I believe that when we first walk through the doors — be them physical or virtual — and evaluate whether or not Elevate is “for us,” there are certain things we all wonder about. Will I get referrals? Will I close business? Maybe we consider if we’ll learn something, or grow in other ways.
But there’s an aspect of this dynamic community that we all experience, and yet may not have thought about upon our initial entry.
Part of what makes the most successful leaders and business people operate at the top of their game is a very high level of support. The higher you go, the more support you need.
Think of what it takes for a car to run in the Indianapolis 500 — think about that kind of pit crew. One person can’t drive and check the engine and change the tires and do all the things, and still be the fastest at the checkered flag. It takes a team.
Recently, a situation happened in my business and I got supported by someone on this Zoom call. I’m not going to make this about me and my business, or even about them. I’ll name them at some future point in the testimonial portion of a meeting.
But I will mention the three main characteristics that stood out about how this person handled it. Because that’s the gold you need to hear today. That’s the place to focus and apply practice.
Reliability, Accessibility, and Complete Work.
We’re not just business owners — we’re clients too. And when we’re up against it, and we don’t have the answers, it can be a very unsettling feeling. Because there are things at stake — relationships, deals, clients, and money, to name a few.
What clients want is someone to step in and provide support. And they want it when they need it, which is typically right away. They need to know that someone has their back, that we can get under them and hold at least a part of them up. Reliability goes a long way.
But as important as being reliable is, if our clients can’t get to us, it won’t matter. Which is why accessibility (something related but different) is also a crucial component. I reached out to this person and they were back at me in like thirty minutes. And they had a solution. I cannot tell you how amazing it felt when I knew that someone was joining me in the effort. Perhaps I don’t need to, because maybe you know.
And lastly, yes, as soon as the request was made, this person responded. But they didn’t just show up in the beginning. They stayed the course. There were a few elements that needed attention and it all got handled. They did complete work. As business owners, we want to leave our clients and customers satisfied and even empowered around the exchange. Because that’s the feeling that will have them refer us, and continue to engage us.
As growing leaders, we want to make sure we have this kind of support in the relationships that surround us.
Reliability, accessibility, and doing complete work. Things to keep an eye on as you continue to grow, and build your business.
You want to win the race? It’s good to have a pit crew.
