HOW ARE YOU DELIVERING ON WHY?

​In the first of this series of blogs we explored the all-important question, “WHY does your business exist?” In this blog we will explore the second question in Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle infographic, “HOW are you delivering on the promise of your WHY?”
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Put your business plan on the shelf for now – and if you don’t have one, that’s even better. To answer HOW, read on to learn how you can marshal all the resources it takes to explore every possibility, gain important insights, and challenge your perceptions and expectations. In the final blog in the series, you’ll meet the challenge of WHAT and you’ll be fully prepared to create a business plan that brings your WHY to life. 

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Answer HOW by looking through three different lenses - your customers, your employees, and your industry/community. It’s your customers who got you into business and they are the ones who keep you there - so start there. Be brave and interview the customers who rave, those who challenge you, and the ones that got away.
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Through the eyes of your customers, HOW are you bringing your WHY to life?

• Are you supporting your customers’ success?
• Are you helping customers buy what they really want/need by seeking their input, listening to learn, and acting on their suggestions?
• Do they notice you utilizing social media to promote the company and your products/services?
• Do they perceive that you are keeping the lines of communication open, answering their questions, resolving their problems, and encouraging them to champion your products/services?
• Are you revising your strategy, challenging your perceptions, and learning from other organizations and industries?
• Do they see you investing in product enhancements and new products/services?
• Are you attracting new customers, investors and potential partners/distributors?
• Are you utilizing data to make informed, customer-focused decisions?
• Do your customers notice that you are giving back to your industry and the community?

Through the eyes of your employees, HOW are you bringing your WHY to life?

• Are you creating a sustainable culture of innovation, diversity, inclusion, advancement and healthy living that works for all your employees?
• Are you communicating with them in-person, by phone, and on-line - listening to learn what’s working and what needs to change?  
• Do employees feel you are remaining competitive and delivering products/services they are proud to support?
• Do they understand your company strategy, mission, vision, and core values?
• Do they see you growing the business with investments in products/services, tools and materials, customer service, finance, and facilities?
• Are you attracting the best full-time, part-time, and contract employees – people with whom your employees are proud to work?
• Are you providing the right balance of compensation and flexibility?
• Are you investing in individualized professional development through training, mentoring, coaching, and internships?
• Are there clear career paths and are you guiding your employees’ advancement?
• Are you regularly assessing and reviewing performance?
• Are you designing people-focused work environments and promoting individuality, creativity, innovation, risk taking, and collaboration?
• Are you training and mentoring strong and agile leaders?
• Are you empowering people to resolve conflicts and solve problems?

Through the eyes of your industry/community members, HOW are you bringing your WHY to life?

• Do they see you advancing the industry locally, regionally, and internationally?
• Do they perceive you are challenging conventions and perceptions? Is that a good thing in their eyes?
• Are you contributing to the community?

Zero back in on your WHY? What are you discovering about you and your customers, employees and the industry/community? What other HOW questions need answers? Please share those with me and I’ll include them in the final blog when I’ll challenge you to answer the final question - WHAT are you doing to deliver on the promise of your WHY? Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll have everything you need to create an integrated business plan to do your best work – your way – every day.
Keep bringing your WHY to life. If coaching can help, reach out anytime ​