Author: Garth Beyer

We’re often so quick to take something that exists and bring it to another level.

A presentation already has 15 slides, what if we add 5 more?

There’s already a committee for recruitment, let’s add another for retention.

How can we grow X by 20 percent?

Of course, growth is a good thing … except when it’s not.

And it’s not when we’ve forgotten the why of why we started in the first place.

Too often we fall back on the anchor of where we are, rather than the why of how we got here.

Next time you’re working to elevate an idea, consider how long ago it was at zero and why it all began. You may discover that less is more or maybe adding 5 isn’t enough, you need to add 50.

 

Stay Positive & All About Retrospection

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Think of thrashing as the hard work and speed you put into your work when you’re faced with an immediate deadline.

Focus tightens. You lean on others for help. You make executive decisions. You move forward more quickly. You must more passion the anyone else.

Now imagine thrashing early. Before the deadline looms. Before anyone asks you to take the leap.

Why?

• Because you’re going to have 1,000 more things to do on top of the one thing you should have thrashed early at when the deadline finally looms
• Because you’ll find flaws or situations that would have set you back later, but instead set you back now (which is fine because now you have time to solve)
• Because that thing you just thrashed early on? It’s done. You can move onto something else that matters.

The list can go on if you’d like, but three solid reasons should be enough to start thrashing early.

 

Stay Positive & Better Sooner Than Never, That’s The Saying, Right?

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Every relationship can be built a little stronger by being more human.

Every business, too.

Actually, every group, tribe, friendship, marriage, workplace, dentistry, brewery, service place, environment and online  interaction can be built a little stronger by being more human.

More often than not, we don’t need more wit, wisdom, facts, flash sales, features, benefits or manipulation.

We just need a human who cares on the other end. And the other end needs that from us.

 

Stay Positive & Time For More Empathy

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Each year I sit on a panel of judges for a college marketing course. This year the students pitched Buffalo Wild Wings and Chick-fil-A. One presentation stuck out for a few reasons.

1. They started by calling out the brand for what it was doing terribly at. Not just listing problems, but actually showing and reporting that these were true pain points from the target, not just their internal fodder.
2. They dug deep to focus on business solutions, not merely marketing tactics. Sure, they showcased some flash, but they weren’t there to win a pitch, they showed up to grow a business.
3. Lastly, and most importantly, they understood the philosophy that if a business invests in its employees, employees invest in customers and customers invest in the business so the cycle can continue. It’s this cycle that make brands like Zappos, Dupont and Delirium Cafe so remarkable.

If you’re going to pitch anything from a marketing plan to an idea, then stand for something. If you’re going to stand for something, standing up for the team members is a great place to start.

 

Stay Positive & We Before Me, Right?

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No doubt, you can certainly grow steadily, slowly, always forward.

An alternative way is a twist on the ol’ saying, “One step forward, two steps back.”

I call it slingshot growth: one step back, two steps forward.

Slingshot growth isn’t for everyone, though.

If you’re a cautious one, if you don’t like to dance with fear, if you’re trying to prevent any amount of scope creep, then slingshot growth isn’t for you.

But for those who are okay saying “this might not work,” and for those who don’t mind the little voice inside your head speaking up telling you you’re making a mistake, who’s not okay with status-quo … this growth strategy is for you.

 

Stay Positive & It’s Okay To Do Things Differently, If They Work For You

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By speaking up, in any way, you have an impact?

Don’t believe me?

Consider this.

Those who don’t speak up, merely don’t care as much as you.

And those who care are the one’s who have an impact.

Right or wrong, they speak up.

Do you care enough to?

 

Stay Positive & We Need More Who Care

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The key to becoming remarkable, sought after and trusted is to … give.

Give more time than others.

Give more of your heart.

Give more of your attention and care.

Give more of your energy than the other guy.

Give more of your all.

It turns out, that to get ahead of others, you have to give ahead of others.

 

Stay Positive & The Best Part Is You Don’t Need Money To Start Giving

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