Episode 22: The business assumptions, rules and paradigms you used to guide your business through 2020 and previous years won’t necessarily apply in 2021. Join me for a discussion with Industrial psychologist and business coach Rita Ernst and photographer/brand & image consultant Coral Abood. If 2020 was the year of pivot, 2021 will be the year of flex. Rita discusses how her background as an industrial and organizational psychologist gives her a unique perspective in how she approaches her client issues. She works with small businesses who have achieved significant earnings, but now realize that the tools and approaches the business leader relied upon during start-up may no longer be the right tools, as the business evolves. Rita can assist with defining the organization structure, roles and responsibilities, culture, etc. She works to bring clarity to business challenges and to empower the leaders to resolve issues and continue making solid progress. As a small business owner, do you feel as if your business is running you, instead of you running your business? Maybe it’s time to engage a business coach to help you. Coral has been in business for almost 12 years. She works with businesses to create and/or improve their images and brand positioning. She often begins with 2 key questions: What sets you apart and makes you unique in your marketplace?Who is your target audience? Coral brings a level of intention to how and why the images are going to be used to appeal to the audience and convey meanings. This is about visual story-telling and your imagery needs to support your brand’s story. Evolving Business Require New Skills I asked Rita Ernst about the importance of recognizing that your skill-set has to change if your business is going to be managed effectively. Rita understands that when leaders fail to understand this, they themselves can actually be a roadblock to the company’s success. Business leaders bring passion and vision to the business. They have enormous energy to devote to the details, as well as the overall operation. Delegation of some decisions and/or responsibilities can be very difficult for some people. The number one result of engaging Rita as a business coach is that the leader is now active spending time working on the business, rather than in the business. The impact in almost instantaneous. Rita views herself as a catalyst. The results created are created by the leaders. She shares the effort, but in the end, they need to implement the changes and enable the results to occur. Perspective and Commitment Leaders sometimes struggle because they are too close to the situation. Hiring a professional business coach enables you to consider another perspective. It’s always valuable to have another pair of eyes on the business challenge. At the same time, you’ll be forced to speak out loud. This simple step promotes ownership of the situation and of the potential solutions. Solopreneurs and small business owners don’t have those multiple layers of support often found in larger corporations. Besides the need to be really effective in your role, you also need to recognize when it’s time to raise your hand and admit you might not have with the knowledge or skill to effectively navigate your current business challenges. Industrial and organizational psychologist Rita Ernst is a resource whom you can look toward for help. Do you ever wonder if it’s time to engage a business coach? Rita offers a free coaching assessment on her website. Rita brings an intentional presence, the ability to listen without judgement and a competency to form observations from a perspective that’s not bogged down by being so wrapped up in the situation. Recognizing the Impact of Millennials We’ve heard many stories and read articles about how different the millennials are. While Gen Xers learned to grind through it and take a DIY approach, millennials are much more into speed. This generation is very different and, in many cases, are now stepping into larger and larger roles. They want to connect with people who can help them to “get there” faster. The legacy norms and perspectives are rapidly being discarded. It’s sometimes requiring a disruptive change when it comes to your business. As a leader, you need to be ready. Tip for Approaching 2021 One of the most important tip Rita recommends is to avoid carrying the negative energy of 2020 forward in to the new year. There two basic reason: Realize the old assumptions you operated regarding your business are irrelevant after this pandemic.This is the year of flex. You may need to alter your business practices, processes and expectations. There’s still a tremendous amount of uncertainty. It may be time to cast a new vision for your business. While change can be disruptive and often uncomfortable, with the right perspective, it can unleash a huge number of opportunities...
