Welcome to Stage 40 of this year’s Tour de Profit. Today we focus our efforts on the first critical step to build Synergy in your business – Creating YOUR Personal Development Plan. So, first, let’s take a minute to assess where you are right now.
If you have a personal development plan, pull it out. I would suspect that 9 out of 10 – no let’s say 95 out of 100 of you do not have one. If you do, let me be the first to say congratulations! Simply having your thoughts in writing is a great step in the right direction.
I believe that the reason most business owners do not have a personal development plan is that they think it is too much work and too hard to maintain. I want to show you that it can be put together and maintained simply if you follow some very easy steps.
If you are a solopreneur your list may include specific technical skills related to your product or service. If you have a small team of people, your list may include some technical skills but also some people-related skills If you have a larger business with direct reports who manage others on your team, your list should include more strategic items, some team-oriented skills and perhaps some systems-building capabilities.
Don’t get distracted by what others tell you is most important. Focus on where your business is today, where you want it to be in 2-3 years, and what are the gaps that you need to cover to get there. These gaps will help you identify the critical development areas that either you or one of your key people must have on their development plan. For now, focus on those that you believe you must MASTER yourself.
Your Profit Tip of the Day
Exceptional leaders work harder on themselves than they do on their business! The success of any business is limited only by the thinking, knowledge, and growth of the senior-most leader on the team.
Take a single sheet of paper and divide it into four quadrants. We’ll let each quadrant represent one quarter of the year – 1Q, 2Q, 3Q, and 4Q. This will help you visualize your next year so that you can prioritize your activities.
Next, review your list of required skills and place them into one of the four quadrants based on the urgency with which you believe they must be in place. Limit each quadrant to only 2 or 3 specific skill areas. Adding more would not be either productive or achievable. It is better to work with a shorter list of skills and get really good at them rather than do a fly-by on several.
Now that you have your critical skill development areas positioned across the four quarters of the year, add into each quadrant two additional and recurring items: Think Time and Business Planning. If you include these into your personal development plan you will be more likely to schedule a time to do them and your team will see that you consider this to be important.
There is no special form required. Spend just a few minutes each month to schedule the necessary events and activities on your calendar. Always be looking 2-3 months ahead so that you have enough open time to commit to your plan. Get your quarterly business planning events on your calendar.
Make a commitment to yourself and your team to follow through on your plan. If you want them to take personal development seriously, you need to lead by example. Take this time to set a great example. Have your plan complete before the week is out. It will have a positive impact on your team – and on your business results.
If you’re looking for more success and freedom from your business, join my FREE, private Facebook Group called The Peloton. It’s where business owners like you are learning, sharing and working together to get better every day! Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jointhepeloton/
Come on – join us! And remember, whatever you do, RIDE HARD!
