What They Left Out Was Important - Better Business

Expanding your view of the world can help you see problems differently to do better business.

 By Greg Hayne.

We’ve all heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Turns out that isn’t the entire quote. The entire quote is “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than master of one.”

This brief article will not help you put a roof on a building better or faster. Instead it will point you in the direction of becoming a better business man. And it will definitely help you become a better human being! There has been a lot written over the last few years about the “10,000 Hour Rule,” the theory that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. The idea was popularized by author Malcolm Gladwell in his book, “Outliers: The Story of Success.”  But it is making an implied case that the best way for you to make your business more successful is to focus all your attention on the specifics of growing your business.  That may make sense, but that may not actually be the best approach.

If you look at many of the business masters in our society today, you see that they took a decidedly different approach. They read, studied and explored things that had nothing to do with what they are great at. They didn’t even get degrees in business.  They became “generalists.” They exposed themselves to lots of ideas, cultures, and disciplines.  They read on history, botany, biology, science, philosophy, religion.   They traveled to parts of the world where cultures were different from theirs. So, how does reading about biology or backpacking thru India help you be a better business man?

By doing these things these masters literally “rewired” their brains and expanded their view of everything.  (The technical term is “built new neural pathways.”)  They became open to things that were not previously available to them.   Now when they look at a business problem (or even a personal challenge) they see it differently, have more options available to them and produce better results.  In my own life, I’ve seen how extensive reading in philosophy has assisted me in solving a number of business challenges with solutions that would never have occurred to me without these otherwise, completely unrelated ideas.

I am seeing this play out in the life of my 30-year-old daughter.   In the last 14 months, she has been to more than 20 countries spanning Europe and Asia.   As a professional photographer, she is documenting her journey with pictures.  She is supporting herself with workshare.  (She lives with an employer for a bit while working 20 to 25 hours per week in exchange for her room and board.)   She also stays in hostels, not hotels.  It has been an unbelievably rich, transformative experience for her and she is radically different now than before she left. In all good ways.   She looks at everything from a broader perspective and that will be a tremendous advantage for her going forward in life for her, regardless of the direction she might move.

I am not suggesting you do what she did.  I am suggesting you broaden your mind by reading on a wide variety of topics, topics of interest to you (and, generally, not business books).  Explore new foods, by trying them out.   Then read about those cultures.  Listen to different kinds of music…..stretch. Then notice how it influences you in running your business.  Because it will.

If you would like to read further on this topic, click here.

About Hayne Coaching Group Hayne Coaching Group helps roofing contractors prosper by discovering and implementing smarter, better ways to work.  We provide executive coaching for key leaders in a company and organized and facilitated industry peer groups, so that companies may benefit from their group’s collective experience, buying power, accountability and so much more. For more information, visit www.haynecoachinggroup.com.

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