You’ve got to want to

He told me how he used to work 6 days a week and commute for 2 hours each day to get to work. I told him how I would commute for 3 hours a day and moved house 4 times to build my career.

The fact is that people will generally do whatever they have to do to get what they want to have. In his case it was about putting food on the table, in mine it was getting the job I wanted.

There are two important lessons for leaders. Achievers always have something that they have to achieve (note; have to, not want to) and we need to understand what is driving them so that we can align their imperatives with ours.

If we hire people who do not have something driving them, or we have no stated ambition as an organisation we can never be aligned and release the amazing power and energy that both my friend and I showed in our earlier years and we will probably end up employing people who clock on and clock off and do nothing remarkable in between. If this describes your team, in whole and in part, these questions are for you.

• Do you interview for ‘achiever’ status?
• Does your organisation have a stated ambition that will be incredibly attractive to high achievers?
• Do you check in with your direct reports every week so you know what is driving them onwards?
• Would you describe your team as stampeding thoroughbreds that you struggle to slow down or plodding carthorses that need constant chivvying along?
• Do the answers to the above explain the performance of your business?

“Here’s what attitude motivation is: It’s helping people run, not because they are donkeys chasing a carrot or donkeys trying to avoid the stick—but because they want to become thoroughbreds”

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