Some of the best advice I ever received...

   Over the years I've been fortunate enough to be around some incredibly inspiring and insanely creative people. I've taken every available opportunity to observe the things that set these people apart from those around them - I’ve captured their advice and I’ve watched them deliver results through their actions.


   I’ve filled note book after note book with snippets of advice, experience and their wise counsel… I thought I’d start my blog by sharing with you 3 pieces of advice that have had a big impact on me and my philosophy of doing business. They aren't necessarily the most important or significant, they've just struck a cord with me and helped along the way... It also doesn't make any of them right or wrong. I'll let you judge whether they might work for you. So here goes;

1.    Find the half a dozen things (That make the biggest difference)

   Everyone’s heard of the 80/ 20 rule, right? 20% of the things you do, will deliver 80% of the results you get. This is profoundly important when it comes to succeeding in business as well as every other aspect of life!

   Why is this important? Well, there are a few (Usually about half a dozen) things in any role or job, that will deliver the biggest and most impressive results for you and for your organisation.

   The trick to being really successful in any given role is to identify early, what those things are… Let me explain - In any undertaking, there are usually about 5 or 6 things that, if done well, will produce amazing results for you, your team and your business. Part of your accountability in any position of responsibility is to uncover these 5 or 6 things, understand how to do them brilliantly well and then to be really disciplined to ensure that you spend most of your time focused on them.

   There will be many distractions which creep onto your table, but you need to remain focused and resolute on your top 5 or 6 priorities. Be cautious too, because the 5 or 6 things won’t always stay the same – your priorities this year may be different to next year for example.

   Find your 20%, be better than anyone else at it, discipline yourself to spend most of your time doing it… and don’t forget to review it every now and then to see if they need to change!

2.    The compound effect

   Legend has it, that Einstein observed compound interest to be the 8th wonder of the world - Interest given to a sum of money then compounds on the initial capital to also earn interest itself and so on.

   Given enough time the results that this process can deliver are quite astonishing. The same is true of the small actions you take towards your goals. There may be occasions where one huge action will deliver the end result. But more often it will be hundreds if not thousands of much smaller actions taken over time, that deliver their compounded benefit to you and your business.

   Don’t underestimate the impact that every seed you sow is having on your businesses future. Sometimes your actions today feel insignificant, other times you may feel burdened by the smaller tasks and the more mundane aspects of the job. But every effort you make today is a seed planted for tomorrow.

   Every report you submit, every meeting you lead, every project you manage will all form the basis of your future. You will learn from them, people will notice your effort; you will re-use the material you create and these actions will compound on themselves... Plan you’re activity carefully as it all leads you to your destination, wherever that may be.

3.    Be a student, not a follower

   In an interview a few years ago I was asked the question. “Who would you most like to be like, in the organisation?”…  It’s a great question and there is usually a person, past or present, you could pinpoint to say “I like the way Joe does things; I’d say I’d like to be just like Joe”.

   As you go through your career, you will undoubtedly come across people that make a really positive impression on you. But remember everyone has their faults and there is no ‘right’ way of doing things.

  Your actions should be the product of your own decisions and rather than you simply trying to imitate everything one person does. You should try to absorb only the things people do in a way that you consider to be valuable.

   Part of being a good student, rather than a follower is recognising peoples limitations and faults! Build a composite view of the people you encounter, take something from each of them until you have constructed your own ability to be a collection of the very best skills on offer.


  So, what about you?... what advice or nuggets have made a difference to your business philosophy?