Posted by Steve Nyhof on 24 June 2010 | 66 Comments
I like telling stories because it helps us all understand and remember a little better... Just a few years back when the economy was still going strong, we were producing over 350 house plans through my office per year.
Several of the builders we drew for seemed to have more issues than the rest, and because I hate problem areas, I worked hard at trying to find out why. Everyone of my employees just couldn't get every detail correct on these home builders plans, there was always something wrong, something they would complain to me about.
I am a nice guy, but if you are not pulling your weight, well, lets just say that I follow the three-strikes-and-your-out rule. But that wasn't it, it really wasn't the employees fault.
These two builders were always at the office over-shadowing the designers, dictating the design of the plans on CAD while my designer did as he was told.
However, what I concluded with, was that the follower mode kicks in when being lead by another. When the builder was leading the designer, the designer shut down his normal thinking skills of the big picture and all the details that go into the design, and focused completely on every word and detail the builder was communicating.
As people, we may find that if we can get someone else to do something for us, we do not need to use our minds, or work so hard. But I tell you, as marketers, if you are waiting for someone else to do something for you that you have not already learned, you will never use the full capacity of the brains God has given to you. You do yourself a disservice.
When you learned that 97% of all entrepreneurs fail, what was your response? What was your thoughts? My thought was how I might change that number, what could I do to help bring that number down. That is your job too with every new client you will work with.
If you ordered setup, or one of the packages to help you get started, we are going to setup your site and get your site working for you. However, this is going to trigger a response of non-thinking from you, and a mode of follower. You are waiting for the leader to do your work.
Don't get me wrong, that is what you are paying for. However, what I am also seeing is that when we are done, and your site is running, I am not seeing any continual growth. When a package is ordered, I am receiving more questions from the package purchasers because some are not reading any of my information, watching the videos, going through the Getting Started page because they think they do not need to, someone else is taking care of them.
I see others, and not just experienced marketers, but brand new marketers who do not have two pennies to rub together, give their all to making this work. I am impressed by these people that within days their sites are running with content. Diversity will always press a person to become more and to learn more. These people will become the leaders.
Again, we want to help, I am here to answer your questions, and every single one of you who have asked questions, have been getting answers. I am not always going to be long winded, that is what I am doing here. I want to help, but I want you to continue where we leave off. I want you to learn and move on, press forward.
I am purposely going to push you. I may not give you the full answer because I want you to think it through for yourself. If I help too much... "Steve, I am just not technical", then you will fail, I will loose a client, and the whole thing will be a waste of time and money for the both of us.
Those two builders were enabling me and my employees to fail because they were taking control - but I also let them. The result was that I ended up continually failing them. Kind of how the human brain works I guess. Don't let others lead you. Learn from them, study what they do, dig into their minds, but do not wait for them to tell you what to do next, don't ask either. You tell them what you are going to do next.
If you want to become a leader, then you will do it alone. That doesn't mean you will not have partnerships, contractors or employees, but it does mean that only you taking control of the next steps are going to exercise your brain in such a way that will make you a leader.
Steve Nyhof
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