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Difficult Conversation
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April 27, 2018

Business is simple: Do what you love, with people you love, producing results that other people love. 

When you fall in love, who is your best match? I think it is the person who wants you the way you really are – the real you – what you are like when you are in your natural state. Each person can be themselves – love who they are – and love the other.

In this situation, the relationship is easy – especially when it goes both ways. Each person behaves as they are and the other says, “Yes, I’ll have some more of that please”.

When I met the person who would become my wife, I was attracted to her because I was attracted to intelligence, authenticity, reasonableness, and of course some key physical attributes as well. She was a fit – the way she was. She didn’t have to change or act some way that was unnatural to her. She was just who she was and that was what I wanted.

That which made her, her – those things that she naturally was or did – happened to match the unique qualities I was looking for – and I suppose vice-versa 😊

Similarly in an ideal business, you have a group of people doing what they do best (Passion or Why) – being free to be their best selves (Core Values), and produce results. Those results are unique in the market in some way (3 Uniques) and are appreciated by a certain group of customers (Target Market)

Here’s what it takes – discover what these are for your business:

  1. Core Values (Know who you are as an organization)
    • What is important to your organization? Who are you?
    • Describe what makes your best employee, your best employee.
    • For example, at my HVAC company, BlueHat Mechanical, we value the following:
      • Positive Attitude
      • Good Communication
      • Strong Work Ethic
      • Raising the Bar
    • In the relationship example, this is what kind of person I am.
  2. Purpose, Cause, or Passion (Simon Sinek calls this your Why)
    • What gets you out of bed in the morning? What is the positive emotional part of your work? Where is the true satisfaction and fulfillment?
    • At BlueHat, “we are an elite team of trusted advisors, providing remarkable service and practical solutions to complex needs.” The positive and motivating emotions come from being trusted and elite, remarkable, and solving people’s problems. This is what drives us.
    • In the relationship example, this is what I love to do.
  3. 3 Uniques (What customers want)
    • These are the things our customers say are important to them / what they are looking for / why they choose us:
      • We are attentive to their needs
      • We have a comprehensive skillset
      • We use technology to make their jobs easier
    • In the relationship example, this is what you love about me – which is demonstrated by what I do.
  4. Target Market (The customers who value your 3 Uniques)
    • There are people out there who want exactly what you deliver, exactly the way you deliver it best.
    • You can’t please everyone, so everyone is not your target market. There is often great pressure to please everyone. After all, ‘everyone’ is a huge market – and who doesn’t want a huge market?
    • In the relationship example, they want you the way you are – you don’t have to pretend to be something you are not – because that can only last but so long…
    • For your business, if there are enough customers who love you in this natural state, then you’ll have a thriving enterprise that you love.

This is when real loyalty kicks in. Your customer feels like you ‘get’ them and you are happy to give it to them. It’s a match. They won’t need anyone else.

It is not contrived. Everything is in its natural state:

  • A group of like-minded people doing what they love.
  • Valued by customers who appreciate the unique results the company provides.

These 4 concepts can be found on the Vision/Traction Organizer (VTO) – one of the 5 core tools of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

  • To learn more, you can download a free chapter of Traction here: EOS Traction Chapter 1
  • For a free overview of EOS and the tools that can transform your business, schedule me here: 90 Minute Workshop