How We Juggle Business Growth and Add Value — Day 3 of 365 of Leadership Blogging

Adding value to the work you do whilst learning new skills to grow your business is a tricky balancing act. It can make you feel like you are working for the circus rather than your business, and leave you worse for ware at times.

Devron and I were having an in depth discussion today about the value a person can bring to their business as a leader or a team member. We contrasted our own experiences of working as an employee and as a business owner but realised that there wasn’t much difference. Value will always be determined by the positive impact of your skills and ability to a given environment.

However, environments change and our value is immediately tested by how adaptable we can be. The 2008 financial crisis had a massive impact on us as business owners and as a family. Although the effects were not immediate, the following years were painstakingly reminiscent of sinking in quicksand — the more we moved the faster we sank.

Looking back, this was our growth time, a refinement of character to benefit the many journeys that were to come. On reflection, we had to make some real character improvements to redefine our own value offer to the market. We couldn’t stay the same. The marketplace and our clients wouldn’t allow us to stay the same and that innate response drove us to shape who we were to become (and still on that journey).

We learn each day that to sustain a longer term business model there are a number of variations we have to work through, which is fun for us because we get to map scenarios that meet our goals, without the risk of going all the way.

But as business owners, you can’t kiss your brains goodbye and get lost in ‘blue sky’ thinking. Customers are competitive and know where to find value and still need you to add value. Whilst in the same breath you have to take time to add value to your own personal development portfolio.

We should always be asking ourselves ‘how can this add value to my customers and me?’

So what does this all mean?

Keep It Simple Simon/Sarah (KISS) — when we look at our value proposition and our growth goals we have to find mutually beneficial grounds to make a decision. Money is not our game-changer although its a resource we need to get by. We tend to look at our special stuff, our USP, our ‘no one can do it like us’ ingredients and build from that point.

At the end of our time with our clients we want to know that we both achieved our goals and moved to the next pin point in time. That’s value. It’s giving more as your client gives more and working with them at the pace that helps them to succeed. That’s value (to us).

And where do we learn all this?

Believe it or not from having four children. We add value, by not giving them everything they want. We give them everything they need, first. This helps keep the balance of growth for us as parents and being valuable parents to our kids. Their future successes hinge on the balance of how much we can continuously nurture, support and guide their steps. And it’s the same for our clients. The more we give the more we learn about the needs of our clients and the more we grow to meet those needs.

Is it time to take a fresh look at how you add value?