Archive for July, 2009
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In a previous post, I talked about the Top 3 Productivity Killers and how to bust them. As a momentum generator, allow me to now introduce you to Killer #4 and #5, along with solutions to bust them once and for all to increase your efficiency and level of satisfaction.
KILLER #4: Having too many open “idling” issues.
Idling or unresolved issues, or even pending decisions, can be a huge mental and physical drain, not to mention a prime feeder to Killer #1 (increases your level of distraction). If you have an unresolved issue or decisions to make, and who doesn’t, it is critical to give it the attention it needs daily to avoid creating more ugly tasks.
SOLUTION: Daily Huddles. At LeapZone, Margarita and I resolve most of our pressing issues, debates or urgent decisions to make in Daily Huddles (or our PowWows as we like to call it). We have an ongoing “Needs Attention ASAP” folder and take 15 to 20 minutes daily to discuss the folder’s issues, questions or projects to first determine their true priority level, then the next steps to take, as well as who will be the leader of this task. It’s a great way to stay on top of things, avoid procrastination and make sure that nothing is being ignored.
So, make a list of all unresolved issues and decisions to be made and start implementing Daily Huddles. If you work alone, start your own Daily Phone Huddles with a trusted mentor, a business coach or colleague to help you prioritize and problem solve. It will help your focus, productivity and most of all, it will keep you accountable.
KILLER #5: Not taking care of yourself.
We all know that it’s important to eat well, exercise regularly and get enough sleep, however the excuse we hear the most for not doing these things is, “I don’t have enough time”. I say, “What do these things have to do with time mastery?” Nothing. But it is a critical component of self mastery. Time Management should be completely removed from our vocabulary since “time” cannot be managed. We all have 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week no matter how loud we scream. It’s how we manage ourselves within the time we have that makes the biggest difference.
SOLUTION: Determine and commit to your “Winning Ritual”. The most high-performing human beings, whether athletes, performers or business leaders, all have a “Self Care Winning Ritual”. Knowing what makes you sharp and keeps you sharp is key. For myself, I know that starting my day with “ME time” is my ticket. An early yoga and meditation class allows me to get focused and grounded. Once I have done that, I start my work day by reviewing and giving attention to my Non-Negotiable or Mission Critical of the day. The one thing that, when done, will give me most satisfaction and momentum.
What’s your “Winning Ritual”?
Share your thoughts and insights by leaving a comment. We love to hear from our readers.
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Taking responsibility for ourselves, our actions, our words, is one of those things in my opinion, you just shouldn’t do half way. You either fully admit to something or fully commit to do something; going half way on either of these lessens your own self-respect, and the respect of others towards you. Your confidence decreases, you begin to avoid situations that have become “sticky”, and your overall belief in what you stand for slowly drains away. Not a happy time.
So, let’s take a look at responsibility, or in other words, your response-ability. The ability to choose how you will respond to any given situation. We all have that ability and that choice; are you taking advantage of it, is the question.
Here are 3 things to remember when faced with providing a challenging response:
- Breathe and think back to the core of what you stand for and how your next words or actions will represent you.
- Realize the initial reaction you may be feeling is an emotion triggered by some past event(s), and you can choose to change the course of that trigger by tapping into your truth in an honest and open way.
- Know that no one is perfect and if you need to admit to a bad decision on your part, then stand strong and admit it. In most cases, doing so lifts a very big weight off your shoulders, and makes the other party feel heard, understood, and then understanding of your predicament.
Test your response-ability today!
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Did you know that satisfying and retaining current customers is 3 to 10 times cheaper than acquiring new ones?
And that 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated?
Studies show that 68% of customers leave because they feel they are being treated indifferently, and not because of a “bad” experience, poor quality products, or better pricing somewhere else. Precisely why it’s so important to be sure that your customers feel valued and appreciated at all times…not just through the buying process.
When Margarita and I owned and operated Scenario Design (a branding and design firm), we understood this concept very well and became masters at consistently being there for our customers through thick and thin. We delivered great value day in and day out. We made it a part of our culture to provide our customers with little “extras” and “perks” all the time, and for no particular reason. Each month, we would choose a “Hero of the Month” and reward our customer and their team with something special. We would contact all of our customers on a regular basis to offer them our assistance and to share new ideas and solutions for spreading the word.
At one point, one of our customers decided to leave us for a “cheaper” designer, and then soon came back because they realized even though we were more expensive, the process and deliverables were so much better working with us. Hey! You get what you pay for! What is cheap is often expensive, and what’s “expensive” is often great value.
The point is we were excellent about getting things done while making it easy and effortless for our customers and always, always delivered before we said we would. What better way is there to ensure customer loyalty?
So now, here is the million dollar question: Do you spend more time, energy and resources on trying to gain new customers than you do on keeping your existing ones?
Leap of the Week: Think of 3 simple, inexpensive things you could do for your customers to increase their satisfaction and show them how much you care. Then, implement one TODAY! There is no need to spend a lot of money, what’s important is that your action is highly valuable to your customers because there is nothing more powerful than simply appreciating people and making them feel valued.
And, keep in mind that loyalty is earned, one customer interaction at a time.
To learn more about how LeapZone Strategies can help you increase brand equity and profitability through business and branding strategies, strategic planning, performance coaching and brand development, fill out our free Needs Assessment Questionnaire today.
Follow LeapZone on Twitter.
Full of useful tips and tools, this life-changing book is a must read for any entrepreneur wanting to create a business that works for you, instead of you working for the business! Written in a very lighthearted and comical tone, Timothy Ferriss captures and engages you to escape the 9 to 5 and truly become the boss of your entire life, not only your business.
MyTradeFinder is a building trade lookup tool for home owners, designers, architects and building contractors wanting to locate trades; all centralized in one website for anyone interested to find and contact. They currently share listings in Vancouver and across British Columbia, and their goal is to grow the community across Canada with your contributions.
If you would like to suggest a trade to the MyTradeFinder community, simply complete a short form, add a review, and register on the site. Registration allows them to validate the information provided. Registration on the site allows you to centralize all the trades you have added so you can locate them easily for future reference. If you would like to add your business, you can do so free of charge with a basic listing.
Take a look and find good, reliable construction trades, quickly and easily.
