Chris-Isms
I am an enormous advocate of continuous self-improvement. You can learn a lot from books and the classroom, but you can learn even more through a good coach or mentor. Having someone in your corner that understands your unique situation that can apply her/his experience is a game-changer. A good coach brings additional tools to your arsenal. They also share valuable knowledge earned via their own personal successes and failures. When my company Zenman adopted Traction/EOS as our business operating system, I hired Chris Hallberg to be our EOS implementor. For those of you reading this that don't know Chris, I will do my best to describe him. Chris is a badass intentionally. His first job out of school was at a maximum-security prison because he got a thrill that you could get killed at work. He is always the last man standing at any party, and in spite of being a warrior at heart, Chris is open to trying new things. He actually came with me to the botanical gardens for a Tibetan singing bowl concert... once. One of my favorite things about Chris is what we lovingly referred to as 'Chris-isms.' These are sayings that make a lot of sense, are humorous and borderline inappropriate, and always help his point resonate with you.
The juice isn't worth the squeeze.
The return needs to be worth the effort expended. This was a great way to look at different service offerings within the business to see what was profitable and what was actually a loss. It can be applied to any part of your life. From friendships to financial investments, always look at your ROI and eliminate anything that has a negative return.
He has you by the short and curlies.
Avoid letting someone have a significant influence on your decision making. Don't' let someone control any aspect of your personal life or business. If your success is dependent on someone else, they have you by the short and curlies.
Put on your chicken suit and stand on the corner
Do whatever it takes to make a sale. Chris was a sales coach in addition to being an EOS Implementer. He understood that the buyer's journey started with awareness and helped us come up with innovative ways to close new business.
Fucked up as a soup sandwich
This one is exactly as it sounds. When an idea is so bad, it can't work. I am not trying to say no to brainstorming and believe even crazy ideas can lead to innovation. Disruption can change a marketplace. The most successful hotel company owns no properties (airbnb). This is referring to something that isn't plausible.
You can't be half pregnant
Being all-in with your commitments. If you want to start a business but are can't make the shift, it's due to a scarcity mindset. Put your intentions in the quantum, and the universe will provide a path. This doesn't mean you can manifest the winning Powerball ticket; you still have to do the work. Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.
Take the time to find the coach that works for you. Someone that will hold you accountable that has already accomplished what you hope to do. My dad always said, "consultants are like pigeons, the flutter around making a bunch of noise shitting on everyone." Find a coach is hard. Chris has a money-back guarantee. At the end of the day, if I feel I didn't get value, I don't have to pay him. That makes him bring his A-game to every session, and I have always happily paid Chris at the end of every session.
