To be transparent, everything is a push right now. I am very busy – in a good way, and every part of life is challenging. ideaPraxy is evolving and growing in the direction of the vision I have for it… but slowly; slower than I want. Every task seems to take longer than I think it should, so I have to push. I like where things are going. I want them to go there, and I am trying to enjoy the process, but I don’t like every task on the list. I just don’t.
I believe these principles apply to a small business owner, an organizational leader, or even an employee. Just read this through your personal lens.
ideaPraxy is growing. We are excited to welcome Leslie Cline to our team. Leslie’s passion and experience has been in building high performing teams in the financial and professional services industries by blending strong leadership skills and strategic planning with a focus on implementation. Leslie has spent over 20 years in senior management and executive roles building marketing and business strategies in markets around the globe. “I am thrilled to be joining Cliff and the ideaPraxy team. They have a strong record of being catalysts for their clients by increasing growth and revenue”, says Leslie. “Making a difference is what matters.”
Even though I run a small business and consult on the highly linear topics of strategy and tactics, I am a creative. Although creativity enhances my abilities to contribute in problem solving and the aforementioned strategy and tactics, it can also manifest itself in me noticing every proverbial “squirrel” that runs by.
Sowing and reaping are such important principles to grasp and believe in when you are leading. In fact, I believe they are the fuel in the engine of moving anything or anybody anywhere.
But first you have to believe it works.
The older I get the more I realize how completely self-absorbed I am. It’s terrible. I say I am self-actualized, but often that is just a fancy hyphenated word defining the phrase “really accomplished navel gazer”.
At some level starting ideaPraxy a few years back has taught me to be far more focussed on my clients and their needs. At a much deeper level, being married and having four children has caused me to understand far more deeply I must give of myself, because it is about them.
One of the things that I find difficult about putting myself out there – like in this blog – is that I am trying to impart helpful or motivational information to inspire and maybe even positively transform people’s lives and businesses. So I put my best thoughts and ideas out there, and hope for a positive influence.
Who are they? They are your prospects and your past clients. They are your network and your industry contacts.
Often the challenge of a small business or even a leader in a large organization is that when business is booming, we gladly leave behind the “gruelling” task of relationship management. We don’t have time for that golf game or dinner event. We don’t drop a line or make a call for a few minutes to check in with someone.
As a musician I get a kick out of those who approach me and say, “I wish I could play and sing like you.” Invariably I respond with a simple answer. “Start, take lessons, look up how to play on YouTube for free, it’s all there for the taking.” There is some natural gifting required to truly master a skill, but like anything else in life it simply takes a lot of practice and hard work. But people often respond with an excuse: there’s no time, no natural talent, etc. I don’t buy it. There is usually a lack of either desire or humility to start from a place of beginnings. Everyone wants to be a pro without working at it.
