Determining what you do best helps you identify and filter opportunities where you have the best chance of success. This is called your Key Focus. Let’s start with a metaphor and then drill down deeper on this topic.

I think of your Key Focus as your “sweet spot” like in golf or baseball. When you hit a golf ball in the sweet spot of the club, it soars farther and seems effortless. Just like hitting a baseball on the barrel of a bat when you crush a home run out of the park. This metaphor applies to business, too.

The question is: “Can companies deliver better results if they stick to their Key Focus?” In my view, the answer is yes!

I’ve worked with people who generate lots and lots of ideas, some good, many not so good. My first question is always “Does this help you achieve your objective and does it fit within your Key Focus?” If the answer is yes, then let’s take the next step forward. When the answer is no, then let’s not waste any time on this. We have better things to work on using our scarce time and energy. Hopefully, you can see how knowing your Key Focus helps you filter opportunities.

I worked with a client that manufactured vehicles adapted for people in wheelchairs and their Key Focus was designing and manufacturing these vehicles. The owner thought they should also develop a retail sales network to sell these vehicles to customers. We worked on plans to open showrooms, hire and train salespeople, handle financing and the myriad of other activities to start a retail sales network. The client didn’t have these skills and while they attempted to hire people with these capabilities, these activities weren’t part of the core competencies. They tried to make it work but failed within a year, after investing a great deal of time and money. The owner just couldn’t understand how this retail sales model worked.

To end the story, the client ultimately changed its strategy to sign existing vehicle dealers to sell their product. Dealers who had retail sales as their key focus. Using this strategy, their sales increased more than 15% in less than one year and they continue to grow.

This example highlights what can happen if your business strays away from its Key Focus.

How Do You Identify Your Key Focus? Think Like a Hedgehog!

The Hedgehog Concept was developed in the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. This concept comes from a deep understanding of the intersection of three circles that are unique to your organization:

• What you are deeply passionate about?
• What you can be the best in the world at?
• What best drives your economic engine…what will customers pay for?

Great companies consistently make good decisions by using their Hedgehog Concept to keep themselves focused. I often share with clients their Key Focus, using their Hedgehog Concept, should be used as a filter to sort through opportunities. If the opportunity is aligned with their Key Focus, let’s take a look. If not, we should probably pass. Let’s not waste valuable time and energy chasing something that doesn’t fit and most likely has a low probability of success.

Is your Key Focus clear? If not, think like a hedgehog. Norten Consulting can guide you with our Peak Results framework to help business owners get the results they want.