Don’t let a statement like, “We can’t do that because we don’t have sufficient resources” hold you back.

That’s simply an arbitrary constraint you do not need to put on yourself. Leave that kind of thinking to all the other business owners, managers and leaders. It is backward thinking and simply not done by the great leaders you are emulating.

Here’s the point:

Decide on your objectives first and then get the resources required.

Never, never slow down the progress of your company, department or project simply because you do not have the resources in hand. It is vitally important for you to internalize the key points:

First establish a direction and next find the resources you need—not the other way around.

And then, leverage them all for maximum productivity.

Most of the time business owners get this all backwards.

Far too many times great opportunities are discarded, goals are lowered, plans are modified and compromises made all because of lack of resources.

To illustrate a point, I’d like you to imagine a distribution company with three branch offices in various parts of their metropolitan area.

One day, a member of the management team enters the office filled with excitement. She’s just seen an outstanding opportunity that’s come about because a competitor ran out of enthusiasm.

As it turned out, the competitor was planning on building a new branch office in exactly the spot the company had been dreaming about.

Apparently, all the plans had been completed; a building site in a terrific location had been selected and the down payment had been made; plus, a project manager had been working. Nonetheless, the project has been scrapped.

Everyone on the team recognized that this was a great opportunity literally being laid at their feet. They recognized the competitor had a great deal of time, money, due diligence and planning invested.

All that was needed was to take things over at the point the competition left off and they would save a great deal of their own time and money.

However, everyone on the management team was busy with other undertakings, their line of credit at the bank was maxed, and they were remodeling one of their existing office locations.

So, they decided to pass on the opportunity.

Instead, they should’ve focused on whether or not the opportunity was valid and worthwhile. Or, if it’s only a distraction.

If it turns out that it’s a great opportunity, then by all means, pursue it. The problem, the real problem, they had is in making a major decision based upon “lack”.

Change that kind of thinking.

To do that, simply embrace the concept of making your decisions about what you want first and then getting the resources that you need second.

The Components

There are four major components within the concept of resource leveraging.

• The Team
• The Physical Resources
• The Processes, Systems and Procedures
• Your Personal Organization

With regards to the Team component, your focus is on building a team via an overall human resources or a human capital system. You will be creating teams from direct reports to contractors to employees of your suppliers and accelerating their performance to the highest level.

You don’t have to hire, instead you can outsource to temps and contractors. But, when you hire, hire A Players and keep them on your team.

Next, you’ll want to leverage all Physical Resources to dramatically increase productivity.

You don’t have to purchase and own everything. Instead, excel in partnering with those that already have the resources you require. And, create strategic alliances with organizations up and down the supply chain. When you do this make certain that you utilize a system of accountability so that these relationships will be high-performing ones you can count on.

Third, maximize your organization’s effectiveness by utilizing well thought out, fine-tuned and well-oiled Processes, Systems and Procedures.

Establish very clear policies to ensure that time is not spent trying to reinvent something that’s already been defined and used within your organization. Instead, insist on having everyone follow what works.

Build and maintain streamlined procedures. You’ll discover, if you have not already, that there are many things that occur within your organization that are routine. Every one of them should be encapsulated in a procedural fashion. In short, a system. This will assure that everyone is doing things precisely the same way.

This will increase productivity in dramatic fashion.

You don’t have to figure everything out every time. Instead, build, buy and use procedures, systems, software, policies and methods that have been proven to work and have withstood the test of time. Plus, go back to the basics that got you where you are today.

And fourth, learn new tools, techniques and strategies to transform your Personal Organizational skills to near super-hero levels.

At the root of your personal performance are the fundamentals. Things like collecting receivables, making sales, managing projects, hiring people, answering the phone, using social media, maintaining a website, purchasing inventory, building products…

This is very similar to what takes place every season in every sports team in the world. They all go back to the basics during training camp. You need to utilize the same sort of techniques with your yourself.

In summary, keep your focus on your objectives and refuse to let your lack of people, resources and techniques hold you back.

Here is the action you need to take.

Ask yourself what you need (people, resources, system) to make the biggest single difference in your business.

Once you have what it is clear in your mind, make a list of who you know that has exactly what you need right now.

Then, determine how you can get it. Will it take a purchase? Can you make a trade? How about a joint venture or alliance?

After you have made the determination, create a plan of action and execute it one step at a time.