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The
Guerrilla Consultant -
a newsletter dedicated to applying the principles
of Guerrilla Marketing to the work and lives of
consultants.
The Source of Growth
 It's tempting to blame forces beyond our control, especially the economy and unreasonable clients, for thwarting the best efforts to grow a business. Anyone can point to cases where these factors foiled the best-laid plans.
Just as often, though, the reason for stagnation lies within us--and nowhere else.
That's the subject of this month's newsletter.
Enjoy the article, and
let
me know what you think.
Michael
McLaughlin
Author, Winning the Professional Services Sale
Coauthor, Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants
Principal, MindShare Consulting LLC
Stay in Touch:
Are You in a Comfort Zone?
"A man grows most tired standing still."
- Chinese Proverb
Anyone who has trained for an athletic event, tried to slim down, or attempted to get in shape knows what it feels like to hit a plateau. It's frustrating when you stop making progress toward your goals, even though you're faithfully sticking to your program.
Fitness experts say that, with consistent effort, your body becomes more efficient at meeting the demands you place on it, resulting in a plateau. In other words, you become comfortable at a higher level of performance, and then your progress slows down or stops.
It's just as possible to get too comfortable in your work habits, and then you risk hitting a professional plateau.
That can easily happen when you stay in your comfort zone--what experts call an "anxiety-neutral" condition. If you rely on a limited set of behaviors and habits to bring about desired results, without putting much at risk, you create a comfortable place to be.
But a comfort zone can also be insidious. The worst part is that playing it safe in your comfort zone leads to boredom and complacency, which dulls your professional curiosity, saps your motivation, and can leave you with a declining business.
And it can take a lot to change the behavior patterns of a comfort zone. You may have to go through a crisis, like a devastating project loss, to shake free from the habits that landed you there in the first place.
How to Recognize Your Comfort Zone
The trouble is, you might not even know you're in a comfort zone because you're probably getting consistent (though maybe unspectacular) results. But, over time, the results you can achieve from a comfort zone tend to degrade as others take the risks to make gains while you're standing pat.
| So before you can step out of your comfort zone, you have to recognize that you are in one. |
So before you can step out of your comfort zone, you have to recognize that you are in one.
If you're not sure, ask yourself three questions. First, what specific business goals are you working to achieve? Clearly identify stretch goals that inspire action. That will force you to think beyond your set routines. You'll need new strategies, tactics, and relationships to grow. Often, that's all it takes to switch off the cruise control.
Second, what are you doing on a regular basis to challenge your pre-conceived notions and long-held opinions? To say the world is changing quickly is like saying we need oxygen to live. Don't let your views lag behind what's happening in the world. Push yourself to stay two steps ahead of your clients on emerging trends, and continually challenge what you believe to be true.
Finally, how energized do you feel about your projects, clients, prospects, and career path? The people you spend the most time with--clients and colleagues--have a huge impact on your creativity and your ability to innovate (and to motivate others). If you're not getting a spark of energy from them, you're probably in a comfort zone--or headed there soon.
Your Hair Doesn't Have to Be on Fire
To get beyond a fitness plateau, exercise gurus say you have to keep changing your program and upping the intensity of your workouts. The same holds true for escaping any comfort zone: You need to intensify and change things up.
| Sometimes, all you need to energize a business is to get rolling on a challenging initiative. |
Maybe you have some options for a fresh approach to the market. Are there tactics you're not satisfied with that you could swap out for others? Maybe forego those whitepapers in favor of a blog? Or update your presence on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Sometimes, all you need to energize a business is to get rolling on a challenging initiative.
You could consider a new service offer or line of business, or you might form one or more new partnerships. Establishing a bold goal and taking action toward it should be enough to shake anyone from a comfort zone.
You could even do something less ambitious, like expanding your relationships at your existing clients. By meeting people outside the circle of your current client relationships, you will get a new perspective on the issues your client faces and on your own approach to business.
The possibilities for changing your business are endless. Maybe you should refer that high-maintenance client to someone else to free up time and mental bandwidth to pursue a better opportunity. Learn a new skill, develop a speech you'd like to give, or work on that book you've always wanted to write.
What matters is that you try something new that will benefit your business while jettisoning something that no longer serves you, even though it may be tough to give up.
| It doesn't have to be so scary that it sets your teeth on edge, but you have to take some risk to escape a comfort zone. |
It doesn't have to be so scary that it sets your teeth on edge, but you have to take some risk to escape a comfort zone. There's the perceived risk of abandoning what has worked for you in the past. Plus, there's a fear of the unknown future that you're creating by heading down a different path.
Fortunately, fear of the unknown is the catalyst for propelling you out of a comfort zone. You'll draw energy and inspiration as you introduce uncertainty into parts of your business.
The Force of Habits
Lots of habits make life easier to navigate. And there's no need to change most of those. Our habits define how we behave, run our businesses, and see the world. Unfortunately, some habits become unproductive and land you in a comfort zone, giving you a false sense of security.
In what areas do you always stay within your comfort zone? How you relate to others? What you are willing to try in the market? Will more intensity and change breathe new life into your business?
You'll never really know until you challenge your assumptions and review your habits. Freeing yourself from a comfort zone is easier than you think. And that freedom may be the key to growing your business.
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