Genuine Intent

The last two years have been, personally and professionally, both amazingly rewarding and amazingly challenging. And things have worked out the way they should be, for now. It’s important for all of us to realize that life is a journey.

Even more important to recognize is the gifts you are given along the way. Over the last month, I have received many gifts. The people who gave them to me don’t even know they did. It has come from hearing about executives across the country who read this blog and gain value from it to business owners who have been sharing their stories with me.

The common theme that has run through these chance, and not so chance, encounters has been genuine intent. It came to me while I was driving back from my last meeting on Thursday.

I had just left a meeting with one of the founders of a 10-year-old company here in San Diego. He was kind enough to share with me how his company, and his intent for it, had changed. They had been growing like crazy, starting offices and hiring people. They soon realized, this wasn’t working for the business or the team. They made the decision to roll back some of the growth and focus their efforts. Over the last year, his focus has been to make sure he consistently develops his team.

His intent? To make the time each team member spends with the company, something they will gain value from for years to come. While he admits he is not necessarily sure how to do it, he is still doing it. He is learning as he goes and is truly energized by this endeavor. Also, he is realistic. He knows not everyone will be there forever (a naïve hope he once had). However, while they are there, he wants it to be an awesome experience for them and consequently their clients.
He is not alone. I met with two other entrepreneurs this week with the same mission: Enable their team to thrive. And, they are searching for how exactly to do this. They know that great things are possible. So, they are ready for the challenge and to do what it takes to get there.

This gives me energy: genuine intent. These business owners want this intent to be part of the culture of their companies. They want it to be part of every interaction with their clients, customers, partners, vendors – each other.

The idea is to get away from the transactional approach to business. We need to achieve, grow and profit, but to get to that next part of our journey, we need to change our intent to a genuine one. One where we help each person we encounter find the answer, whether we have it or not. One where when someone takes the risk to do business with us, we dedicate ourselves to making their experience an amazing one.

Is this your genuine intent? Have you had this conversation with your team? With yourself?

My genuine intent is this: To help people create relationships that better the lives of all persons involved, and the communities they touch.

What is yours?

My challenge to you is to do this now, not next week, not wait until your next executive retreat, but to do it now. And if you get a chance, let me know what you come up with. While you are at it, take time to recognize where you are on your journey and realize, you are in charge of where it is going to take you. It all depends upon your intent.

Here’s to those that are already changing the world, and those who are about to.