They expose themselves to uncomfortable situations.

They get involved and engaged with the decision makers.

They only ever offer objective opportunities.

They listen without judgement.

It is about questioning and listening and delivering solutions….it is that tricky.

This is what your clients, your staff, your stakeholders expect.

You may not feel it, but they need it….there’s the phrase that ‘you fake it until you make it’, it applies more so in 2012 than ever before.

Clients, staff, partners, prospects are looking for energy, commitment and delivery.

We do need to be happy in our work and passionate about what we deliver.

If this is your objective…to need extra car parking spaces for new staff and new clients then the only question to be answered is how’s that going to happen.

The surprising thing is so little is needed to start to lift  that  demand.

A little attention, a little inquisitive phone calling and web searching, a little exploratory coffee and discussion with prospects.

It is a little that will get this thing moving. And then the biggest challenge will be finding that extra parking for staff and clients.

The question isn’t so much whether you have got them!

The question is how do you make sure you have got them and that they are working to the same goals.

In tough times we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking we can manage two or three of these ourselves…time to lose the hallucinations and recognise that even the best can only do one perhaps two of these things to a competent level…..find and reward the binders, grinders, finders and minders in your life and business.

The art of identifying and embracing good fortune is simple.

You will always find good fortune wherever opportunity and preparedness meet.

It is about doing your homework, understanding clients, understanding market trends and exposing yourself to new ideas.

Rarely will you find good fortune in the arms of comfort or familiar surroundings…therefore what are you going to do about becoming less comfortable and more inquisitive?

You can talk the talk but until you deliver results, dollars, numbers, meetings, whatever the measurable is, it counts for NOUGHT.

Action is about knowing who you should be talking to, what their needs are and how your business can solve the issues that they are facing.

What we are talking about here is your ability to do the little stuff, the little things, the annoying things, the inconvenient things that most of your competitors will avoid, forget or neglect to do.

It is about doing:

• Pricing surveys.
• Mystery shopping on competitors.
• Mystery shopping on suppliers to check their pricing.
• Calling your top three clients in a morning when you have too much other work to even possibly consider doing it.

These are inconvenient acts that are business building activities.

From Douglas Mawson, the Antarctic explorers’ diary comes words we should have tattooed onto our eyelids……

Deeds not words……

Consider these and plan each working day around actively perusing your goal rather than simply surviving the day.

Survival’s good…it means your hobby, that you survive on the money from, will continue for some time to come.

Planning and executing activities that move you forward…that move you into new activities, new spaces will develop solutions far beyond survival

First seen in an article featuring comments from Mark Bouris, a renowned disruptive strategist whether it be in banking or currently financial services with The Yellow Brick Road.

The clarity of disruptive strategies is that it challenges the existing expectations and deliverables and key market players.

The question is “what’s expected?”

Then be agile, aggressive and thoughtful enough to think about how you can deliver something that is different….in fact difference may be a perception only, yet differences cause good clients, new clients and others to look at your business from a new angle and perhaps recognise offers that were previously hidden under a “sameness” strategy.

The challenge is to talk to new people, visit new markets, and explore new options. If you choose none of these then disruptive strategies will not form part of your success criteria.

No, no, no, no……it is about the problems and issues your clients face and how your service, product or solution delivers the most appropriate “solution”.

Listen to your clients and prospects needs, and tailor a solution that best fits those needs and covers your costs including profits.