Upgrading My Internet Connection: A Metaphor for Business Success
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I upgraded the internet connection in my office this week. (a.k.a. my apartment) Until now, the router was located in a different room; there was a wall interfering with the signal and connectivity was often slow.
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I didn’t have the option to connect directly via ethernet — the router was too far away. I just had to deal with it. Which was all too painful when all my neighbors decided to watch Netflix at the same time I had an important call.
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I didn’t even have optical fiber installed. I know, I know. Shameful in 2024. My previous internet provider decided to use an old TV cable. Don’t ask me technical details of how that works, but the bottom line is that I received even lower levels of connection overall.
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I even had to use my phone’s hotspot more than once. It kept bugging me, but I just kept getting by. It took about 10 heated calls, three different technicians who came to tell me there was nothing that could be done — not even changing the router’s location. One router replacement — which, of course, made absolutely zero difference. It took that long to make a radical decision and a call, and change my internet provider. Boom. Now I have access to high-speed connectivity. Huh. That was easy. The router is next to my desk. So, my productivity doesn’t depend on my neighbor’s Netflix habits any longer.
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The Importance of a Strong Connection in Business
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Why on earth did I take that long to do the obvious? Well…
The Wi-Fi and the router are one of my favorite metaphors that I constantly use to explain how we work and how business works. When focus and energy levels are low, it means there’s interference. But instead of seeking to get a better connection, we have a tendency to keep going anyway.
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Ensuring High-Speed Connection for High Stakes
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Now, if I told you that I’ll give you €1M to lead an online conference successfully, wouldn’t you make sure like crazy that you have access to high-speed and stable connection, as an obvious first step? The higher the stakes are, the more relevant this becomes — and the more we tend to forget.
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Improving Business by Checking Connections
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As for your business, the only way to improve it is to check your own connection and the connection of every single person in your team. This is where coaching and self-development come into play. A job coach or professional coach can help identify the interferences that are holding you back and guide you towards better productivity and professional development.
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Actionable Steps for Your Business and Personal Growth
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So, here’s my question for you today: What ONE thing can you do this weekend that will bypass interferences and connect you directly to the router? Consider how startup coaching or leadership coaching could be the key to enhancing your entrepreneurship journey and business success.
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Let me know and have a great week.
