Hey everybody, Charlie Hauck here—founder, president, and partner at Growth Dynamics. How's everyone doing out there?
I'm feeling a little lazy for this Fast Tip Friday, so I thought I'd share some advice from one of my mentors that may help you succeed in both life and work. You know, I’m always trying to keep the two in balance. I don’t think they’re all that different—they're just different parts of your life. The life you live and the life you work at.
I want to introduce you to a book called The Inch Principle: 21 Million Dollar Inches of Management or Personal Success. One of the co-authors, John Condry, has been a mentor of mine since I entered this business almost 36 years ago. I love John and his work, so I wanted to share a bit of it with you. You can pick up The Inch Principle on Amazon or from your favorite book retailer.
Now, let’s talk about three of the Inch Principles that have had a big impact on me, and I’m sure they’ll have a big impact on you too.
Principle No. 1: Never let your style get in the way of your success.
The people you want to do business with want to stay in their own style, and if we want to develop trust and effective communication, we need to speak to them in the style they're most comfortable with. That means their own. Don’t sell yourself on the idea that "I’m just the way I am," or "I’d be phony if I didn’t act like myself." If changing your style helps make someone more comfortable and builds trust, then learn to adapt. You’re not doing something noble by digging in your heels and being stubborn, pushy, or too passive. Don’t let your personal style hinder your personal success. I love this principle and try to live by it every day, though I’m not perfect. But I encourage you all to commit to it.
Principle No. 2: Steal a page from someone else’s playbook.
We don’t have all the answers, and even when we do, they’re not always the best ones. You don’t need to wait until you have all the experience in the world—trust that others’ experiences have value, and learn from them. I believe in learning from both the successes and failures of others. So, steal a page from someone else’s playbook. If they’ve figured something out, honor their success, check your ego at the door, and learn from it. This can help you reach your goals and dreams faster than if you had to learn everything the hard way.
Principle No. 3: Don’t change you—change the way you do things.
If you’re watching this, you’ve already been successful at something in your life, probably more than just one thing. But not all situations are the same. The key is, don’t take the performer off the stage—keep being you. I don’t want my clients, students, or executive coaching partners to reinvent themselves into another version of Charlie Hauck. But I do want them to learn the methods I’ve coached thousands of others to succeed with. Stay true to who you are as a person, but be willing to change how you perform. So, Principle No. 3: don’t change yourself, change the way you do things, and see if you can create more consistent, reliable, and less stressful success patterns.
That’s my Fast Tip Friday for this week. Have a great weekend, enjoy your success, and jump back into the game on Monday morning. Take care, everyone!