Tuesday, February 27, 2007

What Side of the Habit are You?

There is an ad on the TV at the moment which shows nuns and has the theme music "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol. The match between nuns and rebels doesn't seem obvious, does it?

Nuns are silent and serene, They are softly spoken, humble and bound by regulations and traditions. They are black and white spectres that haunt dark, cold convents. Aren't they?

There is a rebel in the Nunnery. This nun uses skateboards, mobile phones and laptops. She has coloured sports shoes under her habit. She chats and she moves quickly. She does not seem to think like a nun.

Your habit is the mindset you bring to your business. Do you do what everyone else does? Do you follow the leader? Are you conservative or perhaps a traditionalist? Are you a business nun?

Sometimes I think we need to shake things up by being the 'rebel nun' in our businesses. Shake it all up. Step away and take a new look at what you are doing. Look at the technology you use and the systems you have in place. If you find it really uncomfortable to do this yourself, then find a rebel. You don't have to agree with or accept everything they say. Just remember that all it takes is the seed of an idea to be dropped and it could help grow your business into something exceptional.

Try the new habit on just for a while. You might surprise yourself.