Last week we had an important appointment at our office and took the afternoon to do a long overdo clean-up and used that same opportunity to reorganize the office to make better use of our space. As I looked on, I must admit I felt a great deal of pride in seeing everyone working together towards a common goal. In this case the goal was simple and achievable. No one doubted the outcome. Everybody contributed and felt part of the change.
How do we (meaning everyone managing a department or business) translate that type of co-operative spirit into meeting the daily change and challenge we face in our day to day business? My thoughts follow and hopefully some of you will share yours as well.
Don’t compromise on talent. There just isn’t room for weak links or rotten apples. The recession gave this weeding out process a kick start and we all need to be careful as we add new members back to our team.
A common goal. This is a big one. Even at the highest levels of management we see a disconnect and lack of clarity when it comes to long term objectives and vision. This is multiplied by 10 as it goes down through the ranks.
Share the victories. It is never what “I” did; it is what “we” accomplished. Remember to check “ego” at the door and genuinely share the glory.
Switch from fire fighters to wedding planners. There is bound to be some fire fighting with business but if it’s all you’re doing there are some fundamental processes that need addressing. It’s a much better feeling planning your day vs. chasing your tail…less stressful and much more productive.
Rewards. Money is great and appreciated but kind words have power too.
Lee’s quote for the day
“What’s better than feeling like a valued part of a winning team? Absolutely nothing!”
Working in marketing has allowed me an opportunity to meet many successful business leaders. Our process of discovery before rolling out a marketing program has given me an even greater opportunity to have in depth discussions with these visionary entrepreneurs.
Your chance for greatness can be realized if you adopt their common entrepreneurial traits. They’re excited about what they do, they know their business inside out and they are without exception… workaholics. Life balance may have escaped them but business needs leaders and the ones I’ve met seem comfortable with their calling. Maybe like sharks that need to keep swimming to stay alive, true entrepreneurs need to keep building their business for the same reason.
Assuming the best and being prepared for the worst are characteristics that put these individuals on a pedestal far above us common folk. I used to be in awe of their bigger than life personas. Over time, that awe has transformed to respect and the realization that the people running 2 million, 20 million or 200 million dollar companies have many similar characteristics.
Off comes the cloak of mystery. The truth is these entrepreneurs have learned and applied these simple lessons and you can take these 5 undisputable facts to the bank too:
Lee’s Quote for the day
“If you find something you love, that there is a market for, become really good at it, hang in there long enough, and add a little WYAO… success will be yours.”
From my experience, many of our larger B2B customers view their site as a customer portal for relevant data and are not overly concerned with anything beyond that functionality. During this past recession, our company has shifted a lot of our resources to web development and understanding how to make it an effective marketing tool for our customers. Without getting too technical, my top 10 suggestions for a more marketing orientated B2B website are as follows:
Lee’s quote for the day,
“To catch the big fish, your marketing needs to have the right hook, line and thinkers.”
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