If you're involved in business ventures, and feel like things aren't going you're way, or you've been having a hard time of it, you may be wondering what it would take to make new progress.  You're not alone.  How many people have taken courses on 'how to lose or fail well?' This isn't what business training and seminars will typically tell you.  Maybe its time to think differently?

Much like Dr. Henry Cloud in his 2006 book, Integrity, my own experience and beliefs have taught me character and personality contribute more to business success or problems than skills or know-how.  You may have experienced situations where colleagues didn't notice or sense the need to make character changes, and you felt the brunt of it.  You may ignore personality issues inside yourself or fail to notice the impact of the character around you in your own office.

Results matter and sales turnover speaks volumes.  However, there is more to evaluating a position, a company or a colleague than dollars and cents. How do you break down expenses? That is, how do you understand the costs of having certain people in your office based on their behavior and interaction internally and externally?  Think about yourself too.  In which ways do you contribute to the overall value of your workplace, your career and your sense of esteem?

1) When do you sense a glass ceiling or a barrier?  If you sense you're stuck in a role or position that doesn't enable you to show your true colours, ask yourself why you're there.  You may be ill-prepared to manage situations effectively, have superiors that react negatively to you or, your personality may cause more harm than good.  Your goal needs to steer toward positive change.

2)  How often do you re-group?   You may have known people who refuse to let go of an agenda even if its dated or doesn't take into account key issues.  Not attaining the progress you desire on your terms is also reason to step back, re-group your thoughts, consult with people for advice, and realize that your way isn't necessarily the right wau or the prefereable way to go.   

3)  Why you known success then lost it?  Administration, liquidation or bankruptcy might come up to cause you to lose your sense of bearings.  How might a hypothetical or real disaster help you to better understand your stengths and weaknesses? Robert Kiyosaki, Donald Trump, P.T. Barnum, Henry Ford, Walt Disney and Conrad Hilton, are people who know what its like to live and lose everything.  This fueled their determination to learn from lessons and rebuild their lives. All of them gained insight from financial trouble, filed bankruptcy, and then picked themselves up to redefine their successes.