The Failure Guy

I’m a fan of reading inspirational and motivational quotes. I often find a great quote and share it with my team at Shepard Presentations, and sometimes with the readers of this column as well.

That brings me to Dan Sullivan, creator of the Strategic Coach® program. Dan is a great coach who is full of great sayings. When I first met him, I asked why I should pay to be coached by him or one of his trainers. He gave me the same answer he’s given to thousands of others, which, in a way, makes it a quote. But instead, I’ll call it his brand promise. It’s simple. Dan said, “I want to help you grow your business 10 times and take off 150 days a year.”

I’ve been a part of the Strategic Coach® program for more than 20 years now. I’ve learned quite a bit. I’ve grown my business and I take more time off than ever, although some years I’m better at it than others. The point is, I’m experiencing his promise first-hand.

Dan is a content machine, producing new material every few months to share with the thousands of clients he coaches. He comes up with sayings and phrases that make great sense. At our last coaching session, we were given a book, The Best Of: The Always Quotable Dan Sullivan. And today I want to share with you three of my favorite Dan Sullivan quotes:

1.      “There are two kinds of people: Batteries Included and Batteries Not Included.”

I have a lot of energy. People often say I’m like the Energizer Bunny—I just keep going and going. As I read that quote, I recognized myself in those words. I’m a “Batteries Included” kind of guy. And, I like hanging around people who are also “Batteries Included.” Those people are positive, energetic and motivated; they take charge and embrace challenges. They move in a positive direction. “Batteries Not Included” people are negative, can’t see opportunity, complain a lot and don’t take initiative. Who would you rather be around? Who would you want to work with? Who would you want as the leader of your organization? My answer (and probably yours, too) is a “Batteries Included” leader.

2.      “Sometimes growing pains can feel like failure—and sometimes failure is part of the growth.”

Failing isn’t fun. There are many different types of failure: business, relationship, financial, athletic, personal, professional … the list can go on and on. One thing I’ve learned is that all failure leads to a lesson. This is something Dan teaches. Sometimes you may feel like you’re failing when you’re actually moving closer to growth and success. If you follow Dan’s methodology, you’ll realize success doesn’t happen by accident. So, when you set out to do something new, first identify the best and worst possible outcomes. By identifying the worst in advance, you can recognize obstacles and find ways to lessen the likelihood of failure. Yet as carefully as you plan, remember that the best laid plans don’t always result in success. Everyone is allowed to feel sorry for themselves—but not for long. You must, metaphorically, get up and dust yourself off. Understanding what went wrong is crucial to avoiding it in the future. Failure is part of growth. Sounds like common sense, doesn’t it? Well, unfortunately, it’s not so common. The best people will analyze both wins and losses/failures—and learn from both.

3.      “For a company to grow 10x, it doesn’t need your managing, it needs self-managing.”

This is the big secret to the Strategic Coach® program. What Dan and his coaches teach is that the best leaders don’t manage the company. They manage the process that creates a company that can manage itself. When I attended my first year of coaching sessions, I quickly realized what my talents were and what I needed to delegate. The only way to grow my business was to give it to others to grow—in other words, delegate and oversee. I’ve yet to master this concept, but I’m much further along than when I started. Study successful companies and you’ll discover that their leaders are often people who recognize what they’re good at and then surround themselves with others whose strengths complement their own. That is how you build a great team—and a great company.

There you have it. Three great quotes—three great pieces of advice. Consider how you can apply these quotes to your own life—both professional and personal. Look up some more of Dan Sullivan’s quotes, or find quotes from other thinkers and leaders who inspire you. Share these with your team. Let these nuggets of wisdom inspire and guide you toward success.