What Are The Four "R's"? Why Are They Vital For Your Business.

The Greatest Enemy of Knowledge Is Not Ignorance, it's The Illusion of Knowledge. ~ Stephen Hawking

I'm always centered on not doing the same things when my results are not optimal. Not that it is easy. On the contrary.

As we enter the latter part of the fourth quarter of 2024, I wonder what I have to change to improve my results in 2025?

Here is a formula I"ve used for at least a decade. it's proven to work and I thought I'd share.

Most leaders are evaluating everything at this juncture of time and every year. What's working? What's not working? What changes do I need to make? In myself and in my business? We examine our priorities, our goals and our results in the quest of being better. What questions are you asking? Let me share my own.

I’d like to introduce my own measuring stick: the FOUR R's.

These questions, under my Four R's guideline, I find helpful in forming a vector for me. (Direction and magnitude.)

RESOURCES

1. What resources do I need and what resources do I provide that help to differentiate me in my market? A great way to build your business is to be a resource for your prospects and clients before they become your customer. Become the respected authority prior to the transaction. Be the resource, show the superior service you provide, don't just talk about it. Be the coach before your are their coach. Be your recruits broker before you are their broker. Be their advocate prior to the transaction. Focus on the problem you solve but don't just say it. BE IT! Show them how you can be their resource.

RESPONSIVENESS

1. How do I respond to the changing markets? Am I flexible, adaptable, and agile? Or am I stuck? The business environment is constantly in a state of change. Our customer's attitudes are changing. People are changing, which means my business systems may need to adapt. Respond. The old way of doing things,may not meet demands of employees and teams. For example, "The ABC's" of closing a sale. Annual performance reviews. What has worked, may not work currently. There are always alternatives and a word of caution; changing the way we think about our business may be more difficult than we imagine when letting go of old paradigms. Why? Most believe they have the knowledge. But, they always worked before. Right? Perhaps it's time to reinvent the wheel. Rethink. Reinvent. Discard old ways of thinking. Consider new methods. After all, Motorola invented the first cellular phone. And who would have thought a gas station would have 100 gasoline pumps? Ever been to a Buccees?

REVENUE

1. How does your service or product impact revenue? Yours and your customers? Are you willing to "risk it to get the biscuit"? Efficiencies are important. All of us recognize time as our most valuable asset. Time is money, so to speak. But, efficiency doesn't always mean effectiveness. A flight from New York to Miami takes about 4 hours. It's highly efficient. But ineffective if going to Chicago. And asking the question about effectiveness may be more important when building revenue than efficiency. Being effective may require additional investment in people, and resources previously unplanned. In business, we are always seeking ways to increase revenue.

There is nothing as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. ~ Peter Drucker

RESULTS

1. What are your current results telling you? Pay attention. If I were to achieve the results I want, what is Required? Is there capacity make the desired change? I'm amazed at how business leaders, at all levels, seem unwilling to change based on current circumstances. Take a good look at your results from 2024. What would you have done differently? This is the epitome of the "illusion of knowledge". Remember, change is difficult not for the change itself but for the unfamiliarity of the future. That is the risk, but only if you are unable to manage risk in your head. A change in direction becomes more problematic if you fail to make the turn. Entropy. (Look it up.)

If any of this makes sense to you, and you feel the inclination to collaborate or if you have questions, reach out and let's chat. As a consultant, and coach, I've helped hundreds of people who are just like you and I've been able to move them forward. Click here to get on my calendar.

I'll close with this. I'll quote Dr. Maxwell Maltz, author of the book Psycho-cybernetics.

"You can never outperform your own self-image."