Did you know that the vast majority of small businesses are one-man shows? And, it’s no wonder. Managing employees can be a challenge. You’ve undoubtedly heard many horror stories about late, rude, or lazy employees. But, just because those are the stories that get circulated, doesn’t mean all (or even most) employees are inadequate.
Good leadership & management can sometimes mean the difference between having poor, satisfactory, and phenomenal employees. Here are some ideas for encouraging employee excellence:
1- Build a culture of productivity. From the moment you first interview a candidate, they should understand your expectations. Whether your culture is a high-stress, strict regime, or a laid back, go with the flow atmosphere, be sure your employees truly comprehend that you value and expect productivity.
2- Offer performance incentives. Even the most dedicated and self-motivated worker needs an external incentive on occasion. Think of an incentive (such as Employee of the Month, or additional bonuses) that you can consistently offer based on performance.
3- Have employees learn your Brand Foundation (values, mission, brand promise, non-negotiables). Make sure your staff is aware of the company’s purpose. When the entire company is united in a common purpose, more work and better work gets done.
4- Give your employees a chance to grow. Too many business owners are tempted to do it all themselves. Relinquish your tight hold on the company and give your employees a chance to solve problems, try new ideas, and put their own thoughts and ideas to the test.
5- Practice “lavish praise and quick corrections.” One of my favorite books is The One-Minute Manager. You should read it. The essence of it is to catch people doing well and point it out to them. But you also have to quickly correct and reprimand when you see something outside of what you expect.
Whether you have 1 employee or 50, these suggestions will ensure a productive workplace and employee satisfaction while allowing to sleep better at night!
When asked about his outstanding performance on the ice, Wayne Gretzky replied, “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”
Where is your business focusing? I’ve found that one of the most powerful practices as an entrepreneur is to regularly spend time away from my office and my daily tacticals every month to dream a little and to envision my company 1, 3, 5 years into the future. At LeapZone, Margarita and I spend at least 1 day a month, away from the office, to stay connected and stay aligned with what makes us and keeps us great.
Here is what we normally keep an eye on.
1. Our Brand Foundation: We religiously stay connected with our values, purpose, brand promise, x-factor and unique selling proposition to make sure that we are in alignment.
2. Our Systems: We constantly look for ways to refining and simplify our systems and client touch points to make sure that we are efficient and consistent. People want to seamless and consistent experiences.
3. Our Auto-Pilot: We always look for ways to simplify, eliminate or automate all of our re-occurring tasks where ever possible.
Every time I take time away to “fly into the future” to look at my business from a bird’s eye view, it helps me look at my business from an entrepreneur’s perspective instead of a technician lost in a sea of TO DOs. It makes it easier for me to stay connected to my present purpose allowing me to better push through obstacles while keeping an eye on the big picture.
Spend some time in the future and you’ll be able to “skate to where the puck is going to be!”
We apologize to all our faithful subscribers for confusing the heck out of you today. I bet you are wondering why in the world you received a post from us that said “We Are Sorry To See You Go!” Please disregard it. We were testing something on our blog that totally backfired on us.
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There is no such thing as “Time Management”. Yet, it’s the number one challenge I hear about the most from clients. Let’s set one thing crystal clear: You CANNOT manage time. You can only manage YOURSELF within the time you have…and that goes for everyone, no exceptions. Oh, and…you CANNOT multi-task either (I know, this may hurt to hear as multi-tasking is for some people, a proud asset)
Here is a quick video that illustrates my point very well.
(Thanks Fast Company & UPS for a great job!)
For that reason, Margarita and I created BUBBLE TIME™ back in our Scenario Design days (our previous business) simply to increase productivity level and to gain our sanity back. There comes a point when enough is enough. We ran a very tight ship with an amazing team…but we often had crazy deadlines, huge deliverables, phones constantly ringing off the hook, lots of meetings…and we had an open concept office…need I say more! Way to many disruptions. We felt un-productive and in constant lack of time. We COMMITTED to Bubble Time.
BENEFITS OF BUBBLE TIME™
Increased productivity
Getting more done in less time
Building and sustaining momentum
How well you do at managing YOURSELF depends on how well you implement these 5 key habits:
Declare and Commit to BUBBLE TIME™ Declare and commit to a specific, daily block of time. We recommend a block of minimum 1.5 hrs to allow you enough time to get a few things done and to get use to it! It’s amazing what you can accomplish in a single hour of un-disrupted time.
Book BUBBLE TIME™ in your Calendar Pre-book that daily time in your calendar for at least 30 days. 1 month will allow you to form a habit and will also allow you to see if that time of day is good for you. If not, try a different time that may work better for you. At Scenario Design, we committed to a 3 hrs “Bubble Time” every day. We treated that block of time like GOLD. I remember Jen use to shout “10 minutes to Bubble Time”. She was the one with the whip to keep us in line! We became an unstoppable well oiled machine!
Respect your BUBBLE TIME™ Treat that block of time like you treat a client meeting…only this time, the client is YOU. This is YOUR time to get things done. NO phones, NO emails, NO interruptions. Be 100% present at the task at hand. Unless you’re a Brain Surgeon…you DO NOT have to be available 24/7.
Lick the Toad! As Coach Kevin would say.
Start with “the something” that you have been avoiding. Take that time to get rid of the things that weight on you the most. That phone call that you have been dreading, those old client files that need to be de-briefed and closed, that client that you need to fire!…just do it. Waiting just makes that toad uglier and nastier by the minute. Get rid of it, you will feel so much lighter and you will gain huge momentum.
Learn to say “NO”
Easier said than done you say? Actually, it’s a lot easier than you think. I have become pretty darn good at saying NO in the last few years and it feels GREAT! By respecting my time, it allows me to build momentum and feel great about what I have accomplished and therefore, it allows me to give back and help other better. Practice this one every day. Blame it on “Bubble Time” if you need to! that should lighten things up real fast!
Enjoy this new habit! Don’t be shy to leave us comments to let us know how BUBBLE TIME™ is working for you and your team.
SUBMISSIONS & QUESTIONS
LeapZone welcomes your feedback, submissions, questions and success stories.
Please use the comment section below or email rise@leapzonestrategies.com
Have you ever put on a pair of pants and found a five-dollar bill in your pocket? Can you recall a time when someone bought you lunch simply to be nice? Do you remember what it feels like to receive a present “just because?” Well, that’s the type of feeling you provide your customers when you give them more than they are expecting.
Imagine how your customer will feel about you, when they purchase a product or service and receive an added bonus. Imagine how your prospects will respond to your marketing when they receive a free gift (without even making a purchase!)
Giving “more” is a simple, inexpensive way to instantly improve your relationship with both customers and prospects.
Ideas for gifts… that cost you nothing!
Free Whitepapers
Free Reports
Newsletters
Admittance to webinars
Industry specific bonuses (i.e. recipes, sporting tips, coupons)
Trial offers
Ideas for gifts… that cost you a small amount
Company logo items (hats, water bottles, mouse pads, etc.)
Non-related materials (stuffed animals, candy, paperweights, etc)
One of your products or services at no cost to them
Calendars
Food
The return on your “gift” investment could be worth thousands of dollars in sales. Make that extra effort and give your customers more than they are looking for.
Leap of the Week: Think of one value added gesture that you can start implementing this week that will add an element of surprise for your clients….and remember to keep it simple and sustainable…’cause, consistency is key.
Did you know that the vast majority of small businesses are one-man shows? And, it’s no wonder. Managing employees can be a challenge. You’ve undoubtedly heard many horror stories about late, rude, or lazy employees. But, just because those are the stories that get circulated, doesn’t mean all (or even most) employees are inadequate.
