We’ve worked with some of the highest-producing financial advisory firms in America, and the lessons we’ve learned about the path to success could be applied to any business and to life. Here’s what we call…the Magnificent 7 Traits of the Uber-Successful Firms.
- Be honest. Be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses and let them be your guide. Are your goals realistic as well as aspirational, and how will you exploit your strengths and work around your weaknesses to reach the level of success you want?
- Set aggressive goals and announce them to everyone around you, and talk about them consistently. This is a discipline and a commitment that you need to make before you can get your team behind it.
- Don’t listen to negative people. Don’t let anyone tell you your aspirations aren’t achievable. Rather, challenge people around you to help create a path to success. There will always be reasons why things can’t be achieved, but just know that larger aspirational goals require more thought; otherwise, everyone would be doing them.
- Big goals take time. Commit to a legitimate timeframe. Any lofty goal, no matter what you’re trying to do, requires a process, and a process requires time and more discipline.
- They’re fearless. There’s no way to grow aspirationally without taking a leap of faith, without failing along the way, and without setbacks. The key is that the more successful the firm or the person is, the more they embrace the bumps along the way because they know that they’re part of the process.
- Super-successful people are super competitive. There’s a correlation between competitiveness and success. People and firms who are super successful are all fiercely competitive and know how to channel that competitive spirit into an executable plan.
- Successful firms walk the walk when it comes to execution. Execution is the path to everything, and in simple terms, there are people and firms that have the will and the discipline to execute a plan over the long term and will always beat those who lack the will and discipline required to execute a plan.
So there they are, the Magnificent Seven lessons we’ve learned from uber-successful firms.
About the Author: John grew up in Schenectady, NY & received a scholarship to Norwich Academy. He began his broadcast management career at WOR, learning spoken word marketing from the best in the business with a specialty in financial and long form. John managed broadcast sales for some of the best known sports teams in the world, at the most legendary stations. However his true passion is in the world of direct response advertising to baby boomers and their parents. In this space he has worked with some of the best brands in America. John lives in Boston with his wife, Melissa who is also a broadcast executive, and French Bulldogs Lou and Sal.
