Strumming chords of success

Russell Bell PHOTO/FILE

As with most things in life, no one becomes an expert at anything without practice or experience and training.

Wednesdays have taken on a new significance for me because Wednesday is guitar day. My son and I have embarked on a journey into music and have chosen the guitar as an opportunity to develop some new skills - and have a lot of fun along the way.

We are learning with Lynne of "Fun Guitar" fame. Lynne clearly has the skills to be a guitar teacher and when dealing with a 7-year-old who just wants to talk all through the lessons and his father who is continually channelling his inner Eddie Van Halen, these really come to the fore. Throughout my career there have been times where training has been necessary as we took on new and different activities and projects. The key was having expertise and experience in the team and sharing that - kind of like succession planning in a day-to-day work environment. When learning the guitar or becoming familiar with business activities, the process is the same. The factors for success or failure are the same also.

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell talked of the factors which drive success. The main takeaway for me from this book was the notion that it takes 10,000 hours to master a task or activity (the 10,000-hour rule). He applied this logic to successful people as diverse as the Beatles and Bill Gates.

While I am realistic that there are 9965 hours between me and my debut as Eddie Van Halen 2, I find it interesting that there are providers in the economy who offer services without this kind of background. And, whilst they can carry a good tune and sound good to the ear, in the long run they create a symphony of issues for their clients.

This can extend from not understanding a product represented through to undertaking strategic planning services when your skill set is much more operational.

If you have staff with knowledge and experience gaps the key is investing in training and development. Mentoring is also important.

Which is where the guitar lessons are so well run. My son looks forward to the lessons and practises earnestly.This wouldn't happen if his relationship with his teacher didn't exist. So, too, with developing business skills, a true mentor encourages and draws respect and higher performance.

And, much like learning an instrument, there is an acceptance that mistakes are an inevitable pathway to effective learning. I have worked with some in my career who have not operated in this way and noted how my own development blossomed after I had left their employ. So, ask your providers about where their 10,000 hours are invested before you engage their service or risk a bitter-sweet symphony.

Russell Bell's Zenith Solutions is a specialist Wanganui business advice and consultancy practice - 021 2442421