Do Business Well

A separate, vital family question: Am I being a hero to my kids?

In 1998, MTN gave Mike a sponsorship to motivate matric students throughout South Africa. Mike went into schools and spent time with the students. He asked them what their biggest source of stress was. Guess what their response was? Their parents. Not exams, not the future, not the job market, their parents. Many of the kids told Mike that their fathers and mothers were suffering from extreme stress.

They said that their houses were places of tension and uncertainty. And this home strife was affecting their academic performance.

So here’s the challenge facing entrepreneurs: you have to manage the stress of being your own boss while facilitating an environment of love, support and togetherness at home. You have to be a hero to your kids while you take on the world at work. After all, aren’t your kids a major reason why you’re doing it anyway?

Here’s the ultimate Great Daddy or Mommy Test: do your kids want to be like you when they grow up? Do they look at you and see an outstanding future? Do they look at you and see a victim or a victor? Do you represent hope and optimism?

Listen to your emotions — they’re trying to tell you something

As an entrepreneur, we can promise you one thing with total certainty: you will go on an emotional rollercoaster ride. You will experience joy, pain, frustration, disappointment, fulfillment, overload, confusion and rejection - sometimes all in a single day.

The best entrepreneurs are aware of their emotions and they understand what their emotions are telling them. Here are the signals your most powerful emotions are sending you:

Fear: Get prepared and be alert. You’re about to go where you’ve never gone before. Use your fear to make you sharp.

Anger: You may be going through a tough time and you’re taking it out on others. They may not even be aware they have done something to annoy you. Understand why they did it. Forgive them. Move on.

Frustration: You are using a strategy that isn’t working. Change it orgive it time.

Overload: You’ve got a lot on your plate. Chunk down and focus on the most important thing you have to do. The rest will take care of itself.

Disappointment: Something that you expected to happen is not going to happen. Change your expectations. Don’t dwell on missed opportunities, concentrate on new possibilities.

Rejection: Someone didn’t buy your product or respond favourably to you. It’s probably got nothing even to do with you. Don’t take it personally. Don’t let the worst part of someone else control the best part of you.

Inadequacy: You either need to change the way you look at the situation or you need to get the skills to deal with the situation. Most often, you simply need to believe in yourself more fully.

Uncertainty and doubt: Have faith that you will make it and be successful. Ask your Higher Power for help.

Consciously go for the Eight Positive Emotions of Power

Love: Love your fellow human beings and love what you’re doing.

Confidence: Know that you can deal with anything that arises. Back yourself to the hilt.

Gratitude: Thank your Higher Power for your gifts and your personal power.

Excitement: Rev up your engine by focusing on why you’re so passionate about what you’re doing.

Humility: Be aware of the wonder of life and the magic around you.

Contribution: Keep asking how you can give to the people around you. Practice interdependence.

Vitality: Stay healthy through proper eating and exercise. Your body is your machine. It’s your temple. Treat it accordingly.

Flexibility: Keep adapting to your environment. If something isn’t working, change it.

Finally, get feedback — the breakfast of champions

To conclude this session, we have one final call to action for you: get feedback from the people who matter. And don’t be afraid of criticism. Don’t shoot the messenger. Consciously encourage and reward your staff and customers for telling you what they think.

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