BCS 213 – Feedback, Rules, and Growth: Boosting Performance in Business and Coaching

In this insightful episode of Business Coaching Secrets, hosts Karl Bryan and Rode Dog dive deep into workplace culture, staff retention, the true importance of measurement in business, and the mental strategies required to operate from your goals instead of simply moving toward them. From practical hiring and management lessons derived from the NHL and the media, to probing questions about self-imposed rules, Karl and Rode Dog deliver a toolkit for coaches and business owners ready to level up both their practice and their mindset.

Key Topics Covered

Staff Retention, Company Culture, and Leadership Presence

• Discussion kicks off with parallels between NHL free agency, media pressure, and the effects of leadership changes on team culture.

• Karl shares why staff leave more often due to unclear rules and lack of inspiring company culture, not poor individual performers.

Measurement, Feedback, and Fixing Hidden Problems

• Rode Dog presses the importance of regularly surveying both staff and clients rather than assuming everyone is happy.

• Karl breaks down why companies with the best cultures have clear rules and measurement systems—and why systems must apply to management as well.

• Critical metrics like Google reviews and real-time feedback loops are essential for discovering underlying problems before they become crises.

Goal Setting: Operating FROM Your Goals

• Karl reveals the mental shift of acting as if you’ve already achieved your goals—moving from outcomes backwards rather than struggling “towards” them.

• He highlights the importance of setting intentions over simple goals, reverse engineering desired outcomes, and the role of the subconscious in execution.

• The duo discuss letters to your future self and how visualizing your ideal day strengthens clarity and commitment.

Buying vs. Selling: The Biggest Hidden Profit Lever

• Controversial statement: “You make money when you buy, not when you sell.”

• Karl explains, using the T-shirt retail model, why distribution and purchasing decisions have far greater profit impact than shaving pennies from product cost.

The Power of Environment on the Subconscious Mind

• How your daily habits, your circle of friends, events you attend, and even the TV you watch can strengthen (or sabotage) your mindset and results.

• Why old AND rich mentors are goldmines, and the different environments each lead to.

Notable Quotes

“You’ve got to have good culture. Show me a company with fabulous culture—I’ll show you a company with rules.” – Karl Bryan

“What rules do you have for yourself in the way that you operate and the things that must get done on a daily basis?” – Rode Dog

“If you’re not measuring it, you just… you don’t know. Staff or clients could be walking out the door, and you’d have no clue.” – Karl Bryan

“You make money when you buy, not when you sell. Buying is insanely important.” – Karl Bryan

“You talk to yourself more than you talk to anyone. My question is, what are you saying? What you say after ‘I am’ is so important.” – Karl Bryan

Actionable Takeaways

1. Measure Everything—Relentlessly

• Build feedback loops with regular staff and client surveys.

• Set “rules” for measurement—make it a non-negotiable habit.

2. Define and Reinforce Company Rules

• Culture is built on the rulebook. Be explicit about expectations and hold everyone (yourself included) accountable.

3. Evaluate Your Buy vs. Sell Process

• Focus on improving the cost structure and logistics of purchasing/distribution, not just sales techniques or product tweaks.

4. Shift Your Mindset: Operate FROM the Goal

• Visualize your goals as already achieved and reverse-engineer the steps to get there.

• Set compelling intentions behind each goal instead of fixating on end numbers.

5. Strengthen Your Subconscious with Environment and Self-Talk

• Surround yourself with people who stretch you. Curate your inputs: what you read, listen to, watch, and who you hang out with.

• Audit your internal dialogue—reinforce with positive “I am” statements.

6. Write Letters to Your Future Self

• Try exercises like writing yourself a letter dated a year from now, congratulating yourself for achievements, and reflecting on what changed.

Resources Mentioned

• Profit Acceleration Software™ (by Karl Bryan) for demonstrating and creating value in business coaching

• Google Reviews as live client feedback indicators

• Local networking and business organizations (BNI, chambers, exclusive clubs)

• Daily reflection and goal-setting exercises (journaling, self-letters)

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See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets!

Ready to elevate your coaching business? Don’t wait! Listen now and shift your growth into high gear. For a demo of Karl Bryan’s Profit Acceleration Software™, visit https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

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Founder of The Six-Figure Coach Magazine—helps business coaches get clients. Period.

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