TIPS TO IMPROVE BUSINESS SUCCESS
1. Attitude
The Definition of Insanity is: “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
So, if you continue to “use” the “same old, same old” procedures nothing will be different for the business.
Change is the only solution.
Forward planning is an essential part of a good business. Being prepared to implement changes that might not be palatable, especially to staff, can be a deterrent. But you have to if you want to survive in the industry.
Some points about change:
1. Change is difficult. It’s usually met with a “its all too hard” attitude
2. Change is usually obstructed; comfort zones are being intruded upon
3. Change must be gradual, too much too quickly can have disastrous effects, but
a dissection of the word itself following, letter by letter, speaks for itself:
C - Challenge
H – Habits (old) inhibit progress
A - Acceptance by all is necessary
N - Needed to survive
G – Goals for future
E – Eventually embraced by all
So, if you continue to “use” the “same old, same old” procedures nothing will be different for the business.
Change is the only solution.
Forward planning is an essential part of a good business. Being prepared to implement changes that might not be palatable, especially to staff, can be a deterrent. But you have to if you want to survive in the industry.
Some points about change:
1. Change is difficult. It’s usually met with a “its all too hard” attitude
2. Change is usually obstructed; comfort zones are being intruded upon
3. Change must be gradual, too much too quickly can have disastrous effects, but
a dissection of the word itself following, letter by letter, speaks for itself:
C - Challenge
H – Habits (old) inhibit progress
A - Acceptance by all is necessary
N - Needed to survive
G – Goals for future
E – Eventually embraced by all
2. Effective Communication Techniques
We deal with a wide cross section of clients, and they are all very different; so we need to communicate effectively if we are going to communicate accurately.
We know we need to be aware of people’s feelings/emotions if we are going to identify with them and then work at creating and maintaining a good relationship with them. We need to ask them the right questions, listen to their responses, and be very observant of their body language as they respond.
Sometimes, vital clues as to their individuality and emotional state can be pretty revealing from how they communicate.
Experts say the three ways we effectively communicate are
i. what we say
ii. how we say it, and
iii. body language
And, according to these experts the break-up of these 3 in the communication package is:
What we say - 7% - bet you got that wrong
How we say it - 38%
Body language - 55% - bet you got that wrong too
Face to face, and preferably at your office, is the only way to communicate effectively with clients, so don’t try and get price reductions, negotiate or handle difficult situations by phone or correspondence.
When you use the phone, you are only using 45% of the communication availability to “read” the person you are communicating with.
Example: When you meet with them at your office to obtain price reductions or present offers sit them down, give them the offer letter to read, then shut up (yes, you must) and watch their body language. Their head will be (unconsciously) nodding in agreement with everything you are saying in the letter; but when they finish reading it and look up don’t say anything because the next person to talk loses.
The seller will, of course, say they “can’t” either reduce the price to what you are seeking, or accept the offer. But you know their body language has told you they agree with you and should. So, you then just need to use your excellent powers of reason and persuasion to achieve your goal. Use emotive words to tap into their feelings.
It is vital to use your own body language effectively too, as well as be able to read the body language of those you communicate with.
We know we need to be aware of people’s feelings/emotions if we are going to identify with them and then work at creating and maintaining a good relationship with them. We need to ask them the right questions, listen to their responses, and be very observant of their body language as they respond.
Sometimes, vital clues as to their individuality and emotional state can be pretty revealing from how they communicate.
Experts say the three ways we effectively communicate are
i. what we say
ii. how we say it, and
iii. body language
And, according to these experts the break-up of these 3 in the communication package is:
What we say - 7% - bet you got that wrong
How we say it - 38%
Body language - 55% - bet you got that wrong too
Face to face, and preferably at your office, is the only way to communicate effectively with clients, so don’t try and get price reductions, negotiate or handle difficult situations by phone or correspondence.
When you use the phone, you are only using 45% of the communication availability to “read” the person you are communicating with.
Example: When you meet with them at your office to obtain price reductions or present offers sit them down, give them the offer letter to read, then shut up (yes, you must) and watch their body language. Their head will be (unconsciously) nodding in agreement with everything you are saying in the letter; but when they finish reading it and look up don’t say anything because the next person to talk loses.
The seller will, of course, say they “can’t” either reduce the price to what you are seeking, or accept the offer. But you know their body language has told you they agree with you and should. So, you then just need to use your excellent powers of reason and persuasion to achieve your goal. Use emotive words to tap into their feelings.
It is vital to use your own body language effectively too, as well as be able to read the body language of those you communicate with.
.png "Effective Time Management")
3. Effective Time Management
One of the main enemies of effective Time Management (or more precisely Self- Management) is a lack of priorities.
There are two ways of prioritising your workload, these being:
1. Doing the easiest or less irksome tasks first (which over 95% of people do), and
2. Doing the most difficult tasks first
Most people that use the first approach find that, as the day is nearing to a close, they find they still have the most difficult issues to deal with and, as it’s getting close to knock-off time, these tasks get put into the next day’s list of “to dos”. This goes on for a few more days until the once “difficult” task becomes “super difficult” and even if it’s then dealt with there are greater unsatisfactory consequences.
And you don’t feel good at the end of each day knowing that tomorrow there’s still all those unresolved tough issues to tackle (which of course you don’t,).
If you deal with the most difficult issues at the start of the day, by noon you have only the simple tasks to complete and you can go home at the end of the day feeling you have accomplished your goals and managed “yourself” very effectively.
There are two ways of prioritising your workload, these being:
1. Doing the easiest or less irksome tasks first (which over 95% of people do), and
2. Doing the most difficult tasks first
Most people that use the first approach find that, as the day is nearing to a close, they find they still have the most difficult issues to deal with and, as it’s getting close to knock-off time, these tasks get put into the next day’s list of “to dos”. This goes on for a few more days until the once “difficult” task becomes “super difficult” and even if it’s then dealt with there are greater unsatisfactory consequences.
And you don’t feel good at the end of each day knowing that tomorrow there’s still all those unresolved tough issues to tackle (which of course you don’t,).
If you deal with the most difficult issues at the start of the day, by noon you have only the simple tasks to complete and you can go home at the end of the day feeling you have accomplished your goals and managed “yourself” very effectively.
4. Commitment – Words of Wisdom from an ancient Adept
Providence is the idea that the creator, a deity or God cares for and guides the world and human beings.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
5. Fear
So what is fear? Is it the uncertainty of what lies around the corner to most most people, but in reality fear is:
F - FALSE E - EXPECTATIONS A – APPEARING R - REAL
90% of what people fear never materialises, so they waste time, energy, worrying, and getting involved in unnecessary concern about something that just never happens in most instances.
So what we need to do is disregard any feelings of fear in in relation to what an outcome might be if we address an issue that involves change or something different from what we have been doing.
It is far more a business reality that 75% of plans never go according to the exact outcome we expected. But that is to be just part of how business works and accepted on face value.
Any business that can improve on that 75% average is really addressing the issue of fFEAR by embracing change with a positive attitude.
So at your next meeting this should be a topic for staff to discuss where you can share how fear of anything that is done in the business inhibits the ability to be a positive firm and not dwell in negativity.
F - FALSE E - EXPECTATIONS A – APPEARING R - REAL
90% of what people fear never materialises, so they waste time, energy, worrying, and getting involved in unnecessary concern about something that just never happens in most instances.
So what we need to do is disregard any feelings of fear in in relation to what an outcome might be if we address an issue that involves change or something different from what we have been doing.
It is far more a business reality that 75% of plans never go according to the exact outcome we expected. But that is to be just part of how business works and accepted on face value.
Any business that can improve on that 75% average is really addressing the issue of fFEAR by embracing change with a positive attitude.
So at your next meeting this should be a topic for staff to discuss where you can share how fear of anything that is done in the business inhibits the ability to be a positive firm and not dwell in negativity.
6. Six Great Quotes
Henry Ford
There are two types of people in the world. Those that believe they CAN and those that believe they CAN’T. And the reality is - they are both RIGHT.
This essentially means that people's self-belief, whether positive or negative, largely determines their outcomes in life, making their mindset a self-fulfilling prophecy.
There are two types of people in the world. Those that believe they CAN and those that believe they CAN’T. And the reality is - they are both RIGHT.
This essentially means that people's self-belief, whether positive or negative, largely determines their outcomes in life, making their mindset a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Harry S Truman
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.
Winston Churchill
Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.
Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.
Abraham Lincoln
The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time
The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time
Vince Lombadi
The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to
excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour.
The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to
excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour.
Eleanor Roosevelt
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
We have added an additional one and attributing it to the famous Chinese philosopher Confucius
Procrastinate later
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
According to Maslow (1943, 1954), human needs were arranged in a hierarchy, with physiological (survival) needs at the bottom, and the more creative and intellectually oriented ‘self-actualization’ needs at the top.
Maslow argued that survival needs must be satisfied before the individual can satisfy the higher needs. The higher up the hierarchy, the more difficult it is to satisfy the needs associated with that stage, because of the interpersonal and environmental barriers that inevitably frustrate us.
Higher needs become increasingly psychological and long-term rather than physiological and short-term, as in the lower survival-related needs.
1. Physiological needs are biological requirements for human survival, e.g., air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, and sleep.
2. Safety needs – people want to experience order, predictability, and control in their lives.
3. Love and belongingness needs refers to a human emotional need for interpersonal relationships, affiliating, connectedness, and being part of a group.
4. Esteem needs are the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy and include self-worth, accomplishment, and respect.
5. Self-actualization needs are the highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy, and refer to the realization of a person’s potential, self fulfillment, seeking personal growth, and peak experiences.
See https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html for more detailed information.
Maslow argued that survival needs must be satisfied before the individual can satisfy the higher needs. The higher up the hierarchy, the more difficult it is to satisfy the needs associated with that stage, because of the interpersonal and environmental barriers that inevitably frustrate us.
Higher needs become increasingly psychological and long-term rather than physiological and short-term, as in the lower survival-related needs.
1. Physiological needs are biological requirements for human survival, e.g., air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, and sleep.
2. Safety needs – people want to experience order, predictability, and control in their lives.
3. Love and belongingness needs refers to a human emotional need for interpersonal relationships, affiliating, connectedness, and being part of a group.
4. Esteem needs are the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy and include self-worth, accomplishment, and respect.
5. Self-actualization needs are the highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy, and refer to the realization of a person’s potential, self fulfillment, seeking personal growth, and peak experiences.
See https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html for more detailed information.