Eugene's Secret Could Be Yours

  Last week I kicked off a conference for The Co-Operators Insurance Company at Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood.  My topic was "To Plan or Not To Plan".  Stephanie Collins a sharp, spirited District manager wanted to add some spice to the normal business talk-planning exercise.  If you have been around any company for a while, you know every meeting can begin to sound and be alike.  It's 'suits' giving the corporate data while the field brokers are thinking, "If you only knew what we are going through."

It seems that it is impossible for most corporate/field team be totally connected and aligned but that wonderful group can get very close.  The way most companies are designed typically doesn't cause or allow connection.  It is even worse with a franchiser/franchisee structure. The franchiser owns the ball, bat, gloves, the entire game and it usually has a one- sided contract that dictates everything.

It has been our experience that handing out goals works a little bit.  Mutually setting goals is better for obvious reasons.  Ideally, you really need to get to what everyone wants out there and many times you have to draw it out of them.  What they want should tie into the life they are creating so that it all fits.  Ideally, yes.  But come on..... who do you know that plans like that??  First, most people don't even realize they are the dominant, primary creative force in their own lives, and they have not thought much about what kind of life they want to create and few managers would ever consider tying business goals to life goals.

A couple of years ago we built a custom built home in Burlington.  My builder kept saying "keep at the design, make sure you get it right."  We took his advice and didn't rush into construction and as a result we love the home we created.  How many of us really design our life that way, or even believe we can have the life we want?  We rush into life every day and get caught up in every good or bad experience as if that is all it can ever be.

Doing this presentation made me think of how important it is for all of us to take breathers every now and then and just look at our quality of life.  We need to then to project into the future how we want it to be.  What outcomes do we want for family, friends, business, health, spiritual, recreational, community, and financial?  Maybe we could write out on separate cards what we want in each of these areas..  Study them for a while.  What do you notice about your wants?  If they don't feel good or present an obvious theme, then do it again.  Once you are happy with what you want your life to be, then set some goals.  Be very specific about outcomes.  "Be healthy" doesn't cut it. Having 120/80 blood pressure does. 

Now, describe the reality for each goal.  For example, right now the blood pressure is 135/90.  By looking at your wants in comparison to your reality you will see what steps you should take to get you where you want to go.  Make sure you goals don't compete with one another and go back over the steps and prioritize them.

This methodology was taught to our team by Robert Fritz.  (robertfritz.com)  What you are really doing is creating the life you want by putting in place all that has to happen for that quality of life to be there.  You can follow this method for a business or department plan as well.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, 3.8% of Canadians own 67% of Canada's wealth.  It also stated that those 3.8% were serious planners.  They knew where they were, where they are going, they going and always adjusted their actions according to current reality.

If having money is one of your big goals, then focus on your planning.  In business stakeholders have a money goal in common.  It's how we go about the planning process that can make the difference in your business.

Actions:  - my suggestion....

Get everyone talking about what they want personally, then tie in the business goals to their whole life plan.  My good, crazy newfie buddy, Eugene Walsh a VP from Investors Group was a star at his company because he did their company planning that way.  Most managers in his organization could not figure out his secret.  Eugene's team was always the best producers, won all the awards and had incredible spirit.  It is basically asking what the wants are for life and business and tying them together.  Give it a try.  Christmas is a good time to plan and to refocus.

Have A great Week!