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It’s early on in the week and I know that no one wants to think any harder than they have to. That’s why I thought this little graphic was the perfect post. There are nine great ideas to help you get more done without doing an exorbitant amount of reading. The best part of all…you can do any of these things today. Let me know what you think in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
Business is always changing. This means that there is no guaranteed path to success. Entrepreneurs everywhere spend time looking for an easy answer, while the truly successful business leaders know that it takes effort in several different areas to ensure true success. Here are a few ways to make sure you’re on the right path.
Writing down your goals gives you a solid reminder of what you’re working for. It also allows you to check and make sure that your efforts and your time are being put to good use. Write down every process and every step you’ve done to work your way towards your goals and write down what you need to do to finally get there.
Though it’s important to have a plan, you can’t rely on it. Nothing ever works out exactly the way you planned it so it’s important to be flexible when the changes come your way. Being able to adapt and quickly make decisions will prevent any change from slowing down your success.
Don’t let your ego prevent you from using any advice you may receive. In fact, you should be seeking out advice and insight from people who have experiences that you can learn from. Don’t ever assume you know everything you need to know and don’t ever think that you can do it all by yourself.
The internet is a powerful tool that ends up being relatively cheap. Before you jump into it, take some time to understand what your goals are and how you’re going to use the internet to achieve those goals. Build a community through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
Share in the comment box below or connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.
Forbes was kind enough to do the ‘research’ and provide the list of the richest characters in fiction. Don’t assume that they are just picking these characters at random, they actually crunch the numbers. They did the math on everything from the Dragon Smog’s treasure stash (The Hobbit) to Forest Gump’s shares in Apple. I thought this would be a fun way to start the week off. Enjoy!
Many startups think it’s okay to skip over the branding process. The idea that, “We’ll figure out who we are later,” has sent many a startups to their doom. Every company, product or service needs to develop a strong brand to hold up the weight of everything they do, just like every person needs a spine. Here are a few things that EVERY small business should know about branding.
1. Be consistent. – Most people understand the importance of being consistent in their brand image but it’s also important to be consistent with your brand message. People won’t remember your message if you don’t tell them repeatedly or if you don’t send it in a consistent way.
2. Keep your sales team on the same page. – Sales people are good at doing whatever it takes to make a sale, even if they have to embellish your message a little bit. The resulting problem is your customers having inconsistent expectations.
3. Don’t stop at your logo. – Your visual branding deserves a large chunk of your attention as well. Don’t settle with a great logo. Your colors and even the fonts you use should be the same on every touch point you have with your customers. Create branding guidelines to set precedence for anything that you create.
4. Your brand has values. – Your values matter to your customers. You need to be clear in what your brand values and what makes it different. You should always be able to explain who you are, what you do, and why it matters.
5. Don’t dilute yourself. - Be the best you, not the best everything. If you try to be competitive in every category you’ll water your brand down. Find your sweet spot and stick to it. If you want to be the most innovative brand in your category don’t try to also be the cheapest and the most reliable.
How much thought did you put into your brand? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
The world has obviously changed and it continues to do so at an increasing rate. Trying to keep up with where we are often times makes us forget about where we’ve been. That’s why I really liked this infographic. It takes a look back on how the work world has changed and covers how labor day was started. If you ever feel like you’re working too hard or too much, take a look at this and see how things used to be.
If you start a business you need to be prepared to fail. No business has a perfect track record, though some are worse than others. What really makes a difference is what you learn from the mistakes you make. If you don’t learn you’re doomed to repeat that failure over and over again. Here are a few ways to get the most out of, and recover from, your epic fails.
The last thing you want to do is let a mistake take up more of your time and resources than it has to. Think of your fails as a learning experience and use them as a process for research and development. Try something out with a small sample group and if it doesn’t stick, move on! Keep trying until you find something that works.
“People never fail at anything–they just give up.” – Harvey Mackay
Most people fear failure but if you’re encourage your team to embrace failure as a result of trying new ideas, you will experience more good failures than bad. Empower your team to try out new ideas, this empowers them to drive the growth of your company. Make sure they know that failure is acceptable… as long as they learn something from it.
Succeeding all the time can lead to mediocrity. A good old fashioned fail can teach you what you’re good at and what you’re not. It also gives you insight as to what your customers really want. Make sure that every time you fail you learn something about what you’re good at and how to use it as well as what you’re not good at and how to avoid it.
What has been your best failure? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
You’re a leader. You lead your employees and you lead your company. That being said, you probably want to make sure you’re leading them in the right direction and in the best way possible. You want to inspire the people who work for you to create their best work and you want to make the decisions that keep your company growing. Here are a few things to do to make sure you are an incredible boss.
Without great employees you’re essentially running a one-person show. Take the time to really train and develop your team so that they are all confident in what they’re doing and so they know how to bring their own talents to the table. Instead of focusing on results, focus on development and the results will follow.
Putting off problems is a great way to tell your employees that you don’t have time for them. It’s also a great way to kill morale. Put the time in immediately to prevent any negative feelings and results from backing up. Never hope a problem will just magically go away or that someone else will deal with it. Face it head on and take care of business.
The best leaders are also servants. Don’t ever make it all about you. When you are congratulating your employees, leave the part you played out of it. Never do or say anything that puts you in the spotlight. When you go above and beyond, you’re doing your job. Don’t look for extra attention. When your employees go above and beyond they deserve some recognition, especially from you.
What do you think makes a great boss? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
In life and in business it’s important to ask questions. It’s more important to ask the right questions. That’s why I really liked this video from the Harvard Business Review. This experience comes from a more technical field but the ideas can apply to any business. Ask the right questions to figure out the most simple solution.
How do you usually approach problems in your organization? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” Sun Tzu
Having a strategy to achieve any goal is one of the smartest things you can do. As the leader of your organization, you are responsible to see how all of the different pieces work and how you can use them to achieve your goals and continue to grow. Your company and your people need you to be the strategic one, they can handle everything else.
Here are a few habits to start developing if you want to become a master strategist:
1. Anticipate Everything
Everyone is looking forward. It’s your job to see what’s coming at you from all angles. Opportunities may be standing right next to you so it’s your job to turn your head and see them. You should:
- Look for game-changing information in the periphery of your industry
- Search beyond any boundaries you currently have
- Build a bigger network to help you scan for those opportunities
2. Start thinking Critically
Don’t settle for the obvious conclusion and don’t ever do what everyone else is doing. Question every new method that presents itself before you make the decision to put any of your resources into trying it. Force yourself to:
- Reframe your current problems
- Challenge your current mindset and beliefs
- Uncover hypocrisy, manipulation, and bias in any and all decision making
3. Make Decisions
There comes a point when you have enough information to make a decision. Don’t wait too long and don’t fall victim to “analysis paralysis”. Not making a decision leads to missed opportunities, and that’s something most companies can’t afford. Start:
- Carefully frame the decision to get to the crux of the matter
- Balance speed, rigor, quality and agility. Let your superiors worry about perfection.
- Take a stand even when there’s more data to collect and especially when people don’t all agree.
Find more habits to help you become a better strategist here.
What habits help you think more strategically? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.