An entrepreneur’s story of courage

Kristin Stutz is a business owner in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. She’s been a client of mine for many years and is a graduate of our Certified Strategies Coach training. Just last fall, Kristin moved her business into a bright, shiny new location. The last time I saw her was at a seminar last October in Chicago where she told me she was not feeling well and dealing with some health issues. Kristin told me in January that she was just diagnosed with leukemia.

While speaking with Kristin last week, she told me how she felt about being pulled away from her business, about her faith and pride in her team, and about the stress of not knowing what the future holds. What she was saying was so inspiring, I asked her to write about it. This is what she sent:

Tick tock, tick tock: What are you doing different today?

Remember the opening scene from the movie Cast Away? Tom Hanks’ character is teaching the Moscow FedEx office about the urgency of time. With passion, he says, “Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. Time rules over us without mercy. It’s like a fire; it can either destroy us or keep us warm. That’s why every FedEx office has a clock – because we live or die by the clock. We never turn our back on it or allow the sin of losing track of time.”

January 2010 is officially in the history books. Today is February 1st. As the leader of your company, what are you really doing differently this year than last? While it’s true that old habits die hard, the unceasing ticking of the clock is a constant reminder that change is relentless, too. I bet you started 2010 with thoughts of shaking things up. How’s that working out? Anything different? Tick tock, tick tock.

So, you want to take your business to the next level?

Here’s one of my favorite questions to ask seminar audiences: “How many here want to take their business to the next level?” As if shot from cannons, hands reach to the heavens. Since this “next level” must be a pretty special place, I ask people to describe it. Interestingly, when put on the spot, most answers are vague. Descriptions sound like, “to be profitable, expand, market dominance, brand recognition, debt free, and financial freedom.” I like to tease and say, “So you’re not really sure. It just has to be better than where you are at now.” Everyone uncomfortably chuckles in agreement.

Like a minor league baseball player getting tapped to play in the majors, what if I granted your wish and lifted your business to that next level? Instantly, you would find yourself leading a much more complicated and sophisticated business entity. The pace is fast and relentless. Accountability is intense. Your schedule is jammed. Decisions are huge with far-reaching implications. Reports are piled high. You’re trying to figure out how to get a “sense of urgency” to spread beyond your office door. Financial systems and cash-flow pressures have you yearning for simpler days at the level below. Your wish came through. You’re in the big game now. You feel as though you entered the Twilight Zone.

Passion and heart drive the numbers you want

The numbers of your business measure its performance and efficiency. The numbers measure the collective determination of the team you lead to not only achieve your goal – but to surpass it. The numbers measure your ability to inspire and ignite the passion that exists within every employee. The numbers measure your resolve to lead your company through a crisis. The numbers tell you when you’re winning or losing the business game. Yes, the numbers speak volumes about your business and your qualities as a leader.

In the end, the numbers are nothing more than numbers. Yet, because business is about money and success, leaders can become “all about the numbers.” They obsess over scoreboards, daily reports, critical numbers and financial reports. Their words sound like, “We’re behind goal. Productivity is down. You didn’t make your numbers. Sell more. We’re over-budget.” The downside of being “all about the numbers” is forgetting that numbers are simply lifeless digits.

How long do you wait until you fire someone?

I’m asked this question more times than I care to remember. It usually surfaces when a leader’s frustration with an employee’s performance and/or behavior has been tolerated far too long. More importantly, the question often means that the leader has been avoiding a fierce conversation or tough decision at the expense of the company and its culture.

The firing of an employee should never be taken lightly. Leaders must accept a high degree of ownership in the failure of an employee to perform up to expectations. When a leader observes sub-par performance and behaviors and avoids engaging in open, honest and direct conversation with the employee, the situation becomes more toxic. And, as stress levels rise, the leader’s attention is diverted away from the work that really matters.

Stop standing in your own way!

Most often, your most intelligent business advisor is that little voice inside your head. It’s that little voice telling you it’s time to make that tough decision you’ve been avoiding, to have that fierce conversation, to pay attention to your numbers and all those other things that you know need doing. It’s almost comedic how that little voice inside your head knows the right thing to do. It’s not so funny when you ignore it and get yourself and your company into difficult and compromising situations.

That little voice is so smart because you already know the best decisions, projects and tasks to be done. You may not know all the details, but you know and understand the basic framework. When your little voice doesn’t have a specific answer, it will guide you to it. And yes, your little voice will even coach you to be accountable, trustworthy, tenacious and consistent. What more could you ask for than to have a brilliant advisor and coach residing in your own cranium and at your beck and call 24/7?

Farewell to a decade of lessons

This New Year’s Eve marks more than the end of a tumultuous year for the economy and for business – it marks the end of the first decade of the 21st century. And the very first lesson was learned as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve 2000. The computers that run everything, from the world’s financial systems, operations and security to our personal computers, didn’t stop working. Y2K doomsday concerns didn’t happen. Yes, this decade was about surviving, beginning with the Y2K computer clock scare to the worst global economic crisis/depression of our times. There was 9/11 that taught us that America is vulnerable to terrorist attack and how one horrific act can instill lasting fear and uncertainty across a nation. America went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. There were major lessons to learn.

No matter how you look at it, as business leaders, the last year of this decade taught us the most. Our leadership abilities were pressure-tested in every way. We learned how avoiding tough decisions can be costly. We learned how to make do with less. Much less. We learned the true meaning of “sense or urgency.” Without question, leading a company through the next decade is doing to be even more demanding and unforgiving.

It’s hard to grow dragging yesterday’s debt

Debt is easy to accumulate. The simple act of turning on a light creates debt to your power company. When you purchase products to sell or materials and supplies to run your company, an invoice will be heading your way. The moment an employee shows up for work, you owe that employee a paycheck. Anything you purchase without paying cash creates debt. But operating expenses, payroll, payroll taxes and the like represent debt that you clear up before it accumulates. If you don’t, the weight of that debt gets heavy fast. Add the weight of big loan payments, high-interest debt and credit-card debt, and you have all the ingredients to keep your company on the financial brink.

Think of debt as a chunk of lead. A small chunk is easy to carry around all day. Add heavier chunks, and you’ll begin to struggle. Add even bigger chunks, and you’ll need a cart in order to keep moving. If you keep adding lead to the cart, it will reach a point that is beyond your strength limits. Now it will require all of your attention to begin eliminating chunks of lead until you can get the cart moving again. And while you’re busy eliminating weight, all progress is stalled. This is what debt does to a company.

What don’t you want following you in 2010?

Congratulations! You survived 2009. Without question, 2009 was a scary and challenging year. Other than the government, everyone put a lid on spending and took a meat cleaver to trim expenses. Businesses and consumers alike shifted into “find the best deal” mode. Clearly, the final days of 2009 are ending on a more optimistic note than the gloom and doom this time last year. So, take a deep breath. 2009 is almost in the history books.

It’s delightful how a new year inspires feelings of hope. But creating a wonderful 2010 means that you must make some big decisions and back them up with your commitment to go the distance.

So the question I pose to you in this Monday Morning Wake-Up is, what are the problems, frustrations, behaviors, issues and situations that you don’t want following you into 2010? What are you going to do about it?

It’s about delivering on your promise to your customer

Seems the recent full moon has been bringing out those annoying behaviors that drive leaders crazy. I’m talking about things like lateness, absenteeism, missing daily huddles, not following procedures, right up to the ever-present “it’s good enough/it’s not my job” mentality. Yes, it’s all that behavior stuff that ultimately leads to one dramatic and sad conclusion – breaking the company’s promise to the customer.

What’s this big promise I’m referring to? The answer is pretty simple. You promise quality, personal attention, reliability, consistency, fast resolutions to problems, going above and beyond, integrity, team service and so on. Your promise contains all of those lofty and inspiring experiences you want the company you lead to deliver in mass quantities to your customers.