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Better Business, Better Life Newsletter – Issue 11
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Here’s this week’s business tip, life hack & find of the week… And don’t forget the inspirational quote, which you can download as a wallpaper or lock screen for your phone.
If you find great things that you’d like to share then feel free to email me for inclusion in one of my weekly newsletters.
BONUS – We’re running a series of events that teach the EOS Model & tools. If you’d like to attend & learn more about EOS, understand how to use the tools plus go home with a workbook & a copy of the Traction book (& a free lunch) then send me an email & I’ll send you a VIP code that will get you either a complimentary ticket or a discounted ticket to the event. See the link to the event at the bottom of the email.
BETTER BUSINESS
Know your number
Are you an 8 or a 10? Are your meetings a 10 or less? Do you know your numbers?
I was fortunate to be involved in running a sales strategy meeting for a client this week. It’s not my normal EOS work but as a long time sales & marketing person in my previous corporate life, I often help clients with these things if I can.
For this particular team I chair their board of Directors & I help the Managing Director to run the Annual Sales Team meeting, which also helps to keep me focused as the Chair, as it is essentially a sales organisation.
The thing that I was reminded of from our meeting, which we themed Evolution not Revolution, is that aside from knowing the overall vision for the organisation, everyone needs to know their numbers.
I came across this old blog from EOS & I like it, because it challenges what we normally think of as numbers.
I love EOS, as it is definitely about Evolution & not Revolution.
It takes time to implement the system – there’s no magic silver bullet – it’s all about applying timeless concepts to your business, starting at the top & then rolling it out throughout the organisation, using evolution to learn from what is working & always moving forward.
In the data component of EOS we talk about measurables, being the scorecard & the numbers that everyone should have.
So what’s your number?
Interestingly this weeks EOS blog is also about numbers – this time it’s about your business scorecard so I recommend reading this one too 🙂
BETTER LIFE
Today a reader, tomorrow a leader
That’s a quote from Margaret Fuller & we’ve all seen the stories of great leaders reading 60 -80 books per year. I don’t get to read quite that many but I do give it my best shot.
I LOVE books! Have done since I was able to read at the age of 3.
Back in my early days you would always find me curled up with an Enid Blyton book & most nights Mum would discover me hiding under the duvet with a torch, reading when I was supposed to be sleeping! It’s part of the reason my Philips hue bedside light is called ‘Torch’ 😃
As an adult I enjoy reading a mixture of business books & fiction (especially period murder & mystery) & I still love to read before I go to sleep at night.
I still have plenty of physical books – I love the way that they feel, how they smell & I love having a pile of them next to my bed as I also value variety & being able to read multiple books at one time. (PS: I recently did an ADHD test & scored quite highly so this might explain some of these behaviours!)
However, you might have guessed by now that I am also a water baby. I love water. I’m not sure if it was growing up in Cyprus that did this for me but, put me near on ocean, in a bath or in a spa pool & I am in heaven.
Books don’t work so well in this environment sadly!
So, when e-books got developed many years ago, I immediately bought one & also bought a waterproof case so that I could take it to the beach or read it in the spa or bath. The waterproof case was essentially a plastic bag that you put the e-reader in & rolled it over & sealed it. It mostly worked but it often got very fogged up so not so waterproof atter all I suspect?
So, I discovered that vacuum wrapping it with my food vacuum sealing machine, made it even easier to take into the water & read it more clearly without the fog. But this meant vacuum wrapping it again each time I unwrapped it to charge it ☹️.
Thank goodness they finally invented waterproof e-readers.
I currently have 2 – the Kobo H2O version & a Kindle paperwhite waterproof version.
Why 2? Well, it’s because I actually prefer the Kobo but you can’t get all books on it so I also have a Kindle – and as a bonus it means I always have one with me at all times & one at home.
The great thing about waterproof e-readers is that you can take all your books on holiday with you & not worry about the weight or ruining any precious books at the beach or next to the pool with your cocktail.
And my current books that I am reading-
- The Clarity Field Guide – the answers no one else can give you by Benj Miller & Chris White
- Why we sleep – the new science of sleep & dreams by Matthew Walker
- Revenue Growth Engine – how to align sales & marketing to accelerate growth by Darrell Amy
- Blue Murder – Lord & Lady Hetheridge Mystery Series by Emma Jameson
- Beyond Burnout – How to spot it, stop it & stamp it out by Suzi McAlpine
By the way, I am not perfect – I often have multiple books on the go & don’t get around to finishing them, except the trashy novels. So, I also try to be part of a book club to keep me motivated & accountable 😄.
FIND OF THE WEEK
Get a Grip – How to Get Everything You Want from Your Entrepreneurial Business
This week’s find of the week is a book – An oldie but a goodie.
Whilst the Traction book is the ‘How to guide’ for EOS (The Entrepreneurial Operating System), my all-time favourite is ‘Get a Grip’ by Gino Wickman & Mike Paton.
Written as a business fable, in the style of Patrick Lencioni’s classic business books, this one tells the story of Swan Services – a company that is in a rut. From the outside the business looks good, but from the inside it’s anything but – in fact the owners have almost had enough!
As Book Depository describes it:
“Eileen Sharp and Vic Hightower were frustrated. After years of profitable, predictable growth, Swan Services was in a rut. Meetings were called and discussions held, but few decisions were made and even less got done. People were pointing fingers and assigning blame, but nothing happened to solve Swan’s mounting problems. It felt as though they were working harder than ever but with less impact. The company Eileen and Vic had founded and built for 10 years was a different place. Their story is not unusual, and the challenges they were facing are common–and solvable. Get A Grip tells the story of how Swan Services resolves its issues by implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System(R). With the help of EOS, Eileen, Vic, and their leadership team learn to develop and commit to a clear vision, establish focus, build discipline, and create a healthier and more cohesive team. The story of Swan Services is a fable, but the Entrepreneurial Operating System(R), a complete entrepreneurial toolkit, is very real and has helped thousands of businesses worldwide.
With characters and situations created from collective business experiences and stories, Get A Grip is a fable that will ring true for entrepreneurial leaders the world over and guide them to get their companies on track.”
If you think that reading Get a Grip would help you understand what’s going on in your business, then download a free copy of the first chapter – If you like what you read then let me know & I will send a copy of the book to you – yes, a real book!
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
Sometimes you will feel like Vic or Eileen in your business. There are times when it all feels too hard & that your business has a grip on you and not the other way round. Just remember to keep moving forward & ask for help.
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Martin Luther King Jr
You can download this a wallpaper or lock screen for your phone.
BONUS – Last chance to get onto the next workshop for free.
If you’d like to learn more about any of these tools or would like to find out how I can help you achieve a better life through creating a better business then book a free Discovery Call with me –
NEED HELP?
If you’d like to learn more about any of these tools or would like to find out how I can help you achieve a better life through creating a better business, then book a free Discovery Call with me.
We’ll talk about what you want to get from your business & your life & come up with a plan to do that!
Debra Chantry-Taylor
Certified EOS Implementer | Accredited Family Business Advisor | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Speaker & Workshop Facilitator