Many authors, consultants and business experts recommend that you not take personally what happens in your business.
That’s easier said than done.
When you put your heart and soul into your business, it becomes your baby. You nurture it and watch it grow. You are invested in every step, every victory, every challenge. What happens to your business happens to you. So when something goes wrong, it’s easy to take it personally.
But there will be situations that arise that are out of your control. Problems that surface that you are not aware of. Issues that you delegate and trust are handled properly. Or acts of God that you simply cannot take credit for.
Consider this example: Let’s say you own a landscaping company. Your customers are angry that their lawns didn’t get mowed; but you know that the lawns didn’t get mowed because it had rained all week. Is that within your control? Did you cause the weather to be rainy all week? Did you play golf instead of mow their lawns as you had promised? Of course not.
It is a waste of mental energy to take situations like that personally. The only thing you can take personally is your response to a situation.
So what is your response? Should you tell your customers, “Oh well, we’ll mow your lawn next week”? Or do you work a couple of extra hours every day until all the lawns have been mowed? Do you hire a few temporary mowers to help you catch up?
Those decisions are in your control, and they are based on your company’s Core Values.
The Role of Core Values
You can do more than just please your customers. With EOS, you can better serve them by identifying your company’s Core Values.
Your Core Values are the guiding principles that identify who you are as a company. They help run your business, and steer the direction of your company. Most companies have between three and seven Core Values that are simple and easy to understand.
Once you have your Core Values, you can hire, promote, evaluate, reward, and fire staff based on your company’s culture.
Your Core Values arm you with solutions, steps and responses that give you back the control when you are faced with situations that are out of your control.
Do you need help establishing Core Values for your company? Are you ready to stop taking business problems personally and start controlling your response to them? If so, contact us. We can help.
About EOS
EOS is a holistic management system with simple tools that help you do three things we call vision, traction, healthy. Vision from the standpoint of first getting your leaders 100% on the same page with where your organization is going. Traction from the standpoint of helping your leaders to become more disciplined and accountable, executing really well to achieve every part of your vision. Healthy meaning helping your leaders to become a healthy, functional, cohesive leadership team.
