3 questions to trigger your innovation
Sarah owns an advertising agency in Paris. She is Canadian and moved to France 20 years ago. For several years her agency did very well, but in the past years competition became much stronger, with “cheap” graphich design agencies popping up all over. In the meantime, the economic crisis started hitting their clients, who cut their marketing budgets. As a result, advertising agencies are now fighting for clients harder than ever, including Sarah’s.
The glamorous times are gone, the party is over. Sarah asked for my support because all her marketing efforts in the past couples of years had failed, and she found herself with virtually no clients. She was looking for different, better, more effective marketing strategies that would help her get back to the top, as in her glamorous past. As we digged deeper into her business, it became clear that marketing was not the real issue. Trying another new marketing strategy wouldn’t turn her situation around.
I believe that each person knows, deep inside, what’s best for their life and business. Even so, it’s often difficult to identify it, among all of the thoughts, beliefs, desires, fears, responsibilities we have. As a coach, my role is to help my clients find their own answers, as well as their own best solutions. How do I do this? For example, by asking thought-provoking questions.
The following questions helped Sarah gain a new perspective on her business:
Q1. What do you know today that you didn’t know 10 years ago?
The reason I asked this question was that Sarah was deeply attached to herself and her business as it was 10 years ago. As she changed through the years, she kept comparing herself with her past vision of her life and business, and she saw herself drifting farther and farther away from it. This question helped her to connect with who she is and what she wants today, as well as to value the skills, the wisdom and the experience that she has now.
Q2. What opportunities is this situation providing for you?
Sarah had been focussing all of her attention on what was going wrong. She kept seeing the roadblocks, her continuous struggle, her hopes falling apart each time things didn’t work out. This question was meant to help her shift her focus, and it required a big stretch in thinking for Sarah. Eventually, it opened her mind and heart up for new, exciting perspectives. She experienced a major breakthrough that helped her form a new vision of what she really wanted.
Q3. What are you ready to let go of?
As a new, highly energizing vision started to unfold in front of her, she realized that she did not need to force herself to try more and more marketing, networking or social media strategies to get clients in Paris. Her new vision had nothing to do with clients in Paris! Sarah felt so much lighter because this big weight had been lifted from her chest. This freed up space for a new chapter in her life and business.
Sarah and I are currently working together to transform her business. It’s all still in an early stage, but surprising and amazing things are already starting to develop, and seemingly disconnected pieces are slowly falling into place.
Conclusion
We often think that “if only… I learn how to do social media / I manage to impress my boss / I manage to apply this marketing strategy correctly/ etc” then we will finally get what we longed for. Each time this doesn’t happen, a new piece of discouragement is added on our chest. Instead of trying and struggling, why not stop for a moment and get to the core? Thought-provoking questions can help you shake things up and find solutions you had not seen before.
About the Author
Myriam Callegarin coaches global executives and entrepreneurs who are feeling stuck during changing times, helping them to successfully transform their career and business. Find practical tools and inspiration in the Resource Center.
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