1851

Imagine this. You have a record-setting year. You secure more leads, close more deals than ever before, and add more future revenue to the company through ongoing royalties. Yet, at the end of the year, that thanks only gets you a friendly pat on the butt and a &#8220;go do it again next year.&#8221; From leaders to executors, disappointment always ensues when performances are not sustained. Dips in end-of-the-line results quickly eliminate long-term memory of what you have done in the past, how hard you worked to get there and where you were before that process began. You are only as good as your last deal. I understand this from both sides. From the executor standpoint, you are constantly searching for the job well dones. You want praise. And, you want flexibility. You want your leaders to remember that last year you out-produced everyone else. And last year, you added a boat load of deals to the system. And last year, you increased the future revenues with your great work. When the cards don&#8217;t land perfectly, it&#8217;s not always that you are unmotivated, it is simply that other factors have come into play. Leaders want to be able to point toward one exact measurement (results) when other factors (validation, shifts in the economy, shifts in the marketplace, shifts in your segment, changes in AUV) can quickly derail consistency and progress. When things aren&#8217;t rolling, it sucks, because it&#8217;s not that you don&#8217;t want it to roll, it is that some other block exists. For leaders (or those at the top), many (some get to where they are because of who they know, not because of what they can do) are never satisfied. They become forever pessimistic in outcomes &#8212; always afraid of the deck of cards falling. This is good in that self-motivation is always present. It&#8217;s bad in that every executor has to out-perform expectations to remain at the top of the totem pole. Leaders are not necessarily unhappy, disappointed or concerned &#8212; they are simply focused on being the best. They are motivated by you being motivated. Expectations will always be unrealistic, but if executors put themselves in leaders&#8217; shoes, they will know why &#8212; there is this vision of winning. In the best organizations, the leaders have grown up from being the executor wearing every hat in the organization. They know what you go through because they have been there, done that. Most likely, they will tell you that they can do your job in an instant, and better. This doesn&#8217;t mean they are putting you down, it&#8217;s simply their way of saying, &#8220;Hey, I get what you are going through and would like you to be motivated to do it better than me.&#8221; When the intersection is met with respect, leaders will lead executors and executors will become leaders. When that happens, companies inch from good to great. Great companies are not afraid of change &#8212; in fact, they embrace it &#8212; especially when the consistency plan skews a little off track. When bumps in the road occur, innovation, adaptation and separation from the statement &#8220;because that&#8217;s the way we have always done it&#8221; are so vital toward long-term success of businesses and the vision of being the best in whatever category you represent. Not being afraid of change will help executors correct course. The biggest devil in growth, though, is results. Once the tone is set, it&#8217;s hard to get away or change expectations. If you did 10 deals 3 years ago, 15 2 years ago, 20 last year, and then show pace for 17 this year, disappointment shows its ugly head. Even though you have shown growth, the expectations of pessimistic leaders will not align with your results. You will have a little failure tag placed on you. Unfortunately, many in power are half-empty with results. It&#8217;s hard to celebrate 17 when you did 20 the year before, even if 17 represents $10M in future royalties. It is simply not good enough because the path changed. This is hard on executors, because sometimes winning is still losing for those who desperately try to look at results as black and white. This is where you take your talents to South Beach and the leaders are left searching for another silver bullet (which you were, and they will likely not find again, unless your system remains intact and the new guy does 17 deals in his first year, out-performing your 10). All of this is too bad. In a life that is too short, it&#8217;s sad that we are so dependent on increasing expectations forced by the fear of failure. This probably creates bumpy cultures and workaholics. Life and work would balance so much better if results were looked at as a 100-point process versus a final deal count and growth was simply that. One more unit is one more unit. I doubt mentalities around results will ever change for leaders. They are born to miss silver linings. However, they should get some credit, as their intentions are in the right place. More success equals more money for them and for you. I, for one, will try harder to find more silver linings because I understand that the shortness of life should force me to enjoy every single moment, good or bad. They are all lessons and they are all there to make us stronger.

1851 Franchise

From leaders to executors, disappointment always ensues when performances are not sustained.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Why Closing Deals Never Satisfied Anyone  

why-closing-deals-never-satisfied-anyone

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

The Top Quick Service Restaurant Franchises for 2025

the-top-quick-service-restaurant-franchises

The Top 20 Cleaning Franchises to Invest in for 2025

top-cleaning-franchises-to-invest-in

Why Buy a Home Service Franchise? The Path to Building Wealth With the Right Investment

why-buy-a-home-service-franchise-the-path-to-building-wealth-with-the-right-investment

Most Profitable Restaurant Franchises To Own in 2025 - 1851 Franchise

The Most Profitable Restaurant Franchises to Own in 2025

most-profitable-restaurant-franchises-to-own

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

Why Closing Deals Never Satisfied Anyone

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS