Who’s in your circle?
By Rushane Somers – Junior Business Development Officer | January 14, 2019
The world’s largest architectural innovations would not exist without a strong foundation. From the Burj Khalifa in Dubai to the Colosseum in Rome, they were all made possible by the invisible. It is the same with business. We need strong foundation relationships to grow sustainably. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos and most renowned business leaders all have one common kindred factor that was pivotal in their success. They all had great relationships, specifically, a team - a small indispensable circle of trusted and dependable people.
The maxim, “two brains are better than one” attempts to explain the reason some entrepreneurs and small business owners create partnerships. It has been proven and they believe that having the right support, and the right people not only get the job done but adds long-term value to their companies and sets them up for accomplishing targeted goals year after year. The key to success in business is simply connecting with a small group of the right people.
But who is in your circle? These people might be your close friends, experienced mentors, advisors and associates. It’s quite obvious right? But what most don’t realize is that it can even be a company, think about that. A company that has experts in all major areas of your business and industry, knows how you operate on a micro and macro level and prioritizes your company’s goals and your success as their core reason for existing. It is rare to find another human being that wants your success more than theirs. While you contemplate upon embarking on this journey of finding your inner circle of people, what exactly do you look for?
These Four Types of Mindsets:
1. Generosity – This is the adherence to mutual support and begins with the person’s willingness to show up and creatively share their deepest insights and ideas. They are eager to help you and others succeed by whatever means they can assemble. They are innately generous but knows that helping you succeed they are indirectly helping themselves succeed.
2. Vulnerability - This is the ability to let your guard down so mutual understanding can occur. It’s an uncomfortable space where most entrepreneurs aren’t willing to go because it leaves you open and heavily depends on trust to get through. This type of mindset allows for collaboration to occur and not to compromise.
3. Candor – This is simply the quality of being open and honest. It also allows you to constructively interpret, respond to, and grapple with honest information. In most situations, a person with a Candor mindset thinks and responds logically and not emotionally.
4. Accountability - The commitment to follow through on promises made. These persons don’t make excuses, they are dependable and usually goes above your expectations when given a task. Not only do these people hold themselves accountable, but others, even ones in superior positions.
The ideal partners you need in your circle should not possess just one of these qualities, but all. They complement the other in a sequence. Generosity is the foundation on which all other mindsets are built. The relationship is triggered by generosity and then moves on to building trust by becoming vulnerable. Vulnerability clears the pathway of feedback so you are able to candidly share thoughts, goals, and fears, and accountability ensures that promises are delivered upon. The task of finding a person with all four qualities or the resources to instil them would be gruelling. There are existing pools of these mindsets available in companies that are ready to help you, and they are committed to your satisfaction.
Business owners need to realize that the significant opportunity for growth acceleration is people. Not merely investing in better machinery, cutting overheads, or spending more on Ads. It’s simply finding the right people that are tailored for your company. You need to build cohesive teams that will propel and realise the vision. Even more importantly we need mentors and relationships that can assist the macro plan. Companies such as Business Development Firms are like having a personal support system. Even the best athletes need an army of support, holding them accountable, and guiding when ignorant to the next move. A business development team should be in your circle because they have the expertise and experience you need to build foundation relationships, develop better partnerships and align your short term goals with your ultimate vision.