What Works: Research Saves Time, Money and Frustration


This morning, I came upon an interesting topic while working with a client during Motivation Monday at Adams Hub for Innovation. The topic of our conversation turned to research. If you watched the TV show “The X Files,” one of their tag lines was – the truth is out there. Here’s the exciting part. it is!

If you dare to ask the questions, the truth is out there. The truth is out there about your business, about how you can make more money, and about what you need to improve. The truth is out there about your product, its assets and its deficits. The truth is even out there about the effectiveness of your relationships and how you can get noticed at work.

Some people throw good money after bad, or get really frustrated, chasing a perceived outcome that is really an assumption.

Yet, one thing I noticed early on in my graduate program is people fear research. It’s terrifying for many reasons. Some fear it because of math or analysis. Yet, most research can be collected using Survey Monkey or just by asking open ended questions. A few shy away from research because its perceived to be hard. Yet, it the easiest thing you can do to assure your company is headed in the right direction.

Your market will tell you everything you need to know. You just need the willingness to listen.

So, how do you start?

You start with a single question. This might be as simple as a single why question. Why is this dish on my restaurant’s menu not selling? From there you can come up with a short list of questions for a server to ask people who order the dish. You want to keep your questions short. You also want to keep them free of bias. You don’t want to assume you know the answer. You also don’t want those participating to feel their answers are being led in any way.

When you ask questions, you are getting insights you need to make decisions. If you are networking, or maybe attending a job fair, it is so much easier to get curious about others and find a connection than to pitch what you have and hope there’s interest.

Research uncovers the answers so you can take targeted action. And if you hate the word research, try the words questioning or asking on for size. All you are doing is asking questions to find out what you need to know. It doesn’t need to be some formal thing. Although, the more you have on the line the more methodology you may need to put in place.

So much pain is created by getting caught in what I call the action loop. Action after action is taken with no results. It kind of feels like banging your head against a brick wall. It’s painful and frustrating.

So, Carson City, what questions do you need to ask this week? Who do you need to ask them to? How can you remove your bias, what you want the answer to be, to discover the real answer? How could having these answers change your life and business? The floor is open for discussion.

GET INSPIRED


Motivation Monday with Diane Dye Hansen at Adams Hub for Innovation from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Up to two free 30-minute face to face sessions. Email grow@adamshub.com to schedule an appointment).




October 11, 2017: Entrepreneurs Assembly at Adam’s Hub for Innovation, inside The Studio. 5:30 pm, free mastermind group.



Schedule a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation with Diane any time at whatworkscoaching.com.

What Works Coaching

Diane Dye Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, an individual and organizational coaching and consulting firm based in Carson City. She has 20 years of experience working with top corporations, growing businesses, motivated entrepreneurs, and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Diane holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing from Cal State San Bernardino. She is also a candidate for a Master’s degree in Communications Management from the University of Southern California. Her column appears every Monday, and sometimes Tuesday, in Carson Now.