How Am I Sure That My Approach for Your Business Actually Works?

To fully answer this question as a sociologist and a business consultant, I have to know and understand what people’s prime desire in life is. In my 30+ years of research into this question, I’ve learned that people everywhere desire to become as happy, healthy and successful as possible in what they’re currently doing, or with something they love to do. From here, all of these positive elements just continue to grow into something more. In one way or another, we all desire to increase the amount of positive feelings we have. So, how do we get "there?"

Well, "we" only have a few things that we need to manage to help us get to our happy end or place. We have our thoughts, feelings and actions that we use (individually) to keep positive energy growing within us, and this goes out into what we are doing. Then, we have our relationships with other people. These are also influencing how we feel, and what we can accomplish because of those connections. It’s fascinating to learn how our positive connections that will grow us more, can sometimes get overlooked.

This morning, I read an interesting email by a business consultant that recommended to use "fear” as the best approach to get someone to take immediate action on what you've got for sale. While this might work initially to get a quicker response, long-term this approach doesn’t really work, because we're trying to grow something that's more (positive) than what we have, right now! Responding to get away from something that we’re afraid of – will only take us so far. Meaning, that once we are safe from harm, we will still have to ask ourselves how we can move ahead onto something that’s much more positive for us.

So, with that approach, we are logistically putting an extra step in the way of moving ahead, and we are putting more of our focus on what we wanted to avoid, rather than on where we wanted to go.

(I have be completely candid, here. These are the types of consultants you'll find, who are actually quite successful for a little while, until you realize after the deal is made, that they just wanted a quick response from you to say "yes" to the deal. Not so much in what it was going to do for you long-term, but for them in the short-term. Have you ever made a deal, like that? How did you feel about it, and them? Not very good, right? Imagine paying someone else to make you feel bad. Whew. I would love to tell you the consultant's name, but that would probably be, just as bad of a decision. For now, let's both be happy that he provided us with a great example of what NOT to do. Ok, so where were we...)

A better approach to finding a positive solution or creating a positive result in your business, comes from standing right in the middle of the fork in the road. This "pause" allows us to see where things could go, if we take a certain path or direction. From this neutral place (at least for now), we can both fully map out and see what a specific decision will do – for us, your customers and your employees. That way, we eliminate any pitfalls before we take a step, and we’ll naturally head into a more positive direction at the same time.

The absolute best decisions we can make in our lives and in our business will positively effect us, and everyone involved in the short and long-term. That way, we can move ahead with 100% confidence in our decision, because both outcomes were taken into account.

If something is in fact a good step it will naturally avoid trouble, and it will cause something positive to occur at the same time. That’s just one of the reasons why making a beneficial decision, brings us to a much happier place. To me, the best approach highlights what we will avoid and gain so we'll know exactly what our outcome will be, or at least, very close to it.

How can we know what a certain decision will do for us, and what’s outside of us?

I ask: Does this choice allow the business as a whole and the individual parts of it: Us, our customers and our employees to be able to continue to be happy and productive, within their given roles or places? And will it raise the bottom line?

If the choice will allow everyone to become happier where they are standing in your business right now, then – that’s always the best choice you can make – for you, and for any part of your business. That's how you know you've made a good decision. When it's a plus that's added, then that's also your final outcome.

The process of everyone being happy where they are now is what’s producing your numbers. And since you're happy about your growth in numbers, can you see how these two places are directly connected now? It’s just two half’s of the same circle.

So, there wasn't a need to separate what you wanted, and what others wanted, too. It’s all located – in the circle of your business. At the end of any given day, your profits are a reflection of how many people we’re happy, because of what the business was able to produce successfully; and that goes for each part of it. Then, the cream rises to the top.

The happiness we seek in business and in the bottom line for ourselves was just a combination or “end result” of what we did for others and ourselves, on a given day. If we understand that, then the happiness and growth we desire, never really needs to be in question. And it's completely within normal limits to have a little fluctuation in what shows up.

Let’s say (just for an example) that this article fully allowed you to see that we are all working together in one way or another to produce the positive results we wanted to have. Does knowing this take away from what you have or want – or does it just lead you to even more of it?

When you realize that what you are doing in your business is creating a positive effect for everyone involved, then your profits and growth are guaranteed. If everyone is happy with what they have and what they are doing in your business – then there is literally nothing in the way of progress or growth. Giving ourselves, our customers and our employees what they need to be happy – will always, always, always – produce more for us. But, how does this happen? It shouldn't add up, right?!

All of that combined positive energy is growing the circle of your business into more than what it is right now. And as long as that energy is in place, it will only continue to expand naturally, without very much effort.

If that’s the only thing you remember from any one of my 26 articles, then this alone – will be enough for you to make any successful decision.

In business, just like in our own lives, when we make something positive happen – it’s happening for all of us, but we still gain our own individual positive end results at the same time. So, nothing is left out. And that's how I know my approach works.

It helps everyone feel better about being involved with your business, in the short and long-term. And this is what's continually producing your growth in numbers. If an idea is benefitting everyone without any negative drawbacks, then – that’s exactly what will show up for you. What we put into our circle if it’s positive is what will be there in the end, but – with interest.

A positive experience is simply why our customers and employees will always come back for more. And with that, we will always gain more of what we desired to see, too. The only time we lose is when we take something that's needed on one side of our business, and we add it to another part. This only puts a negative in a place that we'd like to see grow into something more. In doing this, we've just moved our problem to a different location. If our business circle and our profits weren't directly connected, then doing this wouldn't have that many adverse effects; but it always does. It's the combination of what’s happening on both sides of the counter that’s producing your gains. This is the positive relationship – that naturally produces more, for every part of your business, and for you.

In the end, you, and everyone else wants to feel as good as possible, about what they’re involved with. And since almost anything can be created here, then simply put both of these ideas into your business circle. If we can get "this big" by focusing more on just one side primarily, then how "big" can we get, from growing both sides at the same time? As you might have heard before in a few different places, energy adds up and multiplies, exponentially. It doesn’t just add up in a straight or linear line, the way it often appears on a ledger sheet.

The numbers on a ledger sheet will capture a particular moment in time. That’s true; but energy is always moving forward, and our numbers are moving with it. When something positive is put into place in our business, the end results are not always fixed or static, as far as numbers go. Positive benefits compound and influence other parts of our business and grow interest; sometimes in places that can't always be measured. However, the longer something beneficial is left in place, it simply keeps on working – for you!

(Energy works this way so that seemingly separate pieces, will add even more value than what appears on the surface. This gives more meaning and value to the parts themselves, and to the sum total. Pretty cool, huh?)

Once the relationship between “here and there” becomes the criteria for making a decision in your life and in your business, then everything will only continue to grow into something much more than it is, right now.

Putting both of these happy ends back together and keeping them there to grow more is always the best choice we can make, and it's always available to us. There are only two parts of the circle to satisfy. Your side, and mine. Or you, and your customers. Or you, and your employees, etc. At any given time (besides you) there is only one "other part" of the equation to think about. Remembering this (again) is what will allow you to identify the best possible choices and options that you might have in front of you, right now.

My specific and unique formula to grow profits and happiness for everyone involved in your business is just a very positive step in this direction. It’s a prime example of what’s possible and what can happen, when both sides of your business circle are satisfied.

When something good benefits: You, your customers, employees and your shareholders – emotionally, logistically and financially, then what’s left? The only thing left to do now is to enjoy all of the rewards that this approach will continue to bring you, and everyone involved in your business. If that’s what you were really looking for all along, besides growing your bottom line, well then – there you have it!