The Most Important Step Most Demos Never Take

This is so true for me!

The Most Important Step Most Demos Never Take

By John Sanpietro, Certified Business Coach

Stamping Is My Business!

In the week or two after Leadership draws to a close, I have the same conversation over and over with my clients who attended:

Me: “What did you learn at the event?”

Client: “I learned _________.”

Me: “How much of that have you implemented since you returned?”

Client: “None of it.”

Me: “Tell me your plan to implement it.”

Client: “I don’t have one.”

Me: (sound of head banging against desk repeatedly) J

This type of conversation takes place all the time. It doesn’t have to be post-Leadership. It could be about any event, Boot Camp, coaching call, book, etc.

Learning is a wonderful thing, but if you don’t implement what you’ve learned, you will be one of the smartest, most unprofitable Demonstrators in the company.

Unfortunately, there’s no award for that.

In the Coaching world, we call this “shelf-help.” People who spend all of their time learning, but none of their time implementing.

The question is, why doesn’t the implementation take place? The answer usually falls into one of two categories:

1. We don't make time for the implementation

2. We feel there's more to learn before we begin to implement

How do you overcome these self-imposed obstacles?

First, realize that you have to make time to implement. Otherwise, you're not getting the full benefit of the investment you made in learning.

Second, implement in small steps. Take what you've learned and apply it. Then, take the next thing. It's actually a lot easier to implement in small, more manageable chunks like this, than trying to make a major adjustment!

I personally spend between $10,000 and $15,000 per year on my own professional development… but I make sure I get a big return on investment by following the same Implementation Plan every time I learn something new. Feel free to use my Plan, too:

1. I attend a conference, take a class, read a book

2. Within 24 hours of the conclusion, I write down an Implementation Plain, including the steps I'm going to take and the deadline for each step

3. Within 7 days, I've completed at least the first step. Often, though, I'm much further along

4. Within 30 days, I've completed the Implementation Plan

In a nutshell, take action NOW!

Remember, the longer you wait to implement what you’ve learned, the less likely it is you’ll implement it at all.

Then, six months from now, when you attend Convention, we’ll be having another conversation…

Warmest regards,

John

John Sanpietro

Certified Business Coach

STAMPING IS MY BUSINESS!