(Time to read this Blog is about 3.5 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “This time of year is both joyful and stressful.  And joy and stress are both contagious.  What will others ‘catch’ from you today”
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   Here’s an important ‘quick question’ that I ask my Biz Coaching clients:

   I find that many of my Biz Coaching clients spend way too much time doing low-value, day-to day tasks in the business, while paying managers or supervisors to stand there and watch them.

   People start and grow a business to a certain level because they’re great initiate takers.  They see something that needs to be done…and they do it.  In fact, they do it all.

   But, at some point, as the business grows, they need to build a Team and become effective ‘initiative givers’.  The problem is that they’re ‘wired’ to be initiate takers and making the transition is so difficult.  So, here’s the simple question I love to ask…

   “Are you running the business yourself, or are you creating clarity and building a Team that runs the business?  And then are you delegating and empowering, creating a culture of accountability, measuring performance, rewarding success and dealing quickly with non-performance?”   That’s their new job as a leader.

   Here are two realities:

   1. Your way of doing things isn’t the only way.  In fact, it may not even be the best way.
   2. You’ll never sell a business that can’t run without you.
       
3. This is the perfect time of year for my famous Scallop Chowder!
   Every year at this time I remind folks about my very own “world’s best” recipe for Scallop Chowder.   If you’re allergic to scallops, use any firm white fish…but it is better with scallops.
    
   Readers all over the world write to say that this delicious, hearty chowder is now an annual tradition at their house.  One of our readers made a giant pot of it for his employees, as a special treat. They loved it.  To access the recipe, click here.
    
4. Fun Fact: Canada has more fresh water lakes than the rest of the world combined. Most of them will be frozen for the next 4 months.
    
5. It’s extra important to give ‘local’ gifts this year: As the Big Box stores thrive and on-line shopping takes off, local businesses are struggling.  We all know that.  You can help them by giving ‘local’ gifts or Gift Certificates this holiday season.  If you do, they can stay in business to serve you in the future.
    
6. AI update. AI now helps connect patients to medical specialists.  By letting AI handle crucial admin tasks, clinics can help patients get seen sooner, without creating extra work for medical staff.

   What crucial, repetitive admin tasks can be automated by AI in your business?

Now, to this week’s important topic:

What does ‘Angel’ look like in your business?

Note:  As this is the ‘season of angels’, check out my Blog article below about the importance of knowing and effectively communicating what ‘Angel’ looks like in your business.

According to legend, back in the early 1500s, someone asked painter and sculptor, Michelangelo, “How do you take a huge block of stone and carve from that a magnificent angel?” According to this legend, Michelangelo replied, “It’s really quite simple.  I just chip away everything that isn’t angel.”  But I think it’s actually not that simple.  First of all, he had to have a clear vision as to what his angel would look like.

Apparently, Michelangelo would sometimes get behind in his delivery of angels and his clients, the Pope, the Medici family and other powerful patrons, were unforgiving about ‘backorders’.  So, he often had to ask fellow artists to help him complete his angels.  But no matter how talented, capable, passionate and keen his friends were, what did he first have to clearly communicate to them, before he could let them pick up tools and work on his angel?  He had to clearly communicate his vision of angel.  “Making the left ear larger than the right ear might be a strong ‘progressive’ political statement, but it’s not my vision of angel.”   “A nose on the right buttock might be funky…but it’s not my vision of angel.”   You get the idea. He had to communicate his vision of angel before he could let them help.

In business, we often recruit talented people to join our company to help us delight customers, improve our processes and systems, manage departments, design or produce extraordinary products or services, etc.  But, so often, we just turn them loose without clearly communicating our vision for the business, our values, our standards, our commitments to customers, to each other, to the bottom line, to the community and the planet.  Then, we wonder why our ‘angel’ (our business) gets all bent out of shape.

So, what does ‘angel’ look like in your business?  Are you even clear about that yourself?  Clarity starts with you.  Then, have you communicated clearly to everyone on the Team what the vision is and what the values and commitments are?  This is what effective onboarding and ongoing leadership are all about.  And, then, every day are you and your Team chipping away something that isn’t ‘angel’?

That’s it for this week…

Live brilliantly and be kind to each other!
Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.