Sunday, November 18, 2007

Curious about Implementation: When You Have and/or Are Given a New Idea, How Quickly Do You Move on It?

Definition of Implement: To accomplish; to fulfill. To fulfill or perform, as a contract or an engagement. To fulfill; perform; carry out: to put into effect according to or by means of a definite plan or procedure.

Usually, if you have a new idea, you very rarely break through to anything like recognizable development or implementation of that idea the first time around - it takes two or three goes for the research community to return to the topic.” - Martin Fleischmann, English scientist

Yesterday, I attended a seminar that was filled with a plethora of great ideas and successful techniques. The presenters has used all of them and their success in our business proves that they know what they are talking about.

We all were taking notes like crazy, but as I drove home I started to wonder how many of us would implement those great suggestions. Spending the time I do on the Internet, I am handed wonderful ways to market, to grow my distribution list, to sell, to create affirmations … and then there are the newer technology tools like blogging, podcasting, creating audio and video clips and just keeping up with what is new and works.

I submit to you that we have to make implementation our friend, but not our downfall. If we never get around to implementing, we will stay exactly where we are. A great guru, T. Harv Eker, says, “If we are not growing, we are dying.” An yet, if we try to implement every new idea, we will experience the “bright shiny object syndrome” and become so scattered and unfocused, we will die in a different way.

Let’s examine some to the quotations from the experts:
  • It is not always what we know or analyzed before we make a decision that makes it a great decision. It is what we do after we make the decision to implement and execute it that makes it a good decision.” - William Pollard, American businessman
  • But with lots of good ideas, implementation is the key, and so we need to keep our eye on the ball as we go forward and make sure that people honor their pledges in terms of financial commitments, and that we actually use this money so that it makes a real difference.” - Mitchell Reiss, American attorney and consultant
  • You've got to be actively involved in the process yourself and you've got to listen carefully to what the coach is saying, take that on board yourself and implement what the coach is saying.” - Lynn Davies, British athlete
  • At Wal-Mart, if you couldn't explain an idea or a concept in simple terms on one page of paper Sam Walton considered the new idea too complicated to implement.” - Michael Bergdahl, American author
  • Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone's task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it.” - Viktor E. Frankl, Austrian psychologist

And, then there are a couple of quotations that I am planning to take to heart and act upon:

The more specific and measurable your goal, the more quickly you will be able to identify, locate, create, and implement the use of the necessary resources for its achievement.” - Charles J. Givens, American businessman

I personally developed the Academy training program. All our training is based on solid educational principles. We present the material in four training formats: lecture, demonstration, drill, and implementation.” - Jim Evans, American athlete

Pick one or two ideas or techniques that you feel will move your life or business up the ladder of success. Then, implement, implement, implement. Let me know how it works for you!