Everyone who knows me knows what a fan I am about systems, software and teamwork. Efficiency is definitely my personal jam; I think my passion for efficiency is one of the best skills I bring to my team.
But I've come to realize that when it comes to efficiency, nothing can replace a genuine sense of purpose. There just simply isn't an app for that. *wink*
Is It Time for a New Way to Grow?
The Bottom Line has been growing like crazy over the last several months. Which is great. But it's also, well, crazy.
With all the new clients coming our way and all the programs we're developing to serve you better than ever, we need efficiency now more than ever…but all the running around can sometimes send our spirits into a tailspin.
Maybe you've been there before.
Maybe, like me, you've found yourself in “hold steady” mode, balancing your growing list of programs, clients, systems and tools like a rapidly rising Jenga tower.
Maybe it's time to realize that you (and your business) would be best served by taking some time to grow downward rather than upward.
Maybe it's time to establish your roots so that your goals have a strong foundation.
[Tweet “Establishing your roots is what gives your goals a strong foundation. #SmallBusiness #Growth”]That's what we decided to do last month.
We Are Family
Our objective for the retreat was to make sure that we as a unit were clear on our vision and our next steps moving into our 3rd and 4th quarter. Personally, I really wanted to make certain we were all on the same page with our vision, purpose and pathway forward.
To that end, we all agreed on one thing going into the weekend: NO technology! While this may sound crazy for a business team meeting, the objective here was not about the nuts and bolts but about really letting us see ourselves and each other.
And I'm not going to lie: it felt absolutely great to unplug from the grind.
But what felt even better was the way we plugged into each other as a team.
Scratch that–as a family.
Raw and Real = Clarity and Understanding
The Bottom Line team has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to how we care for each other, personally as well as professionally. (Nope, I don't mind bragging on us! #SorryNotSorry)
But in the madness of all the growth we've experienced in the past year, we've kind of forgotten to check in on a deeper level.
This retreat gave us a chance to get truly raw and real with each other and find out how each of us needed to be serve and be served by each other. There were some tears, a lot of laughs, and some truly stirring quotations that I'd like to share with you below. (Yes, everyone gave me permission.)
By the end of the retreat, I was tired. Sharing and getting vulnerable is hard work, as it turns out! Seriously, though, it was a good tired. I felt so resolved that we all had clarity and understanding on how we would move forward together to support each other and our clients. I also loved knowing that everyone laid some groundwork in their foundation to also vision and create purposeful plans for themselves.
The big takeaway was this:
Knowing my responsibility to my team and with my team helps keep me accountable and growing the right way every single day.
[Tweet “Knowing my responsibility TO my team + WITH my team helps keep me growing the right way.”]Epic Takeaways from The Bottom Line Retreat
Jess: Your mind is your greatest ally or your greatest enemy. So which one within are you feeding?
Richard: I am really excited about the chance to be torn down to the dirt, find my rock, and start to build a strong tower. It is now time to stop sacrificing my quality for progression. I will get my foundation set and then my progression will be that much sweeter. My pride is strong, but my mind is stronger. Yeah, I am so looking forward to building a better me.
Marilyn: It inspires me that we are on the cusp of scaling and doing it the right way. We ROCK!!! And part of that awesomeness is the humbleness and openness to follow the plan and DON'T SKIP STEPS.
Angie: Even though it seems like it is taking forever and I just want to jump in and go full force, I can't skip the steps. I've got to listen, I've got to plan, I've got to search and study, I got to hold the course.
Juanita: I've had an amazing week of NOT SKIPPING STEPS. I've been working the plan. I've been using the tools. It's been refreshing and rewarding to see true progress. There is a bigger picture and it's good to be IN it.
The Bottom Line
The true art to leading and being great at leading is all in the letting go, so people can really move with “mastery, autonomy and purpose,” as Dale Partridge would say.
Thanks to this retreat, I am now crystal clear on where I need to be within the team to achieve our business initiatives AND where I need to focus in my personal life to see the reach we’re making get met. The real progress lies in the discipline of taking constant action.
[Tweet “”The real progress lies in the discipline of taking constant action.” #TheBottomLine”]As so many of us realized over the weekend and the days that followed, we are family and as we serve each other's greatest purpose, we'll get better and stronger. The ability to be vulnerable and real with each other is already proof of that.
