The Disease That Targets Small Business Owners…

I have named it “EADD” or Entrepreneurial Attention Deficit Disorder. A few years ago I thought it was just an isolated case here and there but now I would say that nearly 40% of all the small business owners I meet suffer from this. Its symptoms include difficulty focusing on 1 thing at a time, trouble sticking to 1 subject or topic, not being able to finish a task, poor follow through in general, and the in-ability to stick with a new pattern or habit until it becomes consistent.
I’m no medical doctor and I write this in some jest, but honestly folks- I think there is a real correlation between this ADD and being your own boss. Somewhere, somehow, the same gene that makes a person bold, daring, smart (even brilliant), insightful and a leader also contains an inability to stay focused.
Sound like you? I have now coached 11 different small business owners who have this EADD so I’ve gotten pretty good at coaching them. I recently completed an on line course to help me understand this and am trying like crazy to work on my patience with these clients. Here-for free- are some of the basic tools that I insist a client use when I see signs of EADD:
1. Quit multi tasking. The ancient Chinese saying is “Man who chase 2 rabbits catch none.” Focus on 1 thing-do it well- until its completed-then move onto something else.
2. You must keep a to do list, and this to do list has to be in 1 secure place. The other coaches tease my EADD clients because they always are seen with their “Coach Thom Books”-simple $5 journal books where they keep a special type of To Do List I have developed.
3. Plan before you take any action. Your first urge may be to answer that ringing phone or respond to the first piece of paper you come across, but in many cases, that is the wrong thing to do. You are much better served adding these tasks to your specially designed TO DO list (See #2) , then reviewing this list for what’s most critical (using the same 80/20 rule I talk about in sales coaching) and then and only then can you begin to take action.
4. Keep another section where you can record and store your great ideas. I have coached a few people who had so many good ideas they were paralyzed and didn’t know where to start-so they got nothing done. In my humble opinion, this paralysis is caused because they are afraid they’ll loose the thought if they don’t do something right away. Keeping your future ideas in a “parking lot” will free up your valuable mind space and allow you to focus on the matters at hand.
5. Commit to sticking to new habits- and only 1 new habit at time- for 6 weeks. Folks with EADD seem to be trying something new all the time- and most of the things they want to try are brilliant but they have to stick with it. Making a commitment to your coach or someone else in your life that will you try your new habit for 6 weeks should give it enough time to “stick”.

These basic steps are a must for me to get my job done. If I’m on the sidelines, coaching an incredibly talented athlete who cannot stay focused, I must first work on his concentration skills before we can execute brilliant plays and win the game. First things First.