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BUILDING
YOUR BUSINESS
(Final in a series of Nine Articles)
Live Long and Prosper
Deciding on the meaning of true
success for your life and business
by Stan Hustad |
The classic Star Trek character, Mr. Spock,
used to give departing best wishes to another with a hand
sign and the words, "Live long and prosper." He was doing
what we all should do. He was pronouncing a benediction. A
benediction is not just the words of a closing in a religious
service. The word comes from the classic words of "bene" which
means good, and "diction" which means to speak. Benediction
means to speak goodness to another. Then our actions are to
align with our words, and we are to speak and do good to another.
The purpose of your business, and the success of your
enterprise, is and must be based on your doing goodness to
another.
Unfortunately the last few years this principle
has been violated. Even the best business schools got it wrong.
Business leaders were told that the purpose of their business
was to increase shareholder value, increase market share,
and to increase the wealth of all involved. These are partial
truths, and partial truths can be big lies. They forgot the
wisdom of the ages that says we are here to care for and serve
others.
Peter Drucker, the legendary management consultant,
always questioned most of the above business assumptions.
He said that the purpose of any business is to create or attract
customers, keep them, and have them recommend your business
to others. That is what we must do. We must see our business
mission in how it benefits our clients and customers.
We must also make sure that our business
benefits us. Too many people have a business that runs and
often ruins their life. Your business must help you succeed
in your life, not just be successful in business. You need
to decide what true success means to you and to see that your
business helps you live better and be happier.
Your business must also be profitable. Your
work must be of value to others and they must believe in that
value enough to pay the value. It does not matter how helpful
and noble your business mission if there is no profit margin
to sustain it. No margin means no mission.
So put these final three business
building challenges to you and the business you are building:
How is your business being a benediction
to your client and customer? How does it help them to live
long and prosper?
What does true success mean to you in
your life and how is your business helping you achieve it?
Is your business mission profitable, or
does it have the potential to be profitable? If not, how
can you make it profitable?
May it go well with you !
This is the book that
will help you perform at your best. Overcome your fears, create
a powerful image, decide what you want in your life and business,
and then market yourself with confidence, creativity and high
impact.
Stan Hustad is a performance coach
to leaders and entrepreneurs in our industry. He is the author
of YOU Make the Difference: The Financial Advisors Performance
Guide to Marketing You! He provides presentations and
workshops to help insurance and financial advisors perform
at their best and market themselves with confidence, creativity,
and high impact. You can reach him at 612 729-0420 ptmark@aol.com,
www.ptmgroup.com
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