It might sound like a simple analogy, but keeping your eyes ‘open’ for opportunity, in order to facilitate ongoing business growth is key in strategic development and informing your business’s trajectory in the long and short-term.
Is it really THAT simple?
One could argue that opportunities are loosely defined as something unseen, unknown or new… something that ‘appears’ out of nowhere. I’m divided in my view in this sense; it seems to me that opportunity is only hidden or unseen if you don’t have clarity and a defined set of strategic goals for your business. Yes, opportunities can be unknown in that they aren’t always clear to you on first view, but with a little precision in terms of your own objectives, an opportunity can present itself.
Er, what?
Opportunity presents itself when you are clearly aligned to your business’s purpose, with a strong understanding of your marketplace, stakeholders and influencers, positioning and offering [including value proposition]. It’s like being at the bus-stop at the right time. Pay no attention to the key elements of ensuring you are present for opportunity and your eyes are closed tightly. Visibility and credibility are key elements in opportunity-attraction. Hence some of the pointers already mentioned are so important. Ensuring your message is clear, evidence of ability is readily-available and networking / marketing yourself well are central tenets to attracting the right opportunities for your business.
Related: The World Waits For No One: The Story Of Dave Carroll, United Airlines And Taylor Guitars
Seen or heard? Well, both actually!
Business opportunities are there to be seen – as well as presented to you and heard of by you – when you are truly aligned to your business’s position [and it’s the right one for you, obviously!]. When business owners feel they’re ‘missing out’ on opportunities, it’s usually as a result of strategy, position, reputation or other individual leadership decisions. Ask yourself, are your eyes open to opportunity?
What should I do to check?
As with many issues in business development, strategy is at the heart of any planned growth and identification of key objectives will drive your strategy. How do you identify these objectives, I hear you ask? Well – assuming you understand the markets, customers, financial and internal operational targets you want to reach – any objectives set should resonate these targets and the achievement of them.
Objective-driven opportunities…
When we have clarity in our business objectives, unsurprisingly, opportunities do present themselves [either directly or as a result of our own consciousness and clarity]. Why is this? Simply because, when we know, as business owners, what it is we want to achieve with our business, it’s far easier to spot the actions which will assist us in achieving them. Anyone coming across my posts in the past will note a theme of the following areas [!] – clarity, strategy, vision and message. Can you see why these areas are so important in keeping your ‘eyes open’ for opportunity?
Opportunity knocks: make sure you’re there to answer the door
Some definitions of opportunity include references to sets of circumstance that make it possible to do something or chance, occasion, opening, possibility. Can you see that you can exercise control and influence over these situations? Know what it is you’re looking for, and the opportunity is there to be seen.
The old adage of “opportunity knocks” is true… it’s up to you to make sure you’re prepared and present to open the door.
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Image: ” Opportunity, Just Ahead Green Road Sign/ Shutterstock.com”
