Can you hear me
Can I talk to you
Are we friends
Hello your Chief Engineer is calling
Let me tune you up
Let me tune you up
… like Indy Race Car
We will take test runs
I will recalibrate you
Sure you know how to drive
I’ll let you drive, if you let Me chart the course
I am watching you from perched on High
I see you and the car you are riding in
I made everything around you
Let Me lead you,
… by always adjusting you.
This is a sports analogy generally reserved for football but it also can be applied in Business. Generally, it is thought to be more defensive when your team is winning. Even on offense we want our teams to be conservative with their strategies and approach to the game when they are winning. I have a different philosophy on how to protect the lead. When your business is up, pour it on. Be relentless with all you do. Use your defense to blitz the quarterback. The opposing quarterback in business is represented by your biggest problem. Do not take a break from attacking and subduing whatever is attacking your business. If it is bills or production numbers, do not work with a slack hand when you are ahead.
Your offense should be even more impressive. You already know how to dominate and gain points. When your sales are up and you are covered in work figure out how to make more calls and appointments. Becoming a scoring machine and keep going for the big clients and bigger deals. Stay with your game plan, every yard is important. Look for the small deals also because they keep the sales quota going. If you need another reason add more effort just think of the third stringers that want to play. In business these are the new hires, people you may not know exist. When you get really far ahead you can rest a little and let the new hires help out some.
The Bible says in Genesis 1; 28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. This verse relates to protecting the lead because fruitful and multiply means making more of what God has given to you.
Finally, to protect the lead you have to remain patient and play smart. One fundamental way to protect the lead is to finish strong. Do not get sloppy because you have some success. You are only as good as your last play. Stay focused and make good decisions as if you are just starting the game.
This is a sports analogy generally reserved for football but it also can be applied to your Business game plan. 
Generally, it is thought to be more defensive when your team is winning. Even on offense we want our teams to be conservative with their strategies and game plan when they are winning. I have a different philosophy on how to protect the lead. When your business is up, pour it on. Be relentless with all you do. Use your defense to blitz the quarterback. The opposing quarterback in business is represented by your biggest problem. Do not take a break from attacking and subduing whatever is attacking your business. If it is bills or production numbers, do not work with a slack hand when you are ahead your offense should be even more impressive. You already know how to dominate and gain points. When your sales are up and you are covered in work it is time to protect the lead and make more calls and appointments. Becoming a scoring machine and keep going for the big clients and bigger deals. Stay with your game plan, every yard is important. Look for the small deals also because they keep the sales quota going. If you need another reason add more effort just think of the third stringers that want to play. In business these are the new hires, people you may not know exist. When you get really far ahead you can rest a little and let the new hires help out some.
Finally, to protect the lead you have to remain patient and play smart. One fundamental way to protect the lead is to finish strong. Do not get sloppy because you have some success. You are only as good as your last play. Stay focused and make good decisions as if you are just starting the game.
The 5S process gets business done beautifully. Recently on a manufacturing plant visit I noticed that all the tools in the facility were clearly marked and the flow of product and people was highly organized. I praised them and the manager and his assistant manager both replied that this excellence was due to the 5S process. Being unfamiliar with this method of lean manufacturing meant there was investigation needed.
The 5S Process is generally credited to the Toyota company who applied it to auto making. Toyota believes this is the way to lean manufacturing. The goal is to reduce or eliminate waste. With every action and process being directly related to the production of product waste of time and energy are eradicated.
The tool room in is particular plant was immaculate. Every inch of the shop and the store room was in order down to the individually outlined places for the tools. The files of the tool manager were kept better than most accountants offices. The added benefit of this organization was that the other managers respected the space within the shop. The 5S Process was the boss and everyone else were the employees.
The following information comes from the website Process Improvement Japan
What is 5s?
From the first letter of 5 words in Japanese which mean orderliness (seiri), neatness (seiton),shine (seiso), cleanliness (seiketsu) and discipline (shitsuke). In English, lean 5s is commonly referred to as:
1. Sort
2. Set in Order
3. Shine
4. Standardize
5. Sustain (maintain the discipline to continue with the process)
Lean Manufacturing Tools explains the 5S Process this way.
The five steps of 5S are;
Seiri (Sort, Clearing, Classify) to remove all of the clutter from the work place
Seiton (Straighten, Simplify, Set in order, Configure) to organize all tools, materials and equipment in an efficient and ergonomic manner.
Seiso (Sweep, shine, Scrub, Clean and Check) to clean up the entire area removing all dirt.
Seiketsu (Standardize, stabilize, Conformity) to ensure standard ways of working for the first three stages.
Shitsuke (Sustain, self discipline, custom and practice) to ensure that 5S principles are part of the culture of the business
Patient leadership is one of the skills that can fix a multitude of problems. One of my trucks needed some repair so I called the local mechanic and he said that he could fix it in one day and it would cost around $500.00. Oh, if you want to know what the Lord said. He said, “If you are patient I will help you.” So, I had the spirit of patient leadership to guide me through this ordeal. While the price sounded reasonable I wondered if I could do it myself for a little cheaper and have it back on the road in a couple of hours. I called a couple of friends that had experience doing this sort of job and they advised me that it was fairly straight forward if I knew what I was doing. So I checked on the internet for the price of the part, it was listed around $375.00. This price seemed high so I called some used car parts dealers, there was one available for $100.00. Now we were in the ballpark of where I wanted to be, I had to tap into my patient leadership to even find the part. After driving to the place and arriving back at the house with the used part, I realized I needed a specialized puller to remove a piece. Here I go back to the store. Oh I remember to try this used part first. So now I must remove the original part and try the replacement part. It is not the exact part. Now I call the big box auto parts store and get a refurbished one with a guarantee for $160.00 and a core charge of $125.00. I put this one on and it leaks everywhere which I discovered around 9:30 PM. It is night and I am tired. The next morning I go to a different parts store but, I must clean and return the other part. I have a new part from a new store, and the old broken part, and the part from the used store. The bolts from the old part need replacing also, and I have to find a store that has them. I put everything back in place and it works fine. The relief comes over me and it has taken 24 hours to complete. After returning all the unused parts the cost was around $200.00 but at one point I had nearly $500 in cash floating around. Here’s what I learned from this decision.
1. If you are not a mechanic do not play one in life.
Although you may possess many talents, some talents are better left to others. Many entrepreneurs have to wear an array of hats during the course of the day but smart ones know how to buy time by using qualified others. This is a warning of patient leadership that I did not show. I had all the tools and skills to complete this job, except for one pitman arm puller. This still did not qualify me to efficiently complete this job. Hire a qualified industry leader so that you can stay focused on your main business skills.
2. The internet does not always display the best price
This is not just a knock on the internet but a knock on the whole “Do it yourself” marketplace. The marketing teams at these companies present scenarios that seem to be easier and more satisfying than allowing the experts to handle it for you. A leader knows the best price is the one that factors in all the variables. Patient leadership thinks of all the possibilities and makes decisions on the entire project not just on narrow parameters like money.
3. Know what your time is worth
The professions where time is billable and can be quantified make it easy to state how much your time and skills are worth. In other professions with soft skills and variable earning potential it can be more difficult. In any case it is wise to have a working number to tabulate your worth, especially when you perform tasks not essential to furthering your cause. In my case I could have generated far more revenue by ignoring my soft skills and being a patient leader in my main business. The other factor which cannot be calculated is the lost time with friends and family. I cancelled a school trip with my son to work on this vehicle. Although I made it up with a camping trip I cannot get the day we lost together back.
How have your skills helped or hurt your Patient Leadership ability?
Every successful person goes through a process that determines the magnitude of their determination. The statement, “Occupy until I come,” is taken directly from the Bible. The quote from Luke 19, verse 12 and 13, is “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” In this foundational scripture each servant or worker has the opportunity to create a profit or be successful. As part of the process each person has to decide:
•What business are they going to start?
•How they are going to acquire the product or service?
•What is their market advantage?
•How best to distribute what they are selling?
•What process will replicate their efforts?
•How to stay true to their original values and beliefs?
•What constitutes profit and success in the business world?
•How does the Holy Spirit want you to proceed?
These are general principles that if followed will demonstrate a road map for success. This process can be applied to any endeavor, small or great. I challenge you to name any success by an individual or business that you view as effective and determine if they do not draw on many or all aspects of these principles.
In Genesis 2v8 the Bible it states “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”. This is how you should live your life. You are given a gift that will make your life simple. There is very little hard work if you operate in the particular realm where God placed you. You will have to put forth effort but it will not seem laborious to you. With many ways to start a business venture the most feasible and effective direction for that business is an avenue that operates in your natural gift. Find the thing you enjoy and have a high aptitude towards and develop that talent. Proverbs 18v16 states “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” Only think on the talents and business ventures that will propel you forward while operating in your gift.
What is an example of you operating in your gift?