its own will and the means to enact it. Even more so a human. If we try to force them down a path we can only ever expect pushback. That is only right and proper.

The fact that they might be paid by us and we feel they should do as they are told is as out of date as slavery and serfdom and shares the same philosophical roots. People have free will and the right to use it. The old saying that a willing volunteer is worth ten pressed men is as relevant now as it was in the days of the press gang.

Looking at it from a positive perspective volition is a powerful force. It is powerful for an individual and even more so for a group that are united in their choice, however it rarely happens by accident. If you really want to harness the power of a team you need to be able to communicate at both the individual and the group level, insistently, consistently and persistently in a way that inspires and motivates. Absent that it will be as frustrating as trying to throw a flock of birds across a river.

At its heart I believe any strategy is really a people strategy.

So the questions for today are:

• Are you still trying to command and control your people, or enrol and enlist them?
• How committed are they to the same end goals as you and your firm?
• Are your communications insistent, persistent and consistent?
• Are they both formal and informal?
• On a scale of 0 to 10 how effective are they?
• How do you know?

If you need any help, reach out

Many successful business owners eventually hit a wall on growth and struggle to climb it alone. When you work with me you get a fresh perspective, a solid plan, and customised coaching so you can grow and scale your business safely and at speed.

To check whether I can help you on that journey https://calendly.com/iankinnery/canweworktogether