Are you breathing your own exhaust?

Deep in the bowels of the ferry. That’s where we were directed on our journey to our French holiday. The English Channel was above us as we were below the water line. Over a hundred cars all spewing their exhaust in a confined area. I was reticent to breath because of the intoxicating, second hand air.

What about you in your business or your career?

Are you breathing your own exhaust?

Are you mixing with the same people, doing everything in-house, working with the same teams year in year out? If so, you’re probably being devoid of new, refreshing ideas.

I know of companies who I work for who are proud of their long-serving employees, some of them have been there for over 30 years. This may have advantages but I think, in the modern economy, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses as ideas from outside, fresh thinking; new angles are hard to come by from the same people.

Do you mix outside of your cocoon? Do you attend industry seminars, network with others, attend Mastermind groups. Do you alter your association affiliations from time to time? I’ve seen people who belong to the same trade association year after year who also become stale for new ideas.

Do you bring in new people? Yes, advertise internally because that’s the right thing, but encourage others to come into your business.

If you do, you’ll be like me, when I managed to crawl out of the bowels of that ferry and into the fresh air of the cabins and the decks. Breathing the new air, I was able to have new momentum and perspectives as I headed to the Duty Free shop.