Don’t Focus on the Result
By Marc Weiss - CEO, Management One
“Don’t focus on the result. That’s an emotional roller coaster. Instead, focus on positive expectancy!”
Management One co-founder, Evan Wise, recently shared this quote with me and I thought it relevant as one word I consistently hear from retailers is, ”overwhelmed.” Feeling overwhelmed can paralyze us. We can get wrapped up in the daily defeats, delays, and victories as we build and implement new technology, new marketing, and new assortments. The process of change can cause an emotional roller coaster, which in turn can disorient us.
We can also postpone change and feel frustrated because we are waiting for things to happen.
Thinking about and dwelling on items out of your control is a waste of emotional energy and delivers little that is productive or fulfilling and increases the feeling of being overwhelmed. One way out is to pick the right projects, build a reasonable plan, and then stay focused on positive expectancy for the projects, while recognizing that any meaningful project is going to have struggles, setbacks, and delays along the way. So, don’t get lost in the outcome of every single task, or agonize over every missed milestone. Regroup, focus on the project as a whole, and stay positive.
I can offer what has worked overall for many of our retailers as well as what we do as a company. That is focus. Don’t try to conquer the world and do too many things. Prioritize what is the lowest hanging fruit with the best ROI and solve that. Too many projects added to an already busy schedule is guaranteed to make you feel overwhelmed. Have a picture of what it looks like when you are done. As Chip and Dan Heath write in their book on change, Switch, send yourself a postcard.
Surrounding yourself with talented people and implementing a process for them to collaborate and excel will yield results and diminish the emotional roller coaster.
No matter your size, from 2 people to 100, your success is built on you and your people. In November of 2018, we hit the wall and implemented a structured business process to run Management One. The results have been profound and allowed us to pivot during Covid and accomplish more in the last 2 years than I could have imagined at the start. It took focus and a willingness to change.
I admit freely that daily business life can still be an emotional roller coaster. However, focusing on positive expectancy for the outcome of big projects allows you to solve problems that emerge from delays and obstacles. Optimism and enthusiasm for what you do teamed with focus and organization will contribute to achieving your short- and long-term goals.
I leave you with this quote from Ellen DeGeneres, “It makes a big difference in your life when you stay positive.”
Onwards and Upwards.
Marc