by Stacy Zemon
Start 2011 off right by thinking about your big ideas Mr. and Ms. DJ!
Big ideas are what push people in motion. Put a man on the moon. Connect 500 million people across the globe on Facebook.
Once you plan big, you have to play big. You can find countless examples of entrepreneurs who play and win big on the New York Times Bestseller List, but you really don’t have to look any farther than this movie…
The Shawshank Redemption
Andy Dufresne, the main character, has what every small business owner who wants to play big needs – hope and tenacity. The combination is essential.
Andy is committed to improving the Shawshank prison library. He writes a letter every week to the Maine legislature asking for funding. After a few years with no replies, he receives a few boxes of donations and a check for a couple hundred dollars. Mission accomplished, right? No. If you’re looking to play big, here’s where hope and tenacity pay off.
Andy increases his writing campaign to twice a week. After a few more years, he receives enough money and donations to build one of the biggest prison libraries in the nation. He never let anything deter him from mailing his letter every week — or twice a week. Playing big means making a firm decision that other projects will not interfere with your big goal.
How to Start Planning and Playing Big
Think of one to three big things you’d like to focus on in 2011. It could also be several smaller things that coalesce into something big.
Keep It Simple: Focus on what is really important and set priorities. Simplify the work as much as possible. Create thinking time for yourself and your staff.
Team With Your Staff: Individual voices contribute to and enhance the whole so bring people together and collaborate. A leader is never alone. Invite many perspectives into discussion and decision-making.
Communicate Your Vision: Use your company’s mission as your compass, and integrate the values of the company into your everyday experience. It’s important to communicate the big picture and help others see how their roles play a part in the big ideas.
Inspire Creativity: Creative thinking and risk-taking often lead to a bigger place. So explore possibilities and follow curiosity. Believe in new ideas even if you can’t implement them right away.
Engage People: Excite, motivate, involve and embrace each person’s energy. Inspire people to engage their passion, creativity, strengths and skills in the work. Appreciate and acknowledge everyone’s efforts and contributions.
Nurture Growth In Yourself & Others: Identify where you want to grow. Stretch yourself. Deepen and engage your strengths and passions - that’s how you make the most valuable contribution. Support people in knowing their passions, strengths and work styles. Encourage them to seek new challenges and possibilities. Every person expands the company’s potential.
Speak Openly: Find your voice. Trust and express it. Share information and your own ideas. Be present. Be accessible. Listen. Ask questions. Integrate your thinking into the big picture. Be conscious of how your presence and style affect others.
Tell The Truth: Be authentic. Tell the truth with great kindness. Be open about mistakes. We make them every day. In the middle of a mistake we discover a new solution. There are infinite opportunities to learn.
Create A Joyful Atmosphere: Discover the possibilities in each situation. Have fun every day. Focus on the positive. Inspire others to be positive. Together we create something wonderful.
Focus, Creativity, Hope and Tenacity
To bring inspired ideas and ways of being to life, you need to find ways to not get buried in the minutia and keep focusing on your big picture. Maybe that means “forgetting” your BlackBerry in the other room and going offline for a while every day to get in touch with your creative imagination.
Like Andy, your hope and tenacity are the foundation of how playing big helps you win big. And you have the advantage of pursing your dreams without being behind bars…Unless LED light bars count – but they won’t keep your from accomplishing your goals!
How do you plan to pursue your dreams this year?
Stacy Zemon, Publisher and Chief Scribe
Stacy Zemon is widely considered an authority on the disc jockey business. She has become a distinguished industry leader over the course of her illustrious 30+ year career as a DJ Entertainer. To her credit, Stacy has spawned more professional disc jockey business owners than anyone else in the DJ industry! She is author of the world’s best-selling DJ books: The Mobile DJ Handbook, The DJ Sales & Marketing Handbook and The Mobile DJ MBA, and is a longtime writer for DJ Times magazine. Stacy’s mission is to provide educational resources for DJs that support their professional growth and financial prosperity. Write to her c/o [email protected] or call 877-442-7170. To learn about Stacy’s business consulting services, click here.
