In the middle of November, we had the privilege and joy of seeing 38 beneficiaries from 4 cohorts graduate.
It was a privilege to be a part of their journey and a joy to see the vast majority still operating amidst one of the most sustained and challenging year’s most SMME’s have ever faced.
At the same time, we had an end of the year induction for our 2021 cohort on this past Friday.
It was helpful to look back over the past 1-2 years of the previous cohorts journey and consider what the key contributors to their “success” was. This helped sharing with the new cohort.
I have sought to capture these in 3 C’s, that of Commitment; Consistency and Courage. I would like to suggest that these may be applicable not only to entrepreneurs in 2021 but also to a higher level of engagement as employees.
Commitment. The Cambridge definition means “a promise or firm decision to do something.”
Here are 3 ways to keep to your promises and follow through on action
Let your actions do the talking. Your actions, language and body language all reflect your engagement. Follow through on your conscious commitments.
Balance expectations. Make a schedule to invest the necessary time and energy to be engaged in what’s important in your life.
Regularly evaluate your commitments. Do you have too many or not the right ones? It can be difficult to maintain momentum if you are unhappy or if you feel that what you are investing in is not accomplishing the desired results.
Consistency. The Longman dictionary defines Consistency as “the quality of always being the same, doing things in the same way, having the same standards etc”
Consistency in your business is far more important that you can imagine. Being consistent allows you to establish awareness, build trust and deliver your services efficiently and profitably. Without it, your business is more likely to fail. Here’s some advice to help you show up a little more consistently…(Thank you to the Good Alliance)
Ensure your efforts are aligned. It is crucial to remember that every decision and action you take should contribute to accomplishing a greater purpose for your business. Every business operates like a machine, and whether it works efficiently or not depends on the stability and smooth function of every one of its parts.
Define your brand – and stick to it! As creative entrepreneurs, it’s understandable that we get bored using the same brand elements every day. But the truth is consistency is critical when it comes to your visual brand. Constantly changing your colours, images and fonts can make your brand appear unprofessional and even untrustworthy
When you make a plan, see it through. Let’s be honest. If you do not commit to following a specific plan of action, you can put yourself in danger of generating high amounts of debt, or even going out of business. Every time that you choose to change your plans too early, you are likely to rack up the costs without receiving any benefits from your prior initiative.
Courage. This year has seen an extraordinary demand of courage. Courage in facing and navigating the many curveballs of the Corona virus. Courage is neither an intellectual quality, nor can it be taught in the classroom. It can only be gained through multiple experiences involving personal risk-taking.
Eleanor Roosevelt said it like this: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’
There are different types of courage, ranging from physical strength and endurance to mental stamina and innovation. The list below is the six different ways in which we define courage. Which are most relevant to you? (With thanks to Vividcomm)
- Feeling fear yet choosing to act
- Following your heart
- Persevering in the face of adversity
- Standing up for what is right
- Expanding your horizons; letting go of the familiar
- Facing suffering with dignity or faith
May you have considerable commitment, consistency and courage in 2021.