Preferences

When I first read the ‘green book’ – Thought Leaders Curriculum, I was captivated with the line “do work you love, with people you like the way you want.”

Doing what I want, with who I want, how I want, has always been a life theme. As a child, my nickname was Princess Iwanta as I was born very ‘wanty’. I am forever grateful to have been raised with the beliefs that I deserve to have what I want and that I have the ability to make things happen. Those are two very useful beliefs!

Knowing what you want is incredibly important in running a thought leaders practice.

• What market do you want to work with?
• What mode do you want to deliver in?
• What type of clients do you prefer?

The word “preferences” is the intersection of “message” and “mode” in the cluster model. It is an incredibly important part of any cluster.

The word preference means to like, to choose, or to want. What is the point of running a practice if you are not working in a way that you choose? Doing things that you want!

Knowing your preferences is vital. Considering your client’s preferences is smart. When developing a cluster, it is clever to consider what time of day might be the best time for them to attend a workshop, what day of the week might work, the length of the sessions they would like.

When you consider other people’s preferences, you are showing them how you value them. When you consider yours, you are valuing yourself.

Take time to notice your preferences:

What time of the day do you prefer to work?
What type of clients do you love to work with?
What type of environments do you love to be present in?
What type of space do you prefer to think in?
What do you prefer to wear when you are presenting?

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.”
Rumi

Lisa O’Neill
CEO