Dec 30, 2021 | Business Distinction, Current Event, Personal Distinction
This is the time of year when you’ll see a plethora of posts about how to launch your New Year positively. You’ll also see countless conversations on television news about your resolutions for the coming year.
Well… here’s one more — however, I’m going to suggest you need something OTHER than New Year’s resolutions. Don’t make the same mistake as last year and set resolutions — set goals! You need New Year’s Goals.
New Year’s goals are better than New Year’s resolutions.
What’s the difference between New Year resolutions and New Year goals? You probably don’t remember what last year’s resolutions were – they were just to do something more meaningful, like lose weight or get in shape. Resolutions kind of happen by themselves.
With a resolution, you say to yourself what you want — then you try to find the discipline to achieve it. The most cited example to prove this point is to look at how crowded fitness centers are in January versus how relatively empty they are in May.
Goals are different.
Goals must be stated to get done. You have to write down your New Year’s goals. This enables you to create specific action steps toward success.
So how do we set New Year’s goals? There are many ways, but I’m going to suggest a process that has worked for me in the past.
The first step is to take inventory of where you are right now – what’s working and what isn’t? This will help you set some goals around things you want to continue doing, as well as areas you’d like to improve.
The second step is to get clear about what you want – in other words, your goals. It doesn’t mean they have to be lofty or pie-in-the-sky; instead, it’s crucial that they inspire you and make you feel good just thinking about them. You don’t say you’re going on a vacation “somewhere.” You’re specific — you’re heading to Disney World or Vegas, for example. The same is valid with your goals. You have to be precise.
The third step is to create a timeline for your goals – when do you want to achieve them? Again, this doesn’t have to be rigid, but it’s helpful to stay on track. Remember — most people do not set unrealistic goals. Instead, they set unrealistic time frames.
The fourth step is to come up with an action plan – what are the specific steps you need to take to achieve your goal? Break it down into concrete, precise steps. This will help ensure you don’t leave out any steps in between.
The fifth step is to take action – the only way to achieve New Year’s goals and resolutions alike is by taking action! Thomas Edison said, “The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”
And finally…commit yourself to your New Year’s goals. Don’t be shy about letting people know what you’re working toward. The more accountable you are, the better chance you will achieve New Year’s goals.
New Year, new you? WRONG. New Year, New GOALS.
So distinctive New Year’s goal-setters – get to it! And have a very happy New Year, and I join you in looking forward to a happy, healthy 2022!
(If you’d like to get your New Year off to a terrific start — consider joining our Iconic Inner Circle! You get to try it out for a month for free…and there’s no obligation to continue. Take it for a test drive! Check it out at https://IconicInnerCircle.com.)
Dec 24, 2021 | Business Distinction, Customer Experience, Leadership, Personal Distinction
When you stop to think about it, the qualities embodied by the spirit of the holidays — a giving attitude, an appreciation expressed to others, and gratitude for your blessings — define how we should treat our customers and team members EVERY day throughout the year.
Giving Attitude
A “giving attitude” is best expressed as the perspective that puts the needs of others above your own. It’s the attitude of being willing to help, to give freely of yourself, and to think of others before yourself. We should bring this spirit to our relationships with both our customers and team members.
When we are open to giving more than we receive, it creates a feeling of joy and abundance. This is the attitude we want our team members and customers to experience. We should think of ways to give more, treat our customers differently, and make them feel special.
Instead of focusing on what we want or need, try shifting your perspective to giving freely to others without expecting anything in return.
Appreciation
Another aspect of the holiday spirit is appreciation. Naturally, we appreciate our customers. However, appreciation also means thankfulness for the team members who make our businesses run. They are the people who serve our customers, package and ship our products, produce and fulfill our orders, deliver customer service, and keep everything organized behind the scenes.
Expressing appreciation to our team members is the only way to show that we value them and their contributions. Keeping it to yourself does no good for anyone! A simple “thank you” can mean a lot, but it’s also important to show appreciation in ways that will be meaningful and memorable. Everyone likes to know that their efforts matter, so take the time to make your team feel valued.
Gratitude for Our Blessings
Finally, gratitude for our blessings is of utmost importance. If we want to grow in the future, we must appreciate how the lessons of the past – good and bad — have brought us to this point. We should also be grateful for our current situation, even if it is not ideal.
Our hearts open when we are grateful, and we become more compassionate. We see the good in life and in others, and this transforms how we interact with them.
Ideas Into Action
To put the spirit of holidays into action, consider these four questions:
- What does appreciation look like in my organization?
- How can I demonstrate appreciation for my team’s past efforts and current contributions?
- What can I do to uniquely express gratitude to my customers through unexpected acts of appreciation?
- How can I increase the joy and abundance in my organization to enhance our organizational culture during the coming year?
When we embody the spirit of the holidays every day in the coming year, we prepare for creating distinction, no matter the circumstances of the economy, pandemic, or unforeseen challenges.
- Apply these insights, and you’ve planted the right seeds for ICONIC achievement in 2022!
(And please keep watching here! We want to partner with you to enhance your professional and organizational growth. Our consulting/coaching/training business is limited to a few select clients each year. I would love to have a conversation with you about how we can work together to help you achieve the distinction you deserve in the coming year!)
Dec 19, 2021 | Business Distinction, Personal Distinction
While the holiday season is the busiest time of year for some, it is the time of our least productivity for others. Whichever describes you and your business, it’s important to note that we all have stress, and we all face burnout — especially in this volatile, unpredictable time of a pandemic.
Here are five ways you can rejuvenate yourself so that you arrive at the start of 2022 feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the world:
- Take a break. Even if it’s just for an hour, step away from your work and do something you enjoy. Whether that means reading, taking a walk, or simply closing your eyes and resting, every professional needs to recharge the batteries every so often.
- Get organized. This goes hand-in-hand with taking a break. Having a plan and knowing what you need to do will help reduce stress levels and focus on the task at hand. Often our most significant stress — especially during the holiday season — can come from a lack of planning and organization.
- Delegate tasks. Especially if you’re a small business owner, it’s important to delegate tasks and responsibilities. Delegation will free up more time for you to do the jobs that only you can accomplish — for example, developing new product lines or reaching out to potential clients.
- Take care of yourself. You need food in your system to recharge energy levels. We often overeat during the holiday season, and the choices we make aren’t always the best for our bodies. (I am SO guilty in this regard! I am setting a goal to do better this year.) Try and make sure you consume nutritious food that will recharge your body, mind, and soul. You likely won’t do that for every meal this season — so take care when you can.
- Surround yourself with positive people. It’s often said that you are the average of the five people you spend your time with, so make sure those who influence you each day are optimistic and encouraging! We all have negative relatives or those we find irritating — and that we have to be around during this season. Don’t let them bring you down! Another cliche we need to remember is that what they do…and what they think of you…is not your business. As the Disney song says, “Let it go, let it go!” When you have the opportunity to choose the people that you will spend time with, go with the positive folks who charge your batteries rather than drain your spirits.
While sometimes it seems like there is not enough time in a day to recharge our batteries, we must take this vital step — otherwise, our businesses will suffer as well as our health.
Use these tips to help rejuvenate yourself so that you can be your best self in this holiday season as you prepare for a distinctive New Year!
Dec 13, 2021 | Business Distinction, ICONIC, Leadership, News & Info
Few management blunders have attracted as much attention as the one committed by the CEO of mortgage lender Better.com.
If you missed it, Vishal Garg fired more than 900 of his team members on a Zoom call by simply saying, “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off. Your employment here is terminated effective immediately.” (At least he didn’t add, “Happy Freaking Holidays!”)
Mr. Garg displayed a stunning lack of self-awareness and respect for his team. However, apparently this is nothing new for him. According to The New York Times, Garg previously told his colleagues they were “stealing from the company by working (out of their home offices for) only two hours a day — which…was contradicted by his team’s recent promotions and raises.” In addition, the NYT article stated that Mr. Garg’s rantings “had made it challenging for them (former employees) to apply for new jobs.”
Everyone needs to be rewarded and respected to excel — not just those in the office every day. Look at what happened when Vishal Garg sent his company into chaos if you don’t believe me. (The company’s Board of Directors have brought on a third-party firm to assess its leadership and culture, according to a copy of a memo obtained by The New York Times.)
There’s a lot to unpack here. One question we could consider is: what is the quality of management of a company that believes they can terminate a significant percentage of its employees — yet presumes they can deliver an equal quality of customer experience going forward?
This point also begs a larger question:
Why do you pay your employees?
- Are you paying them for the hours they work?
- Or are you paying them for the results they produce?
Too often, we get wrapped up in tracking time. We think that if someone is “only working two hours a day,” they must not be doing their job. But is that really fair or accurate?
Obviously, there are certain businesses and industries where hourly compensation is perhaps the only way to deliver remuneration. For example, employees must be at the checkout counter from 10 AM to 6 PM — and if they aren’t there, it creates problems throughout the business.
However, in my experience, most people who work from home are highly productive. In fact, many of the people I know who telecommute put in over 40 hours a week — but it is only reflected on their timesheets as a typical, 40-hour week.
The next time you’re tempted to track time, ask yourself this question: are my employees being paid for the results they produce?
Paying employees for results instead of hours is a better way to measure productivity and employee engagement. When you pay employees for the hours they work, you encourage them to stay focused on the clock. You are telling them that their time is more valuable than their output.
However, when you pay employees for their results, you reward them for their effort and creativity. This type of motivation leads to a more productive and engaged workforce.
Many years ago, I had involvement with a company that manufactured box trailers. The company’s general manager had a creative idea. He told the factory workers that current customer demands required eight perfectly built trailers every day. Then he said, “When you get the eight trailers perfectly built — go home! You’ve accomplished the results we require.”
Next, something unique happened. After the workers realized their compensation wouldn’t be reduced because they were working fewer hours, the trailers were produced much more rapidly. However, the other fascinating result was that the quality of the construction improved.
This meant the company sold more trailers — and increased the compensation of the team building them. It created a “win-win” for both the organization and the employees. Workers were paid for results — not for time.
When you pay employees for the results they produce, you are telling them that their effort matters. In addition, paying employees for results is a better way to evaluate your employee experience.
In order for your organization to excel, everyone needs to be rewarded and respected, as I stated as one of the “5 Factors of ICONIC Performance” in my recent book. This means respect is not just for those who are in the office every day and it is not merely based on how many hours they work.
Why do you pay your employees? My great friend, Randy Pennington, said it best with the title of his book: “Results Rule.” Customers don’t really care about how much time your employees put in. Customers care about the results delivered by your products and services.
When results drive compensation, your organization gets better results.
Dec 4, 2021 | Business Distinction
As a business owner, you know that delivering a compelling customer experience is key to success. If you are not attracting new customers and keeping the ones you already have, your sales are likely declining.
How can you attract customers? Obviously, you must offer a quality product or service. If you don’t, your efforts here are the business equivalent of the old “putting lipstick on a pig” cliché.
However, let’s assume that what you’re offering is equal or superior to your rivals. Here are seven of the most effective methods to attract customers:
- Don’t focus on the competition: centering on what you do best means there will be no confusion about what you offer. The first Cornerstone of Distinction is Clarity for this important reason.
- Create unique solutions: customer wants are constantly changing – that’s why it is vital to create products and services that anticipate customer needs better than anyone else. If you’re exactly like everyone else, there’s no compelling reason for customers and prospects to select you over your competition. Dare to be distinctive!
- Use social media engagement: connect with your customers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. This is a required method in today’s world to demonstrate your knowledge of current trends and customer concerns (as well as a great way to show that you enjoy helping others).
- Use technology: this can be in the form of mobile marketing, email marketing, social media engagement, website design/maintenance, use of AI, etc. There is a myriad of tools in today’s world to help automate selected customer contact and ensure ongoing connection and speedy response time.
- Be on-trend: it’s not worth it to hire a graphic designer or web developer unless you’ll also hire them to update and refine your website and social media messaging. You must stay constantly on-trend and on-target. Don’t get stuck with irrelevant information; this is a turn-off for customers who want to make the most of current tools and developments.
- Have an extraordinary customer service team: if people don’t like your product or service – or if they love your product or service — they will talk about it. (Naturally, they will talk either positively or negatively, depending on their experience.) Make certain that your staff is friendly and knowledgeable about all aspects of your business. Creating and delivering the Ultimate Customer Experience® is critical for customer attraction and retention.
- Be patient: this is so challenging for hard-charging entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. Simply remember the old saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It will take effort and time to make this critical difference that will attract customers to your business. Give yourself (and your business) the time and effort it needs to grow.
To make a difference, you must be distinctive! Consider these seven ideas as your starting point toward your efforts to create distinction!
Nov 20, 2021 | Business Distinction, News & Info, Personal Distinction
From this week’s business headlines: Crypto-currency might now be allowed as an asset, not as a currency…1 in 3 workers don’t want to return to their offices in a post-Covid economy…inflation is rising, yet more people are quitting their jobs than ever…and every week there is a new app or tool for us to use and manage our business and personal lives.
Welcome to the ever-changing world of business.
As technology, politics, culture, and the economy have advanced, we have altered many of our organizational practices. But change can be overwhelming and scary. So much change has happened that many of us are left wondering what’s next? It is hard for some people to change, especially when the new approach is so different from what they are used to.
But change doesn’t have to be painful – it can open our eyes and help us create more of what we want.
Technological advancements, like the internet and smartphone apps, give us all kinds of opportunities to improve ourselves, organize ourselves, and work together. But all this change does not come for free. It has a cost — and if we’re not ready for change, it can be hard to deal with the negativity that often accompanies it.
Change is complicated — yet no one wants to feel out-of-touch or left behind. Many of our organizations have been slow to update practices and strategies. And we’ve all seen changes that no one wanted — or changes that did not come quickly enough to remain competitive. On a personal basis, you and I have had to change too. But change does not have to be scary.
Change can be distressing, but the change that comes from within might be most important. Change can show us what we want and need in our lives.
Here are some points to remember about change:
- change can be bad or good
- change isn’t always easy to embrace
- change should challenge our current way of thinking and doing things
- change doesn’t have to be as scary — if we make it a conscious choice of action, instead of being overwhelmed by uncertainty
- change is a natural part of life
- change can be powerful and productive if we change our perspective and embrace change as positive
- change opens doors, new opportunities, and new discoveries
- change makes us stronger and better equipped to handle the future
And this is the most crucial aspect to remember in these changing times:
Just because the world is changing does not mean we have to alter our values, morals, and work ethic.
Certainly, we want to continue to be relevant in a rapidly changing world — but we do not have to sacrifice our values to get there.
When you have clarity (the first Cornerstone of Distinction) about what you are…and what you are not, as well…you can roll with the changes as you improve and enhance your business and career.
Review and enhance your values in this ever-shifting world — then keep the change!
