Coffee With Dan

Do you like being told what to do?

I was once a doorman/bar manager at a ‘gentlemens erotic dance boutique’

– aka a strip club –

When I lived up north

At the same time, I was a sales director for a pretty big headhunting firm and in charge (from memory) of a few mill turnover wise on my business unit

I had a base of 70k and took home I think around 120/130 if I remember correctly

Yet Friday and Saturday nights?

I would don the black attire…

Spike up the hair…

(Check out pic in comment #1 🤣🤣)

And do as I was told

Wierdly after a week of meetings, checking KPI’s, spreadsheets and telling others what to do…

…I found it quite refreshing too

All I had to focus on was greeting customers, keeping the ladies in check (I ended up doing this via a packet of liquorice allsorts when they chase out #truestory) and keeping the bar stocked up

That was it

Now I didn’t need the money (it was done in part firstly to stop me drinking and weirdly when I was a PT my entire client base was strippers – I had 14 of em!) but it was a nice ‘break’ from being in charge

What am I going on about?

Let me explain

If you could remotely ‘model’ my approach in any way I think it’s vaguely classed as servant leadership

Liberated from the internet, this seemed to sum it up nicely;

‘In 1998, writer and philosopher Larry Spears distilled Greenleaf’s ideas into ten key servant leadership traits: listening, empathy, stewardship, foresight, persuasion, conceptualization, awareness, healing, commitment to the growth and development of people, and building community’

Kinda an accurate description I would say

I do
I show
I serve
I lead

Mixture of all 4

But I remember what it’s like to be TOLD what to do

Recently, as well as talking more ‘strategically’ with my clients, I’ve found great success by simply telling them what to do

Now you can’t do that without a base of experience and success (IMO) in your niche/vertical behind you

But when your mind is rammed with life and business and clients and family and hobbies and god knows what else is going on (likely at 100mph)

I find it serves people well to be told do this, then that, by that date

Never try make it more than 3-5 times max; ideally one BIG goal to achieve between check ins and some sub goals that – time permitting – we can knock off too

Yes as entrepreneurs we crave freedom

BUT

TOO much freedom can leave you overwhelmed, unsure and expending your energy in a variety of areas that – in all honesty – would of saved you a fuck tonne of time/effort/energy/££ if you would if just sought out expert help to guide you at the start

So if you have been ‘flying solo’ for a while and let’s say in the last 6 months or so haven’t progressed?

Maybe invest in someone who has ‘trod the boards look before you who can tell what needs to be done…

…instead of asking YOU what needs to be done

Just my musings while enjoying an Epsom’s salt bath; be good to hear your take on it as well…