Summer is a busy time of year and sometimes our schedules become filled with all sorts of things. As thoughts of warm sun and iced tea by the pool begin to fill our minds, it’s easy to let the productive things fade from our mind as we drift to the task of finding a swimsuit that will be gracious to the extra 5 pounds we put on this year. Hear this: it’s absolutely important to enjoy your family time, vacation and time off. Those things should be top priority for the health of you and your family relationships. However, be sure not to neglect the relationships that made that vacation financially possible.
Archive for Leadership
Summer Time Slacker
Back to School Thoughts
If you have kids and are like me, every year you dread the first day of school. Not for the same reasons that kids do though :~) Though most parents are worn out from a summer of rearranging their schedule and playing referee when your kids could use a break from each other, the first day of school is an event of reflection. I can’t believe that my Halee is entering the fifth grade. Her last year in elementary school before she dives into the pressures of “big kid” environments. Not to mention my baby girl Ruthie starting Kindergarten. It’s crazy and causes me to think back on the joyous moments when I held them in my arms for the first time.
Change In Operating Strategy
Since the subject of delivery problems is on my mind. I thought I’d mention that most delivery problems are actually a operating strategy problem.
Don’t Have A Delivery Problem
Whether you are providing a product or a service, this is one of the most important things you must remember. Your clients don’t care who didn’t show up for work, who’s sick, what shipment didn’t come in, or any of the other things that could keep you from delivering on your customer’s expectations.
If it’s a supply problem, find a different supplier. Your customer doesn’t care if your price is 10% lower than the guy down the road if you don’t have any in stock but the guy down the road does. Though your customer may feel empathetic for your employee with the flu, they would rather call the other company with a whole team of people that could help them immediately, than sitting around hoping your one employee will get well soon.
ONE
I’ve heard it said that the worst number of all for a business owner or leader is the number “one“. This is true for so many reasons. It can be hard to multiply because it takes risk, work, determination, sometimes disappointment, but multiples is nearly always better.
- If you have only one sales person and she leaves the organization: Who’ll sell new clients to keep the production team busy?
- If you have only one person producing all sold services or goods and they are unable to work for a period of time: Who’ll produce all of the things your sales team promises to your clients?
No Excuses… Inspiring
I had a chance to talk to a group of high school students a couple of months ago and one of the things we discussed was how important it is to take responsibility for yourself and not to make excuses. Most of us have some trial or another in our lives but those who become successful and make an impact on their lives, their communities and others around them, are the ones who don’t make excuses.
Blending In is Bad Advice
My Step Father was a pretty good guy. He was a much older gentleman (old enough to be my grandfather) who fought in the second World War. After the war, he was stationed in the last US Horse Calvary unit, which patrolled the US / Mexico border. My mother met him when I was in junior high school and he was a breath of fresh air who shared tons of advice with me during my teenage years before passing away when I was 22.
10 Reasons to Try Something New Now
- Start-Up costs are low and negotiable.
- Low overhead (technology has made the in-home office acceptable and efficient).
- Potential clients are seeking opportunites.
- Your audience is looking for something new and fresh.
- Chances are that your current situation is volatile anyway.
- You can be the hero when you’re the first moving forward.
- The best customers will be the first ones captured.
- The leftover customers are the biggest pain.
- Your competition is waiting.
- Next year, month, week, or tomorrow may be too late.
Don’t Miss This Bus
So a new year has begun and most people have made their resolutions (and many of them have already been broken). So, is yours still going strong. I have another challenge for you.
I happen to have couple of friends who’re currently wrestling over the decision of leaping from the assurance of a bi-weekly paycheck that a corporate job brings and venturing on to try their hand on their own. Though they know they have much needed products and services to offer and can offer them with a far higher level of service than their competitors. They’re just scared. The thing is, it’s not just these individuals that are battling this. On what seems like a daily basis, I meet business owners and decision makers that know what steps they need to take in order to bring their company to the next level but want to “feel out” the market (aka until it’s too late and be the last to join in) before making a move.
Sacrifice: It’s Worth It.
I often see people adding too many things into their schedule or list of priorities. Sometimes it’s the family that simply ads
another youth activity to the car pooling frenzy that stresses mom out. Other times it’s the company that learns of a great idea and ads it to the list of tasks and practices that are filling their employees schedules. For all of us it’s the simplest things that give us trouble with sacrifice, like what or how much to eat, or what show to watch on tv.
