Taking Action
By3. Take Action! Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started now. Just do it.
The third installment of IBD’s 10 Secrets to Success is to “Take Action!”
Every company has a mission or vision statement. Few companies follow through on those statements. Whether related to the direction of the company (i.e., new products, services), growth of the company (i.e., increase market share), or productivity of the company (i.e., getting people in the right roles), visions are easy to come up with and hard to follow through on. Why is this? The most obvious reason is there is no plan of action behind the vision, but even when there is a plan, many still fail to reach their goals.
Fear is the enemy of action. Goals tend to stay on paper instead of becoming reality because of fear and uncertainty. What if it backfires? What if we lose customers? What if I fire Jack and everything falls apart? Fears wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a possibility of them coming true. Think of all the truly great companies, leaders, inventors you have ever known. Did they take chances? Did they move beyond normal business practices? Yes. To succeed as a corporation is to recognize your fear of failure, push it aside and make the changes you believe will make your company GREAT.
Even though most of us agree with the Jim Collins adage – “first get the right people on the bus…”, talent building plans often fall short due to fear and complacency. Getting the right people requires that you have a clear plan and that you take action quickly. To make the change as smooth and effective as possible, your hiring plan, how you execute it and how you assimilate the new executive are very important.
Action is the enemy of fear. Take a hard look at your organization. Are you getting the results you want, living up to your mission? Do you have top performers or high potentials in the key roles? If your answer is negative to these questions you must take action or the market will pass you by.
In today’s market, with the economy picking up speed, top executives are in high demand. To ensure that the most desirable candidate winds up on your team, it is crucial that everyone involved with the hiring process is on board with your goals and action plan including the timeframe, job specification, interview procedures, and the final decision making process. In this you find the main advantage of working with a retained search firm – they streamline the hiring process and guarantee the best results for your organization.