How to Reinvent Yourself, Your Processes, and Your Practices

It is important as salespeople, business owners, leaders, and professionals that we continually strive to “reinvent”. To reinvent is “to remake or makeover, as in a different form.” You hear a lot of buzzwords out there, but reinvent does not seem to be a commonly used one. I feel that it is a great characterization of what we should seek to do on a proactive continual basis. We can reinvent ourselves, our process, our practice, our partnerships, and many other things that we spend so much time engaging in day to day. I would like to explore reinvention at the organizational level, business professional level, and personal level. I will also introduce to you a helpful, simple equation to base my reinvention strategies around called the Value Equation.

Before we explore how to implement this throughout different facets of our organizations and lives, we need to understand this equation. Benefits less Cost equals Value. It’s fairly simple and the focal point here is that we always want to aim for a positive value result. If you’re a savvy business person, you probably have some thoughts and comments on this equation and one of those is that Benefits and Value are, or can be what I call, “Perceived Variables.” Both of these elements are defined differently based on who you engage with. But I challenge that your perception your reality, so we must be dynamic in how we characterize each of these perceived variables. This is where measure, document, and communicate (MDC) becomes critical in helping to quantify benefits and value. As is with many things in life, data helps satiate our human need to rationalize. Through the MDC process, it allows us to do this.

First, let’s look at reinvention at the organizational level. There are many layers to the reinvention strategy in this environment. Whether it’s relationships with suppliers, internal team dynamics, operational strategies, leadership functions, or any other capacity within your organization, this approach can pay huge dividends. In utilizing the Value Equation, you will generally want to initiate your strategy with the area that is demonstrating a low value. This provides a good starting point and will allow you to prioritize your impact plan and give you a jumping off point. For example; if you’re wanting to evaluate your supplier relationships because your Value Equation is in the negative, or it’s probably even more likely that your supplier doesn’t proactively measure, document, or communicate the Value Equation with you, then you’ll need to reinvent the way you seek your suppliers. A few ways that FlexPAC strives to create positive value is by building dynamic win-win partnerships with the companies we work with, both on the supplier side and on our customer-facing side. In our proven process is a critical component to success is the Business or Elevation Review. This is where we communicate with our partners what we have measured and documented in the course of an agreed upon timeframe.

A few other ideas come to mind when looking at improving your Value metrics:

• A recognition program
• Time management and helping your team understand its value
• Focus on win-win strategies
• Promoting learning opportunities for your team
• Partner with organizations that proactively bring you ideas to enhance your processes
• Leverage partnerships to create a positive Value metric
• Keeping every level of your organization informed on the trends in the industry(s) in which you operate
• Create a clear and concise value proposition, internally and externally

Next, let’s look at reinvention as it applies to us as business professionals and how we operate in the professional realm of things. This might be a little easier and simpler to start, as you control you, but it’s the same strategy as what was laid out in the organizational discussion. Depending on your responsibilities as a professional, you can implement many of the same things as you would if you were responsible for an entire team or organization. For instance, if you are in operations, you might want to look at Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma and become well-versed in those principles. Whether your company implements your reinvention or not, you’ll still have this as a positive value, which can leverage your abilities when opportunities arise.

Maybe you’re in sales and are feeling some stagnation in your territory. You could look at adopting new sales techniques and move from “Old School Selling” to “New School Selling”. Old school selling may sound like it’s a negative thing. It’s not a bad approach when it’s applicable. But companies are evolving and becoming more complex, so it’s necessary to reinvent yourself so as to evolve with them. New school selling is more collaborative and focuses not only on the people that are purchasing or using the product solutions, but it also includes those that are up the org. chart a few levels. If you’re going to collaborate at those different levels, you also need to understand what challenges and concerns those at the director and executive level are experiencing.

Finally, reinvention on a personal level. By now, you should understand the method and the approach. Now you just need to apply it to your personal life. Budgets, relationships, family, friends, hobbies, etc. One of the most important principles I live by is, “If you don’t like something, then change it.” I think this embodies my love of the reinvention strategy, as it provides a platform for change. Here are some ideas for you:

• Read something, could be self-help, entertaining, or any other reason, but just read
• Teach something to someone else, it helps you retain and improves someone else’s life
• Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix, apply it
• Organize and maintain an organized life
• Develop and nurture relationships, life is all about people and the human experience
• Strive for health and adopt a fitness regiment
• Help someone without expecting recognition or something in return

I read a saying the other day, and I feel it applies here as this article might seem disgustingly optimistic or positive, but my challenge is that it’s realistic. “A pessimist bumps his head because he’s looking down, an optimist stumbles because he’s looking up, but a realist can adapt and change his/her path because they are looking forward.” Reinvention is a forward thinking principle and when it’s applied, can yield remarkable results. The first step is always the most difficult because change is never easy. However, I continue to argue that the more we adopt change, the easier it becomes to embrace it. I’m not an expert consultant nor do I claim to have all the answers, I’m just a realist who’s looking forward and want as many people as possible to experience the benefits of doing the same.