Sure, you’re wondering if you read the title correctly, or if I’m referring to another Richard Engel besides the NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent. (Or maybe you’re asking, “who in the heck is Richard Engel?!”) Your initial thought was correct. I’m talking about the Richard Engel, whom you’ve probably seen at least once over the past few years covering events in the Middle East. How can he help my business, you ask? Okay, so Richard Engel probably can’t directly help your business per se, but there are a few key lessons to be garnered from his work as a reporter that can help your business move forward.

1)     Don’t be afraid to jump in head first and truly live your business

It’s clear that Richard Engel has no problem diving right into the thick of riots, protests, and wars. He’s in it, it’s personal, and it’s pretty much his whole life (at least from what I can gather). He’s lived in the Middle East for several years, can easily navigate his way around, and he experiences the same world as those he’s reporting on. With that in mind, do you live and breathe your business? Whether just starting out or celebrating your 50th year, do you feel 100% committed to your work? (Don’t get me wrong – a healthy life/work balance is important too.) However, the level of growth your business has this next year will correlate with your level of passion, commitment, and willingness to let yourself be completely dedicated to accomplishing your goals. Do you understand the environment your business is operating in? Are you willing to take some risks or venture down a different path to get where you need to be? Are you ready to give your business everything you have to offer – your best ideas, creativity, leadership, and sheer effort?

2)     Get to know the people, landscape, and culture

This is probably the most obvious and well known advice for running a business (i.e. “know thy customer”), but I believe it can’t be said enough, and we all need to remember to focus on what truly drives our business – our customers. Not only is Richard Engel fluent in Arabic, he can speak a multitude of local dialects. He can tell you about the customs and traditions of a specific region, what’s going on in local politics, and I’m sure even the best places to eat local fare.  Have you taken time recently or even this week to check in with your top customers? What are they hoping to accomplish this year? What challenges are they facing or anticipating in the months to come? Have they found a new restaurant they love? Perhaps it’s time to meet there for lunch.

3)     Don't quit too early or leave town when things get rough

From the riots in Egypt’s Tahrir Square to the protests in Libya, Richard Engel continued to report the news, often putting himself just feet away from eruptions of outright violence. As a result of his commitment, he was able to bring firsthand knowledge (and video) of what was actually happening on the ground to the outside world. While running your business most likely isn’t as dangerous as Engel’s day job (at least I hope it’s not), I believe it’s important to stand firm in place, observe, learn what you can, and then take action. This can be quite challenging to practice, especially if all around you, others are heading for cover. Whether applying this concept to something as small as a new marketing campaign or as important as choosing the direction for your company, there is a lot to be said about bravely allowing yourself to be in an uncomfortable, chaotic, or ambiguous space. You never know what you’ll learn or discover in the midst of chaos.

4)     Know your history

If you’ve watched Richard Engel’s reports, you know that he can tell you a detailed history of whatever town, city, or country he’s in and how past events are shaping current ones. So it should be with your business. How have other companies in your industry succeeded or failed in the past? Were there any pitfalls that more than one of your competitors succumbed to? How have previous laws, political climates, or consumer trends shaped the way your specific industry operates today. What can you gain or leverage from the past to move your business forward in the next year or even 5 years? It’s so easy to just get caught up in the most pressing challenge of the day that we forget the answer might actually be just out of reach behind us rather than right in front of us.

The next time you’re flipping through channels and catch some news, I encourage you to think about how a great reporter’s instincts and skills could be applied to developing your business. In the meantime, reconnect with your customers, survey the landscape, brush up on your history, and take a leap. You never know what you might discover or accomplish this year.