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Business Action Groups: Your Success is in the BAG

When you work in isolation, running a successful business isn’t just about getting clients but about building relationships in a supportive environment. That’s where Business Action Groups (BAG) come in.

Napoleon Hill referred to them as Master Mind groups. Benjamin Franklin spoke fondly of his ‘Junto’. Me? I’ve got my group of Enrichers. Buddy groups, dream teams, action groups – what they all have in common is the coming together of a committed group of business owners who help each other to success.

Business Action Groups are about getting together with others who are passionate about what they do and sharing resources, knowledge and experiences and they are formed specifically with this intention.

BAGs are small (four to six people), meet regularly and are structured to provide a safe, energising space for you to look at the issues you are facing in your business and commit to taking action.

Growing your business can mean entering new territory, making decisions on things you have no track record of, and feeling a little uncomfortable. If you are fortunate you will have people around you who you can discuss this with - a partner, family member or friend, perhaps – but more often than not our relationships with others aren’t built to discuss business issues.

“ Sometimes you just want to talk with someone who knows what you’re going through.  ”

Also, sometimes you just want to talk with someone who knows what you’re going through. Turning to your peers for support is a logical move but in business your peers are often your competitors.

Business Action Groups allow you the space to confidently make these decisions. It’s a place where you can work out exactly what it is you want, find a few ways to attain it and choose which will work best for your situation.

A BAG can help you in your business in the following ways:

Helps you keep your integrity

To be a person of your word, you need to act on your decisions. Saying “I’m going to do this” to another is a powerful motivator. You know they’ll ask you how it’s going when you next meet. So when you commit to action in your BAG, the likelihood that you’ll follow through and do what you say you’d do increases dramatically.

And that’s even before you factor in accountability – where the group commits to helping you keep to your word by specifically following you up on your action. Yes, in a perfect world we would be fully internally motivated and only need to be accountable to ourselves. But, in the meantime, you have your BAG.

Other perspectives help you solve problems

One of the fundamentals of BAGs is that no one is the expert. Sure, everyone has different perspectives on your issue but there’s no “one right way”. And that‘s important for autonomy-loving soloists. If there are five other people in your group, then there will be five different approaches to consider.

Perhaps they will help you see opportunities that were out of your sight previously. Perhaps you are stretched to playing a bigger game. Or even challenged to not just meet a standard but to begin setting the standard. And you make your decisions based on this much fuller picture of your situation.

You contribute to the success of others

As well as receiving all this support and encouragement in your own venture, your BAG gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge, experiences and resources with others. Often it’s a surprising bonus to learn just how unique you are and what value you bring to any relationship.

…and you will have fun!

Let’s not forget that with this flow of giving and receiving – celebrating the highs and lows of each member’s business life – friendships develop. Fun and laughter is had. And all those platitudes about business being tough begin to melt away.

Suddenly you begin seeing yourself as part of that small percentage of business owners who are making it work.

This article first appeared in the online community for solo business owners www.flyingsolo.com.au

** NEW Business Action Groups are starting in Noosa and Brisbane in October 2010. Earlybird discounts available for those who register before 30th September 2010. Here’s more info **

Posted: September 21st, 2010
Categories: Articles
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Spring Clean your life

Spring Clean Your Life Article

As the alarm went off on Tuesday morning, I wasn’t filled with my usual “just five more minutes” mantra. No. This was the day that my mild mannered couch sloth self turns into uber-50s housewife and no dust nor dirt is going to survive.  Yes, it was Spring Clean Day.

Bree Van Der Kamp has nothing on me on Spring Clean Day. I had a list. It consisted of categories (rooms) and subcategories (actions required: tidy, throw, donate, mop, vacuum, dust, clean) and sub-sub-categories (cleaning type: soapy water, spray’n’wipe, industrial strength). The day is blocked out with rest periods and team peptalks (such as the benefits of interrupting the cat’s 18 hour nap so as to freshen up her “apartment”).

This year the team worked seamlessly, perked up in periods of fatigue by “Way to Go!”, “You’re doing a great job!” and “I really appreciate the effort and creativity you’ve brought to dusting the ornamental giraffe!”.

Of course, it wasn’t all plane sailing. Like any highly efficient work unit we did encounter our “challenges”.  Negotiating the 15 year old futon into a “sun-filled” position for the requisite 6 hour rejuvenation did require the use of pilates muscles and  yoga flexibility. But we’d been in training for the Spring Clean Challenge for the last six months and came through admirably

As we clock off at 5pm, admiring the sparkle and clean of my beautiful abode, there’s wine for all workers to celebrate our masterful feat. Beautiful surfaces sparkle. Aah, that’s what the kitchen bench looks like, there are the remote controls, the books are in the bookshelves rather than haphazard book towers throughout the house. A minimalist wardrobe containing only clothes that I wear – bye bye yellow polyester pants. I’m surrounded by the things that enhance my life. I’m filled with overwhelming satisfaction and hope for the future.

I’m thinking “You know, if I did a little bit of cleaning every week it would always look like this” and get all giddy at the thought of gliding through life in my ever sparkling palace. Or, maybe it’s the alcohol. The thought quickly gets relegated to “Another great idea” and I get comfy on the clean couch, spilling wine on the clean coffee table and welcome back the sloth.

Spring Cleaning is a wonderful process. It’s a chance to take stock of what you have or what you really need. A chance to look in places you usually don’t go.  A chance to toss out all those things that are just cluttering up your life and to keep or accentuate those things that actually enhance your life.

And just as we can do it for our physical environment, we can also spring clean our lives with remarkable effects.

So, what’s going to get the ol’ heave ho in your life this Spring?

What are you tolerating?

What’s no longer serving you?

And what do you want to have more of?

What has to be happening in your life, who needs to be a part of your life so that you can truly shine?

And where are the places you’ve left dust accumulate?

What are the things you’ve stuffed in the storage cupboard of your life, always intending to “do something with” later?

And when you’ve tidied, tossed, mopped, polished, vacuumed, sprayed and wiped your life, what does it look like?

And what if … you did a little cleaning, tidying every week? How would that feel to have this buff life for 52 weeks of the year instead of just one?

This is what having a coach is like. Rather than going through peaks and troughs, having enthusiasm for something for a couple of months then giving up disappointed or bored, you have a place to sit down, find out what’s working, what isn’t and what you need to do to make sure you are living your life according to what’s important to you.

Or you can do it yourself. Building a support and feedback network around you that gives you a space to talk about what’s going on, work out if your take on it is what is really happening and take the steps needed to keep it all happening.

This is your mop, bucket and broom.

Happy Spring Cleaning.

Posted: September 21st, 2010
Categories: Articles
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