The Essence Map is a tool we have found useful in helping people to shift more and more into being at their best. It’s a tool I’d like to use to help transform how we conduct business, bringing with us the best of business, leaving behind once and for all those practices that deplete people, resources and the planet.

We use the Essence Map to talk about what is essential, and thus focus on the essential versus focusing on drama.

One of the tricky aspects of Focusing on the Essential is that it’s looking at something intangible. It’s like putting your trust in the wind: you can’t actually see it but you can see the effect it creates. How do you put your trust in something like the wind?

Here are some ideas I’ve put together to help us make the business case for Focusing on the Essential. I’d love to see these ideas evolve into something even more compelling and useful – with your help…

1. Look at the benefits of focusing on the essential. Some possibilities:
   • Full engagement
   • Energy
   • Creativity
   • Innovation
   • Health
   • Productivity
   • Focus
   • Sustainability
2. Look at the costs of drama. Some possibilities:
   • Exhaustion
   • Health issues
   • Boredom
   • Stress
   • Distraction
   • Burnout
   • Insomnia
   • Detachment
   • False limitations
   • Low productivity
   • Decreased performance
   • Sabotage
   • Absenteeism
3. Make it personal. What is your personal point of pain? What is the businesses point of pain? Identify a compelling need for change.
4. Paint a picture. Use the Essence Map or some other way of demonstrating the cost of Drama. Emphasize that a different way is needed to achieve results that are liberated from the constraints of Drama.
5. Bring hope. Ask questions about what people want. Access their desire for something better. Be relentless about seeing the Essential Best of each person you work with.
6. Keep it simple. Stay clear by being at your own Essential Best. Drama is confusing and creates complexity.
7. Take a stand. Be a leader for yourself and others – for being at your Essential Best and by coaching and challenging others to be at their Essential Best.
8. Become an expert. Being able to shift from Drama to Essence over and over will give you the confidence to coach and lead others.

People have become confused. Many think that results and money are what is most important. What’s ironic is that when we focus on the essential, money and results are handled, often beyond our wildest imaginings. Now is an incredible time for us – as people remember that time with their families, their happiness, their sense of well being is most important. We have an opportunity to help translate these realizations into a more evolved way of conducting business.

The more clear we are about all of this, the easier it will be to create it – in simple, fun and easy ways!

So what are your ideas for making the business case for focusing on the essential? What gets you confused? What helps you stay clear? I’d love to hear from you …