Archive for the ‘Productivity’ Category

Delegate with Clarity

  • delegatingHow many times have you asked someone to do something and been disappointed with the result?

Do you ever find yourself thinking “it’s easier if I just do it myself?”

The bottom line is you may not be able to DO everything yourself. As leaders, business owners, decision makers and managers, there are a variety of reasons for delegating tasks to “someone else.”  Assuming the “someone else” knows what you want, how and when you want it, can lead to disappointment and frustration.

Delegate with Clarity by following these EIGHT STEPS and save yourself the time, money, disappointment and frustration!

1.        Delegate to the Right Person–be sure the individual has sufficient skills and experience to effectively perform the delegated task. Otherwise, you may be setting them up for failure and yourself for disappointment and frustration.

2.        Clearly Define the Task–explain the task itself, the intended outcome and why it is important. Understanding theimagesCADBRIH8 significance can inspire success. To insure understanding, have the assignment repeated back to you. If the description is not accurate, explain again. Repeat this process as needed.

3.        Set a Deadline–clearly define the completion date. An ambiguous target such as “sometime next week” or “whenever you can get it done” may lead to frustration, lack of a sense of urgency, and the job may never get completed.

4.        Measure Progress–determine how you both will gauge the progress being made. In the case of a very small task, meeting the completion deadline may be sufficient.  However, larger tasks may require more detailed progress planning.

5.       Agree on Resources–agree on what resources will be required and take steps to insure they will be available when needed. Resources could include research materials, logistical support, technology, etc.

6.        Highlight the Consequences–openly discuss the consequences of successful completion as well as not completing the task. Be sure to deliver on the consequences when the task has been completed-or the completion date has passed and it has not been completed.  Keeping your word lays a foundation of trust in future communications.

7.       Put It in Writing–this turns your mutual understanding into a commitment and may uncover misunderstandings.

8.       Monitor Progress–don’t delegate and then forget about it! Stick to the agreed-upon follow-up process.

How you apply these eight steps may vary depending how simple or complex the task.  Delegate with Clarity and enjoy the benefits!

Posted in Basics, Business Improvement, Communication, Delegating, Habits, Productivity | 5 Comments »

Seinfeld and a FrenchTutor

girl_thinkingIn the age of social media, it becomes easier every day to find ways to procrastinate.  In an effort to somehow justify perusing the variety of forwarded emails, articles, YouTube clips, questionnaires, surveys, games, links, invitations…..I contemplate what message, learning or opportunity could be buried in the content, and how I might apply it to my business. Often, I come up short, scolding myself for deviating from the “block schedule”, a fail safe tool which is supposed to insure an efficient and productive blend of marketing, sales, meetings, administration, planning, preparing, delivering and following up. Oh, and a personal life.
Having been recently reacqainted with my high school french tutor, procrastination resources were enhanced yetFrench teacher again. In one such case, what appeared to be cause for scolding, turned out to be a terrific reminder that a “time-out” is not always a punishment. Pause for reflection, a quick chuckle, change of scenery, is often inspiring, invogorating and just plain fun. Funny how teachers know these things. Maybe recess had a purpose!!
The culpret of the assumed procrastination was a YouTube clip from a skit Jerry Seinfeld performed on Saturday Night Live back in the 90′s. In it, he played a history teacher in front of a high school class. I confess, I watched it more than once because it was hysterical. As usual, I struggled to determine the hidden message, which if conveyed to a business owner, could potentially provide insight that might catapult him or her to success never imagined. Nothing. I rattled off a quick note to my tutor, thanked her for the diversion and mentioned I would eventually figure out what to do with it.
A day or so later, her response read “You don’t need to do anything with it. Just enjoy it and remember you were once a student!” Wow, what a concept.
Power of Full Engagement BookWe struggle daily-attempting to maximize our productivity, do more with less, master a variety of roles, meet deadlines, obtain goals….meet everyone’s expectations. Sometimes a good old “time-out” works wonders. In their book, “The Power of Full Engagement”, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz address the concept of “sprint and recover”, emphasizing that to fully engage, we must allow ourselves frequent, intermittant recovery time to recover from the “sprint” we engage in daily. A few minutes to break the cycle, chuckle at a ridiculously funny re-enactment of high school history and not do anything with it,  is OK. In fact, here it is.

ENJOY a “time-out” to recover so you can fully engage in whatever it is your schedule is telling you to focus onJerry Seinfeld history teacher next.

                                     click here for the Jerry Seinfeld SNL clip:

                                                                              Share Yours!

Posted in Basics, Habits, Procrastination, Productivity | 1 Comment »

The Devil in the Details

Who would imagine 2 little letters could make such a difference?
devil in the details 2A few weeks ago I received 2 emails. One was offering new business owners the opportunity to gain visibility in a new online and print business magazine. The other was inviting me to the launch party for a new magazine with the same name. I opened the first email, clicked the link and checked out the advertising, featured business owners and comtemplated whether or not it would reach my target market. Next, I reviewed the launch party invitation, thinking what fun it would be have a new group to network with. Looked interesting, so I forwarded to my friend, asking her if she might want to go to the party and to check out the magazine at blahblahblah.com.

Within 5 minutes an email popped up with the subject “Are You Kidding???!!!”    misinterpretation2

Not the usual subject line, I opened it immediately, curious what I must be kidding about. The site I had directed her to was “completely inappropriate and perhaps there was a side of me she didn’t know about-had I actually looked at the site??” Indeed I had and proceeded to reopen the link I sent her…now this was not at all what had popped up the first time!! What happened to the professional headshots and enthusiastic offers of products and services from optimistic entrepreneurs? I closed it and tried again…same thing. I went back to the email with the invitation and clicked on the site…same thing. Had I been hallucinating??
I deleted everything, completely baffled.

A few days ago another email came from “the magazine”. Curious, I opened it and clicked on the link to the site and waited with anticipation as the smiling faces of up and coming entrepreneurs appeared on the screen. Phew! Very carefully, I studied the link…
Two little letters made all the difference!

communication

 

We all process massive amounts of information on a daily basis. Often answering emails or texting, talking on the phone, listening to music and eating at the same time. It is VERY easy to miss the details. Seemingly minor details can lead to major miscommunications.

 

 

Adopt these simple habits to insure “the devil in the details” doesn’t get the best of you:
-Contrary to popular opinion, multi-tasking is not efficient. Focus on the task at hand until it is complete can result in up to 80% time savings.skills_lge
-Finish one task before moving to the next, stopping and starting is inefficient. According to a USAA study, the mind can only focus on one thing at a a time.
-Always check your work (sound familiar?).
-Use spellcheck.
-Let a document, letter, critical email, etc. sit for a few hours and come back to it with fresh eyes-amazing what you might catch.
-Take a break-get up and move around-long bouts in front of the computer or a project are not productive. Your mind and body need to be renergized about every 90 minutes (every 20-30 according to Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book “The Power of Full Engagement”).
-Drink water-your  mind needs hydration to function at it’s best.

“Small differences in your performance can lead to large differences in your results”-Brian Tracy, coach, author, speaker

How has “the devil in the details” impacted you!!! Please share your stories and the small differences you applied to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.

Posted in Basics, Discipline, Habits, Peak Performance, Productivity, Success | No Comments »

18 Disciplines of Selling

The first quarter of 2010 is coming to a close-have you closed as many sales as you planned? If you are like many, sales is a complex, frustrating activity that can deflate your ego as fast as a pin in a balloon. I continue to hear this from my clients, colleagues, friends and even strangers I happen to strike up a conversation with while waiting in lines, sitting on the bus, even in passing on the street! What is it about having to present a prospect with value worth more than the price that can send an otherwise confident, articulate, enthusiastic adult running for the door?  The magic words, “let me think about it”, bring instant relief to many and justification for the retreat.
back_to_basicsI began sharing the 18 Disciplines of Sales used by a consistently successful sales associate and 2 time recipient of the Brian Tracy award for Sales Excellence. In past blog posts these were presented a few at a time. Considering the consistently recurring sales theme, it seemed timely to share all 18 at once. Hope these offer some relief from frustration. Sales CAN go according to plan. Apply these basics and make the second quarter of 2010 exceed your expectations:
1. Be PROUD of whatever role you are in and act like it. Perception is reality.  CONFIDENCE SELLS!!
2. Act like a WINNER. People gravitate to those they perceive as winners. Success is an attitude.
3. Expect SUCCESSS and er, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up. Success requires persistence.                         getting-organized2
4. Be PASSIONATE about what you do and show it. People feel passion and they pay for passion.
5. Get ORGANIZED. If you live in clutter your mind is cluttered.  
6. Set written, clear, concise, smart GOALS. Commit 2 minutes a day to think about and write them down.
7. Have a daily, prioritized PLAN. Must apply this discipline. Prepare it at night and let your superconscious mind go to work on it. Stay focused and insure that what you are doing “right now” is the one thing that will move your business forward.
8. Have a clear idea of who your TARGET CUSTOMER is. Work hard to narrow it down so your prospecting time is effective. Be aware of opportunities right in front of you.
9. Selling is about RELATIONSHIPS and effective communication. Identify who you are speaking with and what their needs are. People buy from those who understand them. Leverage tools out there, like D.I.S.C., to sharpen your listening and communication skills.
10. Clearly understand your UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION (USP). What sets you and your business apart from others? Know and be able to articulate it. The time spent figuring this out is worth every minute (or hour!!).
11. Create a POWERFUL 10 second MESSAGE. Only 2% of all salespeople can articulate what they do in 10 seconds. DSC00354Answer WII-FM (what’s in it for me?).

12. In it’s most basic form, selling is a game of NUMBERS. Talk with alot of people, sell to them all. ASK for appointments. ASK for referrals.
13. LISTEN!! the prospect will tell you how to sell them.
14. Be CONSISTANT and PERSISTANT. 80% of ALL sales are made on the FIFTH to TWELTH contact.  48% of salespeople NEVER follow up with a prospect        

15. Understand that closing is NOT A BIG EVENT…It’s Incidental!
16. Understand what you are willing to give up to get what you want.
17. TRACK EVERYTHING…hours, cost, leads, customers…..
18. Work HARD and work SMART . What you put into it is what you get out of it.
Now get out there and SELL!!!!!!

Posted in Basics, Discipline, Goal Achievement, Goal Setting, Productivity, Sales, Success | 1 Comment »

Perform at your best…no matter what!

Margaret MaclayBack in August I was all excited about writing a blog. I jumped right in and entered my first post!!!

Then I got distracted, things got “busy”, procrastination set in and suddenly hesitant about whether anyone would actually read or care about what I had to say, the posts ceased as rapidly as they had begun.

When posting my March workshops I realized that more than 195 days had passed since my first/last/only blog entry. My, how time flies! But isn’t this indicative of what happens to us in business and life every day? They say “time flies when you’re having fun”…but it flies whether or not you’re having fun. Months just seem to glide by.

I was reading something a more diligent author posted-don’t recall the source, so sorry to whomever I quoted in the title of this post-and was struck by the words “Perform at your best…no matter what”.  No matter what? Despite intentions to do our best, we all have overly full schedules, reasons for why things didn’t get done… much better than blaming the dog for eating it and distractions, good, bad or otherwise.

Most recently, The Olympics were the distraction. The snow was a distraction. The Yahoo blog post about winners and losers at the Olympics was a distraction. After all, despite 17 days of viewing, on 3 channels, with recaps at least twice an hour, something important could have been missed!! It was…the lesson we can be reminded of by some of these amazing athlete’s who truly do perform at their best no matter what. Time to take action!

Part of performing at your best no matter what as a business owner, is to take action every day. Take action that might not always be fun, but is important to moving your business forward. This is what distinguishes the winners.

Indeed time is flying. Today is March 1st. The first quarter of 2010 is almost over. Yikes! What a great time to make a commitment to “perform at your best no matter what”  and achieve everything you planned for 2010.  Even if it’s not always that fun. The results are bound to be fun and satisfying.

 So, my initial blogpost stated that I was going to share the 18 Disciplines of Selling put forth by our top FocalPoint Coach, Dan Creed, 2 time recipient of the Brian Tracy Award for Sales Excellence. The first 5 can be found in my post “Success Is Not An Accident!”. Here are the next 5,  which are sure to impact your business success if you give them your best shot no matter what:

6. Set written, clear, concise, smart GOALS. Commit 2 minutes a day to think about and write them down.

7. Have a daily, prioritized PLAN. Must have this little discipline. If you prepare it at night, your superconscious mind will go to work on it. Be focused and insure that what you are doing “right now” is the one thing that will move your business forward.

8. Have a clear idea of who your TARGET CUSTOMER is. Work hard to narrow it down so your prospecting time is effective. Be aware of opportunities right in front of you.

9. Selling is about RELATIONSHIPS and effective communication. Identify who you are speaking with and what their needs are. People buy from those who understand them, not those they understand. Leverage tools out there, like D.I.S.C., to sharpen your listening and communication skills.

10. Clearly understand your USP (unique selling proposition). What sets you and your business apart from others? Know and be able to articulate it. The time spent figuring this out is worth every minute (or hour!!)

The next 5 will be coming soon. No waiting another 195+ days.

What’s getting in the way of you performing at your best, no matter what?

Posted in Business performance, Goal Achievement, Procrastination, Productivity, Sales | 1 Comment »

DO YOU WANT TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND ENERGETIC?

 WANT TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START!

  • Do YOU wake up feeling tired?
  • Are YOU overwhelmed?
  • Do YOU lack self confidence?
  • Wonder what YOU did all day?

Then This TELECLASS Series is for YOU !

tiredPlanning is the key to becoming more focused, energetic, and confident so you will accomplish more of what matters. Learn, step-by-step, an easy and effective approach to organizing your personal and professional life while achieving high levels of physical and mental energy.
4 Secrets to Planning and Action
Food and Sustainable Living Coach, Cindy Pikul and Business Performance Coach, Margaret Maclay join forces to share secrets of successful planning and execution based on their diverse experience as corporate executives, entrepreneurs and certified coaches.
           Join this TELECLASS SERIES!!!!

It’s easy….….all you do is dial in:
Secret #1: Apply Positive Thinking- Why and how it works! Monday September 28th 8pm (EST)
Secret #2: Eat Real Foods, Get Active- Easier than you think! Monday October 5th 8pm (EST)
Secret #3: Set Goals- Career, kids, spouse, life: what first? Monday October 19th 8pm (EST)
Secret #4: Take Action! Monday October 26th 8pm (EST)

IMPLEMENT these new approaches immediately and incrementally, and begin as soon as you HANG UP THE PHONE. Wake up ready to face the day. Finish the day feeling a true sense of accomplishment. Develop and execute a plan so YOU can embrace challenges with enthusiasm.  Enjoy true professional and personal success!!!
Your investment:  $97.00 includes 4 calls and all materials.                                 
Interactive Class Length: 50 minutesFocalPoint
REGISTER: go to www.cindypikul.com click “Events” ; reserve your spot and receive call-in details

Posted in Goal Setting, Productivity, Teleseminar | 2 Comments »