Focus on 3 Things This Week...

Walking back from lunch with a Divisional President of a large professional services organization, a probing question was asked of me. "John, is this really the right time for our organization to restructure? I mean really, with the down turn in the economy and all the issues we are facing and our customers are facing does it really make any sense at all?"

I stopped and smiled and said "now after spending an hour with me at lunch, two hours with your executives and an additional meeting with you... what do you think my answer will be?"

Ok I get it! He exclaimed! It's all about for whose benefit! If it is to help you keep and win more customers then the answer is "YES" anything else save your resources, energy, and frustrations.

Business is just about 3 basic functions:

1. Understanding what your market is motivated to buy, aligning you're offering, and telling the compelling story.

2. Organizing your business to deliver those offerings your market is motivated to buy.

3. Leveraging every opportunity to execute the plan of delivering what your market is motivated to buy.

Earlier in my career an exchange that I had with my mentor, who I was working for at the time, said to me "John, if you choose to make it harder than I just outlined please go somewhere else". Two years after, I left the organization and George sold his business for 20 million dollars. I guess keeping it simple worked for him.

Action steps this week:

1. Please take an honest look at what your customers are motivated to buy... I mean really listen and ask a lot of questions.

2. What is your current offering? I said current don't go making stuff up on me... (smile).

3. Do your offerings and market motivation match?

4. Make the necessary changes to match what your market is motivated to buy!