The 5 Little (But Very Big) Practices for Business (and Life) Success
Article for June 2007

It is Sunday morning at 6:30. My husband Mike and my son Jack just left for a golf tournament. As I watched them walk to the car, I had a flash in my mind of what it is that has made my husband Mike so successful in business and what has made my son Jack so successful in the game of golf. As they pulled out of the driveway, I caught myself saying “Oh…I forgot to tell Jack good luck and that I love him!”

So I picked up the phone and called. Jack answered, and I said “Oh Jack…I forgot to tell you “Good luck, and I love you!” He said “I love you too Mom.”

You know, it's these tiny things in life that make the biggest difference in our success. As I consider both my husband Mike and my son Jack, I want to share with you the 5 little (but very big) practices for business and life success.

1) Thank the people who helped you get where you are today .

My husband Mike is a very busy man. He is the former Mayor of Southern Pines, NC, is a commercial developer and is up at 6:30 and still out there moving around at 9:00 in the evening (not always work related but social or community related), but he never forgets to thank the people who helped him get where he is today. I have noticed many business people over the past decade go from almost nothing to huge levels of success, and suddenly they are way too busy to return a phone call, return an e-mail or just reach out to the people who introduced them to the “perfect business partner” or to the person who sent them gobs of business or helped them sell books to simply say “Hey…I just want to thank you for your help along the way. It made such a difference in my success.” My husband has instilled in my son Jack the importance of writing thank-you notes to each golf professional he works with and each organizer of every golf tournament he plays in. Those little “thank-you's” can go a very long way and will be forever remembered by people who experienced the gratitude. So...don't forget who helped you get where you are today!

Action for Today: Send an e-mail to 20 people who have helped you along the way to say “Thank-you for what you've done to help me get where I am today. I couldn't have done it without you!"

2) If you ask people for help, give help back in return.

This is another principle that Mike has always practiced. He helps people out…and, he never expects something in return. Over the last few years, I have noticed certain business people who are always asking for something from other people (gimme, gimme, gimme), never with an offer of help in return. Or, when you approach them to ask for help, they are difficult, act completely disinterested, or they are just way “too busy”. You are shocked with their response, because you know how much you have helped them out along the way. Do you know how old this gets? If you expect your business to be sustainable in the future, you have to be willing to help people out, even before they ask you, and you have to stop expecting people to give, give, and give to you. They will soon stop giving if you don't start giving back in return. It is that old law of “Givers Gain”, but how often do we forget this?

Action for Today: Take the time today to contact the people who have helped you out along the way and just say “Hey…I am just writing to see how I can help you! What do you need from me?”

3) Live in integrity. Do the right thing!

I don't know of anyone in life who lives with more integrity than Mike Fields. He does the right thing, even when no one is looking. He is responsible (and responsibility is one of his core values), and he always does the right thing, even though it might not be the “get rich quick” way of doing business. He would rather lose his ass than compromise his integrity. He tells the truth…he does the right thing! As a result, business leaders (including bankers, investment companies) want to do business with him. Their door is always open when he knocks, because he lives in integrity...he does the right thing no matter what!

Action for Today: Ask yourself “Where in your life do you have cracks or holes in your integrity? Where are you not doing the right thing? What steps will you take to start "doing the right thing"?

4) Take a risk.

As I write this principle, the quote by Henry Ford comes to mind which says: "If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse .” People who are not risk takers don't see a new idea as fresh and exciting…they see what is right in front of them and cannot possibly imagine what's just around the corner that is different and exciting. Over the last 15 years, I have watched my son play golf. One of the reasons he was heavily recruited this past year was not only because he is competitive and plays smart golf, but he also takes big risks, trying out shots that make you wonder how in the heck he just did what he did. He is not afraid to take a risk, to try a new move. He is scrappy and figures out how to get the job done despite incredibly challenging circumstances. He is also a VERY unique young man. His personality and his chutpah make him stand out!

This principle is relevant to me today, because I am co-authoring a book (Edge: A Leadership Story) with Corey Blake and Eva Silva, and we are in conversation with a few agents right now, and one agent said “I think this book is too risky. I think that it is just not like the books that are out there selling right now.” And I said “You know what…you're right. And, because of this comment, you have just fueled my passion even more. This project is risky, and I want it that way. I don't want another lame “How to book” on business or leadership that is going to sound just like the last book that hit the market…Yawn! How boring! I want a book that is going to get the reader emotionally engaged in a provocative story about a modern day leader, and I LOVE that it is so risky!"

Corey, Eva and I have recently asked 50 plus business leaders to read our first ten chapters, and we have talked with about 20 of these leaders, and here is what they are saying “You know what…I am not a leadership book kind of guy or gal, but this book really hit me emotionally in several places, and I am going to make some changes based on what I have read. I want to read the rest of the book.”

This is what risk is all about…doing something different enough so that it actually shakes the world up a bit…gets people to take notice and actually make a life change. If a project that I put out to the world is just like every other project or every other book, it won't make an impact. But, if I can be different enough to wake people up, I will make an impact. I really don't care when the scared people of the world say "This is way too risky". I want to make an impact, and I believe that to make this impact, I have to be willing to take a risk. As I always say "You never know who you are impacting. You may have just inspired the person who has the cure for AIDS inside them!" To really inspire people today, I really believe that you have to be willing to be different...to make an emotional impact! And the rewards you receive from taking that risk will be so worth the journey.

Action for Today: Take one risk! Reach out to someone who you think is hard to reach, write something provocative and put it on a blog, or take a big, bold step that you've been afraid to take.

5) Be persistent.

I want to go back to my son's golf game. People look at him in wonder and amazement when he goes out like he did last week and shoots a 67 in a golf tournament. But you know what? This kid has played golf almost every day of his life since he was age two. He has played over 3,000 rounds of golf and has probably played in over 400 golf tournaments since he was age four (yes…he started playing tournament golf at age four). So, when you look at Jack, you have to know that he has been persistent, and you know what? Persistence pays off! If you stick with something long enough, give it 110% and don't give up, you will win big time in the long run. It's just the way life works! I really believe that people who fail in business usually fail because they give up too soon. They don't stick it out and grind it out (and I mean really grind it out). They do things half ass, treat their businesses like they are hobbies and then wonder why they aren't successful. It's because they gave up too soon!

Action for or Today: Finish up a project you have been putting on hold. Grind it out, and get moving!