Be a Student of the Game to Drive Long-Term Success

Game, what game? This is serious stuff and not some kid’s game. You’re right, it is serious. Your employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders are all counting on you and your team to get it right. Being a student of the game is crucial for business leaders, as it fosters continuous learning, adaptability, and strategic thinking. By staying curious and learning from every situation, leaders can anticipate changes, make conformed decisions, and stay ahead of competitors. This mindset drives long-term success and innovation.

Know what you know

I’ve often commented that what we know is made up of a collection of where we’ve been, our experiences and our norms, what we read and listen to, who we hang around with, our intuition and instinct, and who and what is on our calendar. It’s not judgmental, it just is. Embrace what you know and use it as a competitive advantage. Better yet, take what you know and teach it to someone else. I believe that the act of teaching it to someone helps to solidify and strengthen that core knowledge base.

Accept what you don’t know

Now it’s time to switch gears. Being honest with yourself, make a list of the things that you just aren’t as comfortable with. Things that you wish you were more proficient at. I find that this exercise of making that list is therapeutic and provides direction for where I want to spend my time going forward. This may also be a good time to reach out to someone you may know who is an expert in some of these areas and ask them to help you. Put your ego aside and just ask. You’d be surprised the willingness of folks to help you if you only show sincere interest in learning.

Fill the gaps

Now comes the fun part. Based on the list that you made of various areas that you want to improve in, spend some time doing research on where you can find that information. It’s amazing how much free information is out there if you just spend a little bit of time looking for it. You may stumble onto blogs, or case studies. You might decide to reach out to your supplier base and ask them to help. It may be a business associate, trusted advisor or professional that you already know and trust. Perhaps it’s even picking up a book! Whatever tactics you decide on, be diligent and sincere in your desire to improve. Oh, and one more thing, this is a long process. You didn’t get this way overnight and it won’t improve overnight, so don’t be disappointed and stay the course.

Lather, rinse and repeat

I may have misled you in the recent paragraphs, this is actually the fun part. Speaking for myself, learning new things can become a habit. It can also become contagious, where those around you may follow your lead. That would be a good thing. As you continue to learn and fill the gaps in areas that you once lacked confidence, you may find yourself yearning to expand your knowledge base to put it into practice and make your business the best that it can be.

Remember, your potential is not a fixed destination but a dynamic path of growth and development. Being a student of the game is a part of that growth and crucial for any business leader. I find that continuous learning helps with adaptability, and strategic thinking as well. Stay curious, learn from every situation, and learn something so that you can teach it to someone else. This mindset can help drive long-term success and innovation in your business. Have fun and enjoy the ride!

Mike Philie can help validate what’s working and what may need to change in your business. Changing the trajectory of a business is difficult to do while simultaneously operating the core competencies. Mike provides strategy and insight to ambitious owners and CEOs in the Graphic Communications Industry by providing direct and realistic advice and insight, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach. Learn more at www.philiegroup.com, LinkedIn or email at mphilie@philiegroup.com.