A couple weeks back I wrote about the need to take responsibility for your life. My post It’s all your fault touched on taking responsibility and how it can have a big impact on your life. Though it is a simple concept it has a profound effect on y0u life. In fact, you could say it is the foundation for all personal development.
What I didn’t go into was how it applies to business. Everyone is hit with the same problems, losing a top customer, having your best salesman quit to work for a competitor, watching bad economic conditions hurt our business. What differentiates the top performers is how they respond to stimuli and events.

Why some companies win while others lose

80% of companies refuse to take responsibility for the situation. They tell the board of directors that the economy is hitting everyone just as hard, it isn’t their fault that sales are down, hiding from responsibility, avoiding the blame.
The best 20% find solutions and opportunities. They realize that the economy stinks and will affect sales. The difference is that they know that they can choose their response. They can train their salesmen to find ways to help their customers be more efficient, more effective, and more profitable. They can proactively trim the fat from the budget without cutting into the things that matter: quality, service, and increasing sales. Instead of coming in with excuses and complaints they arrive to solve the problem.
The interesting thing is that the top 4% (the top 20% of the top 20%) magnify this attitude. These are the mavericks that dare to grow in the face of a recession. They focus so intently on their customer and his needs that nothing else matters. They help their customer weather the downturn, finding opportunities and solutions, never needing to cut margins or prices to keep their business.

This applies to every level of life and business

Everyone – from the receptionist to the CEO – can apply this attitude. Stop blaming others. Stop complaining. Start looking at what you are doing well and do it more. Ask yourself where you are deficient and cut it out. At the lowest levels of a company it will help you keep your job. At the highest levels it will help you keep the company and everyone’s job!