Let’s start off with something important: You are awesome! You run your own business in a billion-dollar industry. And even though there are some days that you feel more like Clark Kent than Superman, you still have superpowers you are ready to unleash on the world. So, what are your superpowers? Here are 3 that will get you started.
1. Willpower
In the comics, the superhero Green Lantern operates his power ring with the power of will. In business, your willpower should act as your internal drive, pushing you to challenge yourself and to continue growing and learning. Your willpower will also sustain you through tough times, and push you toward the greatness you know you can achieve.
One practitioner of willpower is Mike Adair of Red’s All Natural Burritos who says, “The thought that kept me going was that I have a wife, three little kids, employees, and investors, so giving up was never an option. If you hold on to that mentality, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.”
2. Mental Strength
It turns out you can condition your mind just like you condition your body. We all know it takes more than a couple crunches to get those abs where we want them, but how do you exercise the brain?
First, you want to find an exercise routine that has been proven to work. For example, let’s talk about “implementation intent”. A mouthful, right? It’s simpler than it sounds.
Basically, “implementation intent” means setting if-then statements to help you predict your behavior and streamline your daily actions. For instance, if you tell yourself, “If my co-workers are having a discussion about The Avengers, then I will put my headphones on and work”, then you are forming a mental chain that will save you twenty minutes of chatting about whether Captain America could beat Thor in a fistfight.
You can use “implementation intent” for tasks such as: “If I require timesheets to be submitted by Wednesday, then I’ll have time to review them by Friday, which will keep me from having to review them over the weekend.”
There are hundreds of exercises like these. And many are psychological, scientific and/or evidence-based. Google “evidence-based entrepreneurship” and go to town learning all sort of fun facts! Then, you’ll be flexing mind muscles that you didn’t even know you had.
3. Super-Hearing
Listening to your customers and employees is one of the most important parts of growing a successful business. Without customers, you have no business. Understanding their needs and creating a positive line of communication will not only make your life a lot easier (who likes those angry ALL CAPS emails?), but it will also impact everything from employee experience to the bottom line.
Now you know to listen. Easy enough. But what are you listening for?
Listen for stories. You’ve probably seen the social media campaign where some cool kid climbs a mountain and takes a picture to share with the company who designed his/her backpack. Listen for what’s going on with your customers and how you impact their lives. And then share that story!
Listen for quality control. Your customers are the best focus group you’ll ever have. They don’t like the way you package your proposals? Check their Facebook page and they’ll tell you all about it. A customer calls in complaining you don’t provide afternoon hours for their time-zone? Get with your team and see what you can do to extend shifts.
The information to streamline your business and provide excellent service is already pouring into your inbox. Use it!
These are 3 superpowers you can use to become a superhero business owner. Want to learn more? Let us know! We’re listening. If you like this article, you might also enjoy: How to Inspire Creativity in the Workplace.
