Do Your Results Reflect Your Potential?

Each of us at any given time is performing – producing results – at some level of competence. Most of us function within an environment where those results are part of a performance management system which includes goals, strategies, and action plans designed to give us focus and direction and a framework for performance. But does your current level of performance reflect or represent your personal or organizational potential?

The answer to this question may come more from your gut than your head and can be very revealing. Do you have a sense of your true potential? If you feel you are not achieving your potential what is going on in your world that is influencing that? I have asked this question of many of my clients and especially of the sales people I have trained and interestingly the answer is almost always no. In other words most people will reply that they do not feel their results reflect their potential. Implicit in this comment are two very important things to consider, first, the answer suggests that you do have a sense of your own potential and you are not there yet, and second, what is holding you back?

We are defined by the things that stop us.

In a practical sense are you evaluating sales or marketing performance based on share of market or share of opportunity? Are you taking advantage of global opportunities? If you know your potential are you achieving it? We can help with a diagnostic process that will identify specific opportunities for performance improvement and growth, and help you design a strategy to better express your potential.

Performance is a Choice

Results in life begins with our attitude to those results, which is to say our attitude towards our own potential and our willingness to purse that. Helen Keller said “Life is a daring adventure or nothing.” Profound words from a person who overcame unbelievable barriers to teach and influence others with her life. We choose where we are every day – is it time for you to rethink your choices about your potential? Making a commitment to discovering and expressing your potential can be uncomfortable and also very freeing. For those of you that are intrigued by the concept, welcome to the journey.

Tips on expressing your potential

Question your assumptions – be aware about where you think you belong and what level you are at now – is this your final destination? If not, start exploring options.
Get support – nobody is successful alone so bring some trusted advisors into your confidence and tell them how you feel and what you want to do and get support.
Confront your barriers – the first question to ask is what your barriers are and who put them there? Barriers are gateways to the next level and you have a choice about whether they stop you.
Get outside your comfort zone – the best performing people among us are willing to be uncomfortable to get what they want.
Get creative – most of us are far more creative than we give ourselves credit for. Explore options you have not considered before and you may be surprised at what you discover.
Break your dependencies – not everybody will support your desire to grow and improve and we need to let people go who are not there to share our journey.
Be willing to fail – you can only succeed to the level you are willing to fail and being willing to fail means it is less likely to happen.