The Skills of High Performers

Okay, okay. This blog is not about me helping you with the '2 skills high performers who are out of balance and diagnosable workaholics have mastered'. No. Not one bit. Achieving more doesn't cost you your time, sanity and bank account - rather, it doesn't have to. This blog is 100% entirely focused on how you can emulate and learn the skills that have resulted in healthy high performers and top producers. They have a great work/life balance as they generate strong networks, overflowing sales funnels and compounding revenue streams. They leave a wake of success for everyone they partner with and encourage others through both word and deed. These are the people I'm talking about. Let's check-in and see how we're doing with 2 of their mastered skills.

2 Skills High Performers Have Mastered:

1) Escaping The Critical Path

2) Building Relational Currency

Hope that helps!

I've got jokes. Okay, but really let's dive a little deeper into what these actually mean and I'll give you a strategic takeaway for each.

Escaping The Critical Path

HP's (high performers) have mastered getting out of the way of their own growth. They've navigated how to not build a team or business that relies on them for e v e r y t h i n g. If they don't show up to work, the job still gets done. In the beginning, it's natural to take on the full scope of all the responsibilities and duties. To an extent, it's necessary. You may not be at a place to outsource all the things that are time consuming and that you don't like to do. HOWEVER, you can set yourself up to be in a good position to hand off things when the time is right. I'm going to speak to the audience that isn't quite at a place to outsource fully yet. What does this look like for you? It looks like creating clear processes upfront of what you're doing, how you're doing it and appropriate backend systems that house business 'stuff' (NOT your personal named folders). When we don't document our processes, we assume we will be doing them forever. It makes it really hard to hand off later because it feels like it's easier to just keep doing them ourselves than train someone to take them over or help us out. Anyone been there before? Someone tries to help us and it's just not worth it to take the time to show them how it's done. By the time you've shown them what to do, you could have just done it yourself. That. Is. False.

*The action item(s): Open up a company or team Google Drive or Sharepoint Account. Create a few broad named folders and tie them to an info@ or teamname@ email account (set one up if you haven't). Create a few folders for processes, passwords and resources. Next time you go to do a system or process that you'd love to hand over to someone else down the line and not be doing, document it! When you order something for the team or business, file the receipt and order contact/info. Make it as easy as possible for you to get help later. If you feel too far in the weeds already, commit to filing/creating 1 item per week. Start small and achieve more.

Building Relational Currency

HP's invest in their people. They know them. They regularly tell them why they value them. They WOW them. They ask for feedback and they give feedback when asked. When you master building relational currency, you'll have a strong network to give and receive referrals. Think of your relationships like a bank. We make deposits, we let interest build and occasionally we withdrawal from the account. High performers invest and let that interest compound. They aren't concerned with how much they're making, but how much they're depositing. They trust the process. They also invest wisely. Having strategic relationships and partnerships is essential to this model working. Not everyone gets to be in your inner circle, or even your outer circle, of influence. Perhaps that's where we start. Who is in your inner circle?

*The action item(s): Make a quick list of your inner and (slightly) outer circle. Who are your top clients and people you'd like to work with in the future? I'd recommend a list no longer than 20 if you're just starting. Set up a monthly reminder on your calendar to drop them something valuable or encouraging. Maybe it's a text, call or handwritten card. Start by investing in these people regularly and consistently with no expectations to receive anything in return.

This is meant to be a soft launch into some high performer skills and habits. There are many additional steps to this and I'd encourage you to reach out if you want to become a high performer in your space. If you know that you need a full course just on these topics, I've got the perfect thing for you. Creating a strong sense of ownership in your business, but staying out of the critical path of growth will lend itself towards high performance. If you couple that with reliable and strong relational currency - you're well on your way towards high performance. The big key is this: stay consistent (find your biggest strengths to be consistent with...here). Create daily habits around these two skills and keep running hard after them. Show up, measure your results and reach out for support. I'd love nothing more than to meet you where you're at, hold you accountable and watch you get to where you want to go.

Dreaming big dreams for you,

Coach Alicia