Yes – I’m still here on a ship in the Caribbean. And – in the spirit of trying new things, yesterday I went to see the film – The Darkest Hour. Well I’m not big on history, but WOW – what a film. And a superb portrayal by Gary Oldman.
I hadn’t realised that Churchill was unpopular but some bad decisions and dubious views – about India (shouldn’t be allowed self-government), and support for Edward VIII’s abdication, left him a sole voice speaking out about the dangers of the Nazis.
In the film, the opposition to Churchill is played up and the pressure for him to enter peace negotiations ends with him taking a ride on a tube (never happened in real life), and without spoiling the plot – let’s just say he listens to his people.
As history shows, Churchill refused to negotiate with Hitler and that determined the history of this country and ultimately guaranteed our freedom. His ‘we will fight them on the beaches’ attitude seemed to be exactly the resolute determination that was required in a war leader.
And that got me thinking. As a business owner/entrepreneur/service provider – it is crucial to ask your clients / customers what they want. And it is important to give them options because, here’s the thing, a lot of people don’t know what they want. So, asking them an open question might not be the best thing to do.
If you have a friend like this, then a good tactic is to start with what they DON’T want and look at the opposite or alternatives. For example, if they hate working for someone else and being tied to a 9-5 job, then what is the alternative? Perhaps it is working for yourself?
Perhaps they already work for themselves and they feel they have reached a block and can’t go any further. They don’t know what to do next, how to take the next step.
My advice is to do what Churchill did (at least in the film), and ask the people whose opinion matters – your clients or potential clients. Now I don’t mean you necessarily have to go and ask them – although it is a REALLY good idea if you can. But you at least need to ask yourself what they would say. What do they need from you? Rather than what you think you should be delivering.
A mistake I see many businesses making is to create something THEY think is cool. And often it is TOO cool – and their audience don’t really want it, or need it. So – ask your customers (if you have some) or ask your potential customers (if you don’t). Get on Facebook and run a poll, or send out a survey monkey to your clients.
And if you don’t know how to do whatever it is you decide you need to do next, then get around people who do, who have already been there and done that. Go out networking, join a mastermind group or an online community like the Find Your Why tribe.
Or if you want to motor ahead – get yourself a coach – someone who can set you on the right path, who knows the shortcuts to get where you want to be and someone who will hold you accountable for getting there whilst supporting you and cheering you on.
So, here’s my question to you, if you’re feeling stuck would you rather stay stuck or would it help to talk it through with me in a confidential, non-judgemental call?
Email me now cheryl@cheryl-Chapman.com for a free 20 min discovery call or text me on 07967 639603 and follow me on twitter
I’m back in the UK tomorrow & I look forward to speaking with you soon