Been thinking a good bit about this one of late (actually for quite some time). People are very interesting. We all have a unique blend of skills, behaviors, biases, fears, goals, and reputations. Everyone is different. Put a bunch of unique people together & you can get a broad range of results. Those results can be some combination of disappointing, entertaining, exhilarating, infuriating, and inspiring. Sometimes you get all of those things, sometimes just a few.

I’ve often wondered what the prescription is to maximize the positive things while minimizing the negatives. The simple answer is that…. (drumroll please) there really isn’t a simple answer. It’s almost like what makes a great chef get consistently amazing results, there are a combination of ingredients, and you must have the right mix. Some of the ones that come to mind include:

• The right opportunity: what are you trying to do? Is there demand? Is it valuable enough to somebody (or hopefully, some bodies) so that its worth their while to spend significant amounts of money.
• The right approach: do you have a way of answering the opportunity with a special solution? Is it more valuable than your competitors? What is the dimension that you’re going to compete in? Is it innovation, quality, price, allure?
• The right people: do you have a group of folks with the right skills and rapport to make your approach real, and in a reasonable amount of time. Will that team sustain itself? Is it resilient? Will it never stop learning & improving.
• A great support network: do you have management, peers, customers, advisors who are invested in, and can contribute to your success.
• You: do you have what it takes? Can you help identify the key components, get the right people, empower them, guide them when needed, and help them take responsibility for their own excellence?

There’s a ton involved. The nice thing is that there’s always something to learn & every day represents an opportunity to be better than the day before.