Three Question Consulting

By Chuck Violand

March 22, 2011

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Simple is good… and employing a simple solution to solve a business problem, even a complex one, is an excellent route to take.

Unfortunately, we often formulate complex solutions to basic business issues and end up over-complicating things rather than simplifying them.

During our annual Business Planning Retreat, we spend a lot of time helping business owners identify what inspires them to pursue worthwhile goals in their business — otherwise known as "mission statements."

I''m sure you''re familiar with these and you''ve probably heard people talk about how important they are. You may even have a mission statement yourself and, if so, that''s a good thing, especially if you''re actually using it to guide your business.

What''s not so good is when we express statements in our mission we think we should be using, or include things we think other people want to hear. This over-complicates rather than simplifies.

To help you sort through some of the mental clutter and get right to the source of what ignites passion in your business, I''d like to share an exercise I came across recently from Alan Webber, the co-founder of Fast Company magazine. It''s meant to identify what keeps you going when business becomes uncertain, frightening or just plain monotonous.

Test yourself

Take an index card. On one side write your answer to the question: "What gets you up in the morning?"

Think about what gets you so revved up you just can''t stay in bed any longer.

When our companies are young, we find all kinds of reasons to get out of bed, as every day brings new challenges. But the longer you''ve been in business, the less likely you may be to spring from the mattress.

After you''ve written your answer, challenge it. Don''t accept it at face value.

Ask yourself why this particular thing excites you and what emotions it stirs. Strive to go two or three levels deeper with your answer.

Once you think you''ve identified what drives you from your bed in the morning, boil your answer down to just one sentence.

Now, on the other side of the card, write your answer to the question: "What keeps you up at night?"

Just as with the first question, you don''t have to accept your first answer at face value. If you don''t like it, throw it out and start anew.

Allow yourself ample time to complete this exercise. It''s not a race and there''s nothing that says your first answer is the best answer.

Continue to challenge yourself by asking why you wrote what you did.

Your one sentence answers to both questions should give you a sense of meaning and direction. Use them as your mission statement, your compass, and check from time to time to see if they''re still true.

If you don''t like one or both of your answers, it opens up a new question: "What are you going to do about it?"

This may be the toughest question of all and where the hard work really starts.

Just be sure you don''t over-complicate the answer.

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Chuck Violand understands the unique challenges of small businesses, having owned a commercial cleaning and water damage mitigation company for 26 years. He founded Violand Management Associates (VMA) in 1988 as a consulting, teaching and training resource for owners of small businesses. To learn more about VMA''s services and programs, visit www.violand.com or call (330)966-0700.