Security Sales & Integration May 2022 - 57

EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
Business Fitness by Paul Boucherle
paul@matterhornconsulting.com
@swisssherpa
Business Visioneering Part 1
Visioneering
is both the art
and science
of creating a
short, engaging
story about
your company.
▶ " THE ONLY THING WORSE than being
blind, is having sight and no vision. " - Helen
Keller.
Th ink about the insights/wisdom of a unique
woman denied sight and hearing but blessed with
great vision of what she could accomplish. If she
were positive, worked hard, believed in herself, had
the right teacher/coach/tutor (Ann Sullivan) at the
right time, and remained committed, her vision
would become a reality. Th e rest of the story, as
they say, is history. What will be your history?
Th e quality and practical implementation of
your business vision diff erentiates you from your
competitors. It is what motivates and gels your
team. It is what drives customer loyalty. It is what
will often close competitive business deals. It is
what drives people to join your company. It is
what drives, enables and motivates your team to
separate themselves from your competition in every
way, every day, with every customer interaction
in real-time.
Call it company performance " culture. " It absoPaul
Boucherle, Certifi ed
Protection Professional
(CPP) and Certifi ed Sherpa
Coach (CSC), is principal
of Canfi eld, Ohio-based
Matterhorn Consulting
(matterhornconsulting.
com) and an SSI Industry
Hall of Famer. He has more
than 30 years of diverse
security and safety industry
experience.
securitysales.com
lutely drives daily decisions by talented hires who
" see " and " feel " the words of your vision at a visceral
level. How is " visioneering " accomplished?
Visioneering is both the art and science of creating
a short, engaging story about your company.
A story that your customers tell without any
prompting; a chance to help inform their friends
of a wonderful experience. A story your associates
believe and breathe every day and focused on the
customer's experience and perception, with one
exception.
In today's work world, people choose to join or
stay with your company based on the roles they see
for themselves within that vision story. Th is can be
particularly important to your technicians. Do you
have levels of progression, pay and training based
on initiative? What about your sales teams which
can have vastly distinct roles such as territorial residential,
commercial, or strategic selling? All require
diff erent selling skills, expectations and training to
be successful. Does your business vision helps establish
these parameters? Your choice.
Keep in mind to focus your vision on the " what; "
" where you want to be; " and " when you want to
get there. " Th e " how " is the job of your managers
and their teams. Try and stay out of their way.
" What I am looking for is not 'out there,' it is in
me. " - Helen Keller
Consider the two biggest challenges for executives
on their " vision quest. "
Committing to do it. Th en blocking out time
every week to work on the vision and holding
themselves accountable to a 30-day deadline.
Th e next hardest thing ... just getting started.
Some artistic guidance may help your thinking
- check out my November 2019 column
and pick up your paintbrushes!
Here are a few coaching points to enable your
progress.
Th e key element is having company ownership
commit to working on the business and not in
the business. Carve out the time, take off your
operational hat and put on your thinking top hat!
I realize this is diffi cult, however, it is essential for
long-term progress and for all the right reasons.
Th ree factors to think about.
1. Schedule 45 minutes every single week to
think about your business direction. Th is
must be uninterrupted time. No emails or
phone calls and be unavailable for those immediate
problems you must solve as the key
fi refi ghter. As a discipline for success, do this
out of the offi ce, the same time every week.
2. Schedule 10 minutes per week with your departmental
leaders and share two thoughts
for fi ve minutes; then fi ve minutes of clarifi
cation; then let them go and create. Have
them share thoughts the following week.
Don't judge. Just listen, digest and evaluate
their input. Be disciplined in this rule or you
will become lost in the minutia of details and
slide down unproductive rabbit holes.
3. Engage with troops in the trenches by wandering
around with purpose. Th is is not
a time to expound on your thinking, but a
time to ask a relevant question then actively
listening to feedback. No counter arguments
allowed. Just listen, acknowledge and thank
your troops. Th is is the most important trait
of successful leaders.
Digest, process, ask more questions, then craft
and edit your vision with purpose. I will cover
more next month to help you eff ectively communicate
your vision.
" While they were saying among themselves it cannot
be done, it was done. " - Helen Keller.
MAY 2022 Security Sales & Integration 57
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Security Sales & Integration May 2022

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