Idea to Action in 7 Steps
In a workplace landscape where working ‘smarter’ rather than ‘harder’ actually takes a lot of effort, the importance of making wise choices cannot be understated. Whether you’re starting a company from scratch or trying to generate new growth, there are countless decisions to be made on your path to success.
Many obstacles to action are emotional. From a lack of inspiration to low self-confidence or being overwhelmed at the volume of work, paralysis is understandable. Completing these actionable steps can help break the paralysis:
Collect ideas
Get inspired. This may look like pen-on-paper brainstorming, or a deep dive into books, magazines or online articles to learn how others who’ve gone before you think.
Gain insight
The path to a strong business typically involves researching how others have done what you’re trying to do. Research online and consider including technical studies, customer interviews and observation to identify their needs, purchasing patterns, etc.
Spar with experts
Seek out experts with the knowledge and experience you need to debate your ideas with. A great mentor is invaluable!
Make actionable decisions
Use your newly gained insights to make decisions you can act on. This will likely involve analyzing your options, making financial calculations, and/or examining potential risks.
Test it out
Some entrepreneurs would rather skip the above steps in favor of testing IRL, via trial and error. Depending on your company type, you might develop a prototype, implement a pilot project, make test deliveries, or carry out a consumer test to get the creative input you require for further business development.
Document it
Document your idea to help communicate your vision to others. It could be in the form of a traditional business plan or documentation for would-be customers.
Sell it
While it’s best to wait for your idea to be fully developed before meeting with clients, you can test the waters by creating a sales presentation—one so good that customers can’t say no, even if the product has yet to be developed.
Bottom line: the above steps can be completed in full or in part and in any order—there is no fixed formula. That said, if you focus too much on one area, you risk sacrificing action for analysis, or expert advice for intuition.
A YES business coach can help you save time and work smarter. Visit yesmontreal.ca to book an appointment.