The Branson Centre regularly blows my mind. Whether its the people in my class, the passionate staff or the knowledgeable course facilitators - every interaction I've had has filled my brain almost to bursting point. If you like being comfortable, living a safe and predictable life - stay away from the Branson Centre.
I started with the Centre in October 2012, and its been an adventure so far. I've met people that inspire and challenge me on a daily basis. It's not comfortable at all. But that's fine by me. Comfortable does not yield results. Comfortable does not shake the planet. Comfortable does not bring about change and challenge.
I've had challenge in bucket loads since starting the Foundations of Entrepreneurship course. So much challenge that sometimes I wish I could press the pause button while my body catches up to where my brain is. One of the things that I so appreciate about being in this environment is the infectious positive attitude of my fellow Entrepreneurs. It's a hard road when you're running your own business, but its also very satisfying. Interacting with people who are taking risks, following their dreams and persisting despite problems inspires me.
So where am I in my journey at the moment? I'm in the third week of a 12 week advanced course. I've been manically busy since completing the foundations course, and my business has gone through a radical transformation. Our turnover has increased dramatically, and we've gone from a team of 2 to a team of 5 (and possibly employing our 6th person by the end month). I've made some great connections, gained clients and entered into joint ventures with some of my fellow tenacious and driven Branson Centre Entrepreneurs. My favorite venture that we're involved with at the moment is The Hookup Dinner (see https://www.facebook.com/TheHookupDinner ) If you're in Johannesburg, South Africa you should definitely check it out.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the connections I make, and the knowledge I gain during the Advanced Course will affect my life and my business.
So there you have it, the scene is set - let's jump straight in to what's happened so far
Session: 1 Personal Effectiveness, Thursday Class
Presenter: Deshun Deysel
I couldn't help but be inspired by this session. Deshun is a prime example of what can be achieved when you set goals and exercise persistence. In her case the exercise part is quite literal. Deshun is an avid mountaineer, most notably - the first black South African woman to climb the mighty Everest. Running a business is (or should be) about more than making money. Primarily it's about living your passion and achieving the goals you've set. Ou have to really know what you want and what it's going to cost or take to get what you want.
Some of the things that stood out from Deshun's presentation for me:
Personal growth is the catalyst for business growth. If you want a sustainable business that makes an impact, you have to start with you. A better you results in a better business.
You need to be deliberate about your development. Start by assessing where you are, and determine where you want to be. Then track your progress. Monitor your growth and development an a monthly basis.
You need competence in the boring stuff (accounting, legal compliance etc.) - challenge yourself!
Your business may be started on you your passion but you need to fill in the gaps
Deshun's session was focused on personal development, using a model she's developed called the Peak Performance Toolkit. It details 5 areas of effectiveness for personal success
1. Aspiration - vision, mission, values, purpose, (clear direction) live in your flow
2. Self mastery - locus of control/ area of control, resilience, accountability, motivation
3. Competence - talent, skills, knowledge and experience
4. Environment - policies and procedures, culture, systems, diversity (its up to you create the environment in your company. How does your presence add to or draw from it?
5. Opportunity - Luck, (opportunist is not negative, recognizing and taking advantage of opportunity), preparation, success and failure.
We're all developing in each of these areas. Some areas are more developed than others.To be truly effective, there needs to be a balance.
During the session we completed an assessment, and charted where we were in each of the areas. That part was relatively easy. Gauging we were. What I (and many people in my class) struggled with was setting goals in each of those areas in the short term (0-5 years), medium term (6 - 15 years) and long term (15 years plus).
We'll be doing the same assessment again in the second and third months of the course, and tracking our progress. My two big areas that I'd like to make progress in are Aspiration and Competence.
Watch this space!
