Jack Daly, Global Authority on Business Growth and Sales got Pendulum Summit 2018 off to a flying start with an inspiring presentation on the importance of systems and processes, leaving each member of the audience ready to compete in their own personal Iron Man. We have included a brief insight into Jack’s advice for Pendulum delegates on how to make their businesses flourish.
To make your business flourish you have to do two things:
1) You’ve gotta have a vision: Begin with the end in mind. You can’t get there unless you know where there is. Communicate your vision every single day. Pull people toward that vision.
2) Keep people in key spots: Grow your salesforce in quantity and quality. The most important position in a company is the sales manager – not growing sales, but salespeople.
If I walked into your company, within ten minutes I could describe your culture. What does it smell like? Do you have a culture by design or a culture by default? Do your people think that where you work is the best place on earth to work? If not, why not?
Peter Drucker once said: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I’m not as eloquent. Here’s mine: If you get the culture right, everything else gets easier. If you don’t get it right, everything else gets harder.
There are four legs to a strong culture.
1) Recognition: People are starving for recognition – feed them. What are the systems you have in place that ensure regular recognition? Don’t leave it to chance. There is a direct correlation between increased recognition and increased sales.
2) Communication: Everyone needs to know how we’re doing and where we’re going.
3) Personal and Professional Development: Why should I come here? And once I’m here, why should I stay? What’s in it for me?
4) Empowerment: Create an environment where people feel comfortable making decisions as if they own the joint.
Sir Richard Branson is a perfect example. He has four hundred companies. Spend a half an hour with him and you’ll see that he’s an incredible visionary. In fact, you’ll want to know what kind of drugs he’s on. He said to me: “I was fortunate to have the advantage of being born dyslexic. Because whenever I’d get involved in the day-to-day, I’d muck it up.”
Branson recognises that he doesn’t have that talent, so it’s incumbent that he hires key people in key spots to ensure they’re moving towards the greater vision. All he has to do is be the cheerleader of his companies.
Visualise your last 90 days. Then visualise Richard’s last 90 days. Who do you think is having a better time?
I learned seven lessons in my Ironman journey. The Ironman starts with a 3.8 kilometre swim followed by a 180K bike and a 42K run – one long day at the office.
The Seven Lessons:
1) Vision: Create a magnetic, compelling vision. Get people Jack’d Up.
2) Plan: Not a single athlete comes without a playbook.
3) Earn: You have to earn the right to be there.
4) Practice: You can’t build a successful company without practice.
5) Measure. Things that get measured get done. Have coaches to meet personal goals. You want badasses, people who are going to really smack the shit out of you. I’ve got five for my personal life, three for my business, and six on my triathlon team. Tap into their expertise.
6) Health: Look after yourself – for your loved ones if not for you.
7) Attitude: The six inches between your ears mean a lot.
Business is harder than doing a triathlon. In a triathlon, you begin at seven and finish at midnight. Then, someone hands you a medal and calls you a badass. I’m sure many of you have come into the office before seven and finished after midnight, but no-one gives you a medal and calls you a badass.