What Tactics Help Business Development Managers Stay Motivated During Challenging Times?

What Tactics Help Business Development Managers Stay Motivated During Challenging Times?

Navigating the entrepreneurial journey, especially during tough times, requires resilience and strategy. We've gathered insights from CEOs and Directors, asking them to share one tactic they've used to maintain motivation and drive. From celebrating daily micro-wins to innovating and adapting to market needs, explore the seven strategies these leaders swear by to stay focused and energized.

• Celebrate Daily Micro-Wins
• Foster Team Connections
• Visualize Success with Lists
• Find Motivation in Physical Challenges
• Set and Achieve Small Goals
• Schedule Breaks for Perspective
• Innovate and Adapt to Market Needs

Celebrate Daily Micro-Wins

Powering Through with Daily Wins

In navigating the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, my secret weapon is celebrating daily wins. Focusing on small victories, no matter how minor, fuels motivation amidst challenges. Each achievement, from closing a deal to overcoming a hurdle, becomes a stepping stone. This micro-win mindset transforms setbacks into opportunities for growth. During a particularly challenging period, this tactic not only sustained my motivation but also fostered a resilient spirit. It's a reminder that in the entrepreneurial journey, the cumulative effect of consistent small victories propels you forward even when facing uphill battles.

Foster Team Connections

Developing a genuine connection to your team is underrated as a motivation tool. Some owners and CEOs are hesitant to blur the line between professional and personal attachment, but I'm of the mind that it's a great way to remind yourself why you're in the business during challenging times.

So often, when I'm feeling down and overwhelmed, one of my team members is experiencing the opposite. That's not uncommon, because tough times are truly a matter of perception. I might see that coveted contract slipping away, while an employee has just come up with a fresh plan to land it.

Linking up with my workers daily and having open discussions about where the company is headed has shown me that drive rarely falters when it's treated as a group effort.

Linn Atiyeh

Founder & CEO, Bemana

https://www.bemana.us/practice-area/industrial/

Visualize Success with Lists

While I'm no Luddite, when it comes to maintaining motivation as an entrepreneur during challenging times, I like to pick up a piece of paper. Even better: poster board.

There is something about making a list off-screen that helps it solidify in my brain, so writing my wins down when I'm struggling is a great strategy.

Once I've got a few successes written down, I hang the board where I can see it. It feels a little childish, but every time I look up from my computer, it's there in black and white, reminding me to keep going.

Rob Reeves

CEO & President, Redfish Technology

https://www.redfishtech.com/fintech-recruiting/

Find Motivation in Physical Challenges

Amidst the challenging times of running a business, I've found long-distance road biking to be an effective tactic to maintain my motivation and drive. I spend time each week pedaling for about 100 miles, and it serves as a physical metaphor for my entrepreneurial journey. Each ride, like my startup venture, is a mix of endurance, resilience, and persistence, pushing through the fatigue, steep paths, and long distances.

The regular physical struggle is a consistent reminder of my capacity to overcome challenges, and it strengthens my resolve to tackle issues in my business. This practice allows me to exercise both my body and willpower, creating a robust foundation for me as an entrepreneur.

Set and Achieve Small Goals

Staying motivated as an entrepreneur is a constant challenge, especially when the going gets tough. One tactic that has really kept my spirits up is setting small, achievable goals. It's like breaking down the big picture into bite-sized pieces. When faced with a daunting task, I focus on the smaller milestones. Each time I achieve one, it's a little victory that keeps me motivated. It's all about celebrating the small wins on the way to the bigger goals. It not only provides a sense of accomplishment but also helps to maintain a positive mindset, which is crucial during challenging times.

Schedule Breaks for Perspective

Take a break! Challenges are a part of business, but so is knowing when to take a breather. Even if it's for 30 minutes, take some time to do something the business has afforded you to do. Schedule a massage, book a self-care appointment, make dinner reservations at your favorite restaurant, or if you have time, plan a staycation or short trip. Use this as a reminder of why you do what you do. After your break, get back in the game and score! Remember, every coach has the option to take a time-out; you just have to choose when wisely.

Innovate and Adapt to Market Needs

The last years have been full of crises on a global level, and as we reached a point of almost becoming accustomed to living in challenging times, advanced technologies have been changing every process in every industry around the world. In my experience as an entrepreneur with 15 years under my belt, and observations from entrepreneurs I work with, in crises and market changes, you can either be the lucky one standing out, riding the wave effortlessly because your service or product fits into the times, or you can rapidly be excluded from business.

I had to reach the point where we were facing challenges and feeling almost overlooked to learn that you have to fight to stay relevant. The fight starts with you, by pushing yourself to higher quality and deeper observations of market needs and trends, and then breaking out of your routine to innovate and test new offerings based on your market observations. The new advances in social listening, where you can extract real-time insights from your audiences across all channels, is the tactic to move forward for any business.