Fix This Next: The Fourth Level, Impact

A few nuggets from the chapter and then we will dive into the 5 core needs of level four – Impact.

Mike says, “The impact you want to make is important, but you can’t pull it off until you have all of the base levels humming.”  This is true and I do see clients jumping to this level to soon.  You need to shore up Sales, Profit and Order before you can truly have an impact on the community.

This is not to say that your offerings shouldn’t have an impact – just that the focus of the 4 level is stewardship.  I love that word stewardship.  For me, it’s about taking care of what you have been given.  In this case, you’ve been given your clients… so take care of them.

Transformation Orientation – Does your business benefit clients beyond the transaction?  Mike gives an example in the book of a coffee bean company.  They had a lot of reviews on the coffee’s taste, but really want to transform the coffee drinker’s experience.  They put motivational sayings in every bag and started getting reviews and shares on how people were feeling when they drank their morning cup of Joe.  Now that’s transformation.

That got me thinking – how do I want my clients to feel when they get off their monthly phone call with my team?  This is a work in progress but here’s what I’ve come up with so far:  Encouraged, strong, capable, knowledgeable, they have clarity and they have a plan to move forward.  I will be developing these thoughts in the months to come.

What do you want your customers to experience?  How are you transforming their lives?

Mission Motivation – Is your team motivated by the mission or by their individual roles?  Mike tells a story about the Navy seals and then he says these words.  “If you want your team to help you make an impact on the world, you need to give them something to believe in – a song to sing. That song is your company’s mission.”