This picture shows they Fab Four just moments before the photo is taken of them crossing the zebra stripes of Abby Road in 1969. This woman passing by must have looked at all this and wondered, what is the big deal?

Perhaps the Beatles themselves wondered about the success of an album that would come without a title or even the band’s name on the cover; only a photo of them crossing the street. (You may already know, but Abby Road was The Beatles most successful record.)

You and your team may also be moments away from amazing success.

Your job as the CEO, business owner, or President, is to make sure they are ready, and that no one gets off-track or gives up before seeing the results of their efforts.  Too many companies stop just short of fame because they did not have a shared vision, a clear plan, and a team that could make it happen.

The members of our CEO Groups have achieved success that has allowed them to cross the $10 MM annual sales threshold as they move from being a small business to creating an organization that is prepared for long-term growth.  Now, more than ever, they are focused on the things that will help them capture the opportunities that lay before them. 

Here are a few reminders I’ve earned from our peer group members :

Know what you want

The late Steven Covey taught us to begin with the end in mind because if you can see what it looks like, you can make it.  Too many companies just keep moving ahead and seem to be happy that they are just moving. 

“I’m not sure where we are going, but we are making record time.” 

Cast a clear vision

Change can be a hard thing for employees to handle, your goal as the CEO is to clearly communicate a path you are leading the team, so they not only give you a full days work, but also do it with a passion that encourages other employees to follow, and lets your customers see you truly care about their business.

Have the right People with You

It’s great to have passionate team members who believe in you and your vision for the company. You also need to have the right people in the right seats of the bus.  When you review your business plans and the vision for your company, see if you have all the right people on the bus and in the right seats. Check whether there are any people who need to get OFF the bus so you have a team that can handle the hard work and the fame that will follow.

NOW is the time to make these changes so you are ready for the opportunities ahead and can handle them with excellence. 

Stay on Course

It’s easy to look back and see the results of our efforts, but when we are just moments from fame, things get a little stressful and doubt can creep in.  Your efforts to create a clear and compelling vision, written plan, and have a qualified team, will enable you to stay the course and on to fame.

by Robert Hunt

The Cost of Great Leaders; Finding, Keeping, or Losing Them.

Read the Story of the making of the Abby Road Photo