In mechanics, traction is the force that generates motion between an object and the surface it’s on, either through friction or shear force.
The use of the word in business feels the same, doesn’t it? Many business owners start off only understanding the shear force part of the equation. Their attitude is one of pure will and determination. It sounds like “I’m going to keep this business going no matter what”.
While that is highly admirable, oftentimes necessary, and highly praised in our society — I’d like to propose that it is not the best way for running a business long-term.
Thinking Positively About Friction
In business jargon, friction is something to be eliminated as it’s typically equated with conflict or problems. But keeping with the mechanical analogy we can see that friction can actually be good. Your car handles better on an icy road if some salt or sand has been placed down to increase the friction between the ice and your tires.
If you want your business to grow faster, generate more revenue, or continue your legacy when it’s passed to the next generation—working harder will burn you out. You need to improve the efficiency of existing processes so your business has greater traction driving down the metaphorical road it’s on.
What Is TractionTM?
TractionTM is a business operating methodology that greatly improves the necessary functions of running a business. While I am not a certified Traction implementer, I have seen it, and others, work wonders with many of my clients. In short, my belief is you need an operating system that is consistently applied and understood by the team.
I use the operating system it to teach clients the most efficient way to:
- Organize their business.
- Run meetings.
- Set a company vision.
- Establish short and long-term targets and goals.
- Communicate with their team.
Here’s a brief example. In 2020 I was the CEO of a sales training company. 90% of our revenue came from live, in-person training. This presented a serious problem when all of our business dried up overnight.
Thankfully, the principles of TractionTM taught me how to objectively view our current dilemma, and develop clarity around our desired future state. On the surface it would seem that we just needed a way to conduct business virtually. And we did that, but our company vision was more than our sales seminar. Our company vision was to empower salespeople. The entire sales landscape had drastically changed. Salespeople who relied on their in-person charisma were now imprisoned in a small box on a video call. CFOs started taking a greater interest in how their companies were spending money, meaning salespeople were suddenly selling to the C-suite.
The point is, we had a lot of tasks to manage in keeping with our mission and vision. New obstacles presented themselves regularly, but we systematically worked through them as a team. The principles from TractionTM kept everyone on the same page, and that year we were recognized as having the top virtual sales training program in the country.
Now, we were dealing with the Pandemic, so we knew what we needed to improve. You may, however, be wondering “How do I know what parts of my business need improvement”?
I’m glad you asked, because we have a well defined process for that.
The Performance CXO 3D Process
Anytime a consultancy firm claims they can simplify your business challenges, provide easy-to-implement solutions or connect you with high caliber people, ideas, and trusted advisors (for the record, yes, we can do those things), you must scrutinize their process.
A well defined process is what differentiates their results from luck and skill. Our process is incredibly well defined, and helps our clients identify the gap areas in their business that are deterring them from achieving their goals.
Our 3D process is Define, Design, and Deploy.
It’s a sequential progression towards finding lasting solutions. We’re able to confidently tell our clients that we can help them not only identify the slick spots on the road, but also implement solutions that work. Here’s a high-level overview.
The Define phase finds the root cause of the symptoms our clients bring to us. Anytime a person is too close to a problem they risk confusing the symptom with the cause. I know when I have a bad headache I’m usually more focused on eliminating the pain (the symptom) and less focused on addressing the root cause. We help our clients put things back in perspective. Yes, there is pain, but let’s not overly focus on that, and instead find what is causing the pain.
Then we Design a hypothesis, giving our clients an opportunity to add input, push back, and/or agree to our suggestions. This is a collaborative process in which our clients remain highly involved.
At this point we will Deploy a solution. Some clients don’t have the bandwidth to implement the full solution on their own, but the goal is to progress to a client-led initiative eventually.
Is TractionTM Right For You?
If it feels like your business is spinning its wheels, TractionTM may be just the thing you’re looking for. Schedule a call so either I or a member of my team, can help you determine the best solution for your needs.