Tag Archive for: brand success

The Power of Staying in the Game

Below is an article from a great business coach- Roger Hall. I attribute a large part of our Company’s success, growing from $5M in sales to almost $100M in 10 years to staying involved with clients even when these clients are difficult. One of our fastest growing clients didn’t choose us 3 consecutive times in RFPs yet they are now a great client. We stayed in touch and involved and now this client is one of our most productive clients.

From Dr. Roger Hall, Business Psychologist (hall@compassconsultation.com):

The longer you stay in the game, the more likely you’ll be able to take advantage of a change in the rules. People who quit early, don’t get that opportunity. Resilient people may have an illusion that they have control over the outcome, but it keeps them in the game longer so that the situation can change and they can get a better outcome. It’s the difference between internal and external locus of control. If you believe that you control your events or not. You may be wrong but it may help you. (For more on this, look up my blog post about Chicago O’Hare airport).

As soon as you start to believe “I’m done. It’s the economy. There’s nothing I can do about it”. Hey! Somebody figured out how to make money in the Depression. In fact, a lot of people figured out how to make a lot of money in the Depression. All you’ve got to do is be the guy or the lady who figures out how you make money in an economic downturn. It’s hard. It takes creativity, but if you stay in the game, that’s when the opportunity will arise.

Internal locus of control is the sense that I control the outcome. External locus of control is the sense that something else controls the outcome. Successful people have an internal locus of control. When people tell me “Oh it’s the economy. The economy…” I don’t have any control over the economy but I have control over me. I control how I’m going to respond to the economy. That’s how people succeed.