Does your business seem like a Merry Go Round?

by | Dec 2, 2019 | Business

I was watching an excellent programme on the telly the other night all about the behavioural aspects of 5 year olds.  It was really fascinating watching the kids following little exercises, run by psychologists, to give insights into some of the roots of adult behaviour.  I’m not sure I agreed with all of their suggestions but, hey, that’s the power of being an “expert” after all.

However, what was interesting was the comparative nature of different children to the effects of competition.  One little boy, who fancied himself as the “top dog” in the group (that bit was unconscious) became very agitated and upset when his group lost a competition where chocolate was the prize.  His projection of blame, his attempts at manipulation of others to change the result and his tantrums demonstrated how much kids actually unknowingly learn behaviours from adults, especially their parents.

Such behaviours emerge when praise and criticism are both delivered with an absence of unconditional love.  But when our parents couldn’t distinguish between either because their parents couldn’t so that determines that we, the current generation can’t either for our own kids……unless……we take time to learn and contemplate what really matters.

Why am I saying all this…..excuse the ramble…..well it’s because it got me thinking harder about how our human interactions colour how we behave in business.

What are the behavioural characteristics of successful business owners compared to those who struggle to get by?  Here’s my short list to kick off the debate:

  • Acceptance of responsibility of all outcomes to decisions, both good and bad.
  • Empathetic approach to people and situations.
  • Resilience and determination.
  • Emotional intelligence.
  • Self control.

So as I carried on watching, the cameras panned to show two of the kids playing together on the mini roundabout in the playground.

They were chatting amiably whilst going round and round – which prompted the thought in my mind that many businesses resemble a roundabout or merry go round.  They are often just going through the motions.  Doing ok, relaxed, reasonably happy but not really going anywhere.

And when the energy runs out they grind to a halt with nothing much to show for the effort.  So think back to when you were a kid;  do you remember the energy you felt if you jumped off a moving roundabout?  You kept running didn’t you?

So the metaphor is to think about jumping off the roundabout and to harness and take your energy in a different direction by growing and achieving freedom by acquisition.  THE no 1 way to grow rapidly, in ANY business.

So ask yourself….

“If I could learn the skills to understand how to acquire businesses, in most cases without needing any of my own capital, how might that transform my life?”

And…

“Is what I’m doing now going to get me where I want to be in a year or two or three even”?

If not, then just email me at theteam@thebusinessbuyersclub.co.uk and tell me what’s holding you back from realising your dreams and ambitions much, much faster by buying your next business rather than building it from scratch, the hard way.

Go on…you know you want to!