by Ann Latham

Available in print, Kindle, and Nook

How often should you do strategic planning?

1. Every year
2. Every 3 - 5 years
3. Whenever you suspect the competition is about to eat your lunch
4. Whenever sales and profits fall significantly short of goals
5. None of the above

Make your selection and then click here for the answer.

OK, I guess you should listen to them, but don't just do as they say! Too often customers know what they want, but not what they need.

If you worked in a hardware store and a customer came looking for a good old-fashioned night-light, you could hand him exactly what he asked for and he would leave happy. 

However, if you asked some questions and showed him some options, he might leave with a light-sensitive, motion-activated nightlight that only burns electricity when it is needed. He wouldn't be happy, he'd be thrilled!

The discrepancy between wants and needs does not just apply to simple examples like night-lights. I've had clients ask me to lead them through strategic planning. After a little discussion, it becomes apparent that strategic planning is not what they need. Their problem lies in implementing their strategy. After all, implementation is always the hardest part of getting results. Had I done as asked in these cases, they would have been happy enough, but giving them what they needed instead left them thrilled and eager for more Uncommon Clarity in the future.  

When I was a software engineer years ago, I saw the same problem all the time. Customers thought they knew what they needed, but they didn't know enough about the technology, the possibilities, the interfaces, or the limitations to make smart decisions. It was essential to dig in and find out what problem they were trying to solve and what outcome they hoped to achieve. In these cases, catering to their wants would have been disastrous more often than not.

Take the time to get beyond wants and investigate needs. Your reward will be a customer who truly appreciates the value you provide, a customer who trusts that you have their best interests at heart, and a customer who will come back again and again.

Need help getting from wants to needs? Just call 800-527-0087 or email info@uncommonclarity.com.

What prevents you from being amazing or achieving great things?

Go ahead, make a list.

Your answers to this question aren't just idle explanations, they are the cause. These beliefs are actually preventing you from being amazing and achieving great things. Whether personal or professional, whether you realize it or not, these beliefs are limiting your success. They are holding you back.

Now that you have a list, replace each limiting belief with a preferred belief. For example, replace "I hate public speaking" with "I'm good at public speaking and enjoy it." Or replace "I'm always passed up for the best promotions" with "My superiors are impressed with my work and are ready to give me more responsibility." 

If you could replace your limiting beliefs with these new beliefs, how great would that be? 

However, to dismiss those old limiting beliefs, you must determine what you need to do to make the new beliefs yours. These automatic limiting thoughts won't just go way. You need to take action or consciously replace them with your preferred beliefs. 

You might want to join Toastmasters to practice speaking. Perhaps you could meet with your manager to clarify expectations, get feedback on how to improve your performance, and show an interest in learning new skills.

Sometimes you need to challenge the belief entirely. "I'm too short" needs to be flipped on its head. An alternative like "good things come in small packages" or "being short means people expect less so I love to surprise them with great results" prevents you from blaming physical attributes for disappointing results.

What beliefs are limiting your options and preventing your success? Identify them. Challenge them. Replace them.

Good luck on your new journey to greater things! 

Michael Niedenfuehr, Financial Planner, Michael Niedenfuehr Financial Consulting, Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.

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"Ann Latham's Uncommon Meetings is a road map to well run meetings. It is a good read for busy people. While serving as a refresher for all of us who labor through less effective meetings, the highlights in boxes and bullet points emphasize insightful aids to more meaningful meetings and desired outcomes."

Dianne Fuller Doherty, Regional Director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network

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"I wish everyone read this book. Ann Latham's "Uncommon Meetings" is a quick read, packed with substantive ideas on how to get more out of meetings in less time. Everyone who runs meetings should read it!"

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"When all men think alike, no one thinks very much."

Walter Lippmann