We are all desperate for leadership right now

When things change, humans look for guidance, comfort and leadership. 

Right now, Americans are experiencing “a leadership gap”, to quote online business guru Frank Kern.

At the macro level we can see that confusion abounds in our country.

Our representatives and the administration send us mixed messages.

Some states are enforcing a quarantine, others are late to the party. 

Governors must fend for themselves to get supplies for their hospitals.

At the micro level, you can see this play out in individual industries, including your own market.

For example, look through the emails you received at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis from the many providers you subscribe to. 

They were something along the lines of: we are being safe, taking all the precaution, blah, bland and pretty much the same.  

Lots of playing it safe and waiting to see what everyone else was doing. 

Now, look at your colleagues and notice how many have stopped marketing, making offers and serving.

Notice how that feels: is it making you second guess yourself or fear backlash for daring to offer services during this time?

Conversely, look at the local providers in your world who are stepping up, and how that feels.

For example, my local school district has somehow figured out, in just one week's time, how to deliver breakfast and lunches to children’s homes for more than half of kids who absolutely need it in our rural community.

It feels good to know someone's paying attention and doing SOMETHING. 

Now, check in with your own ideal clients and see how they're faring: I bet they are also hungry for leadership, comfort and guidance too. 

And it might as well be you. 

No, I do not mean trying to solve the COVID-19 thing.

I mean solving what you can solve. (Remember my last email on why people hire coaches and experts in times of crisis?

Consider closing this leadership gap in your potential clients’ lives, in whatever small way you can.

Even if that means offering a new service or delivering your service in a whole new way, go for it.

Your services could become an oasis. 

Your services can be part of a new paradigm of change and personal or professional evolution.

Your services can quite literally become an act of sanity to invest in right now. 

So how do you close this leadership gap as a coach, consultant or practitioner? 

In the Happy Little Practice Method, what you can't do is try to replicate what big companies are doing and expect to survive, let alone thrive. 

Unless you have a team and deep pockets, you just can't out work, out market, out advertise the big companies or gurus in your field. 

The solution?

A core Happy Little Practice strategy: Zig where others Zag

While we can't win at trying to be all things to all people, we can certainly do well at rocking out ONE thing. 

ONE Message, serving ONE audience and ONE marketing strategy (and getting wicked good at it) is the foundation. 

Right now, you may need to adjust your ONE thing message to reflect the current reality. Or it may still be on point.

In either case, to pull this off, you have to become nimble, experimental and a bit bold.

Think fast on your feet. 

Now is not the time to overthink. 

In fact, you have a lot of "do it imperfectly coverage" because in crisis, no one expects perfect anything.

Let alone a perfect talk, FB live or perfectly written invitation.

(Did you see my 5-minute video tip that I posted SIDEWAYS in the HLP Facebook community? Gah! My husband and a member of the group came to the rescue.)

This is prime time for those who know how to stay calm and solve problems. 

Take a chance my friend.

You do not have to feel calm, clear and certain at all times and like you have all your ducks in a row to do this.

You just have to feel calm about ONE thing you can help people with.

Step up and lead your ideal clients in your own heartfelt way and close that leadership gap. 

Show them how to solve something they CAN solve right now. 

If you're a health coach... people are overeating and over drinking. You know how to handle this. 

If you're a career coach... not everyone is swamped with kids, home schooling and work. Many have the time to plan their next move and it would feel great to focus on something positive. 

If you're a pain relief coach... the fear and tension in people's lives creates more pain. Get in there! 

If you're a parenting coach... families need a sounding board to guide them through this time without losing their cool and creating more stress in their home. 

If you're relationship coach... we are pressed together in close quarters or painfully isolated! Help us! 

If you're a book coach... writing a book can help people focus on a positive, life enchancing project.

If you're a business coach... owners need help staying in business with sensitivity and effectiveness. 

You get the idea, right? 

Leading your audience now can be a great comfort to them.

(And it gets you out of your head when you focus on serving. Works for me! I have low points and worries like everyone else, but focusing on serving others keeps me sane, productive and moving forward.)

We are all desperate for leadership right now.

Focus on your unique potential clients. 

Be willing to lead and get creative in how you do so.

It's is a win for them, a win for you, and for your family. 

Hugs and keep going my friend, 

Karin

PS - Have questions about this? Hit reply and ask me and I'll answer them in an upcoming email.

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If you feel funny about marketing during this time, please listen to the replay of the March 26th Facebook Live on marketing, messaging and mindset in challenging times. Grab a cup of tea, notepad and get refocused and reenergized in your business. 

As always, I'm ready to help whenever you're ready. 

In the #happylittlepractice business model just 2-3 clients a month = "crushing it." Pretty doable. Get in touch here.