Sunday, 14 September 2014

4 HABITS OF PUNCTUAL PEOPLE

THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS ON TIME? HOW TO THEY DO IT? IF YOU ARE PART OF THE 20% OF AMERICANS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY LATE, GET READY TO CHANGE EVERYTHING.


Plan any event and chances are one in five of the people you invite will be late.
A study done at San Francisco State University found that about 20% of the U.S. population is chronically late--but it’s not because they don't value others' time. It’s more complicated than that, says lead researcher Diana DeLonzor.
“Repetitive lateness is more often related to personality characteristics such as anxiety or a penchant for thrill-seeking,” she says. “Some people are drawn to the adrenaline rush of that last-minute sprint to the finish line, while others receive an ego boost from over-scheduling and filling each moment with activity.”
In her book Never Be Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged, DeLonzor says our relationship with time often starts in childhood and becomes an ingrained habit.
“Looking back, you were probably late or early all of your life--it’s part physiological and part psychological,” she says. “Most chronically late people truly dislike being late, but it's a surprisingly difficult habit to overcome. Telling a late person to be on time is a little like telling a dieter to simply stop eating so much.”
DeLonzor says the majority of people have a combination of late and punctual habits--usually on time, but with a frantic rush at the last minute--but we can all learn from those who are chronically punctual. DeLonzor shares four traits that always on time share:

1. THEY’RE REALISTIC THINKERS.

Punctual people know how long things take. Chronically late people, however, engage in what DeLonzor calls “magical thinking.”
“If once, 10 years ago, they made it to work in 20 minutes, they believe that’s how long it should take,” she says. “They forget about the 99% of the times that took 30 minutes.”
To develop realistic habits, DeLonzor suggests relearning to tell time. Write down how long you think it takes to shower, get ready in the morning and drive to work. Then for a week, track how long those things really take. Chronically late people are often off of their time estimates by 25% to 30%, says DeLonzor.

2. THEY GIVE THEMSELVES BUFFER TIME.

Punctual people are usually early, says DeLonzor. “Being late makes them stressed out and they don’t like feeling rushed,” she says. “Late people get stressed out from being late, too, but they don’t strive to be early; they tend to time things to the minute.”
For a 9 a.m. meeting, for example, a punctual person would try to arrive by 8:45 a.m. or 8:50 a.m., allowing enough time for an unexpected delay, such as traffic or a full parking garage. A punctual person reviews directions online, checks traffic reports before leaving, and some will even drive to an new location the day before to understand the route. To be punctual, plan to arrive early.

3. THEY’RE ORGANIZED.

DeLonzor says that 45% of everything we do on a daily basis is automatic: “Our lives are filled with habits--from the way you brush teeth to how you get dressed and leave for work,” she says, adding that they’re necessary. “If we didn’t do things automatically, it would take us forever to get through our day.”
The habits of people who are always on time are highly structured. They analyze their daily activities, set routines, and stick to them on regular basis. Chronically late people, however, don’t have structure and often fall on the attention deficit disorder spectrum, says DeLonzor.
“Instead of thinking about why their routines don’t work and trying something different next time, chronically late people simply hope that tomorrow will be better,” she says.
To become punctual, DeLonzor suggests putting more routines and structure into your life. For example, do everything you can to prepare for the morning the night before.

4. THEY’RE COMFORTABLE WITH DOWNTIME.

Being punctual often means getting to meeting or an appointment early. Punctual people use the extra five or 10 minutes as a chance to catch up on emails, read over notes, or simply enjoy the solitude.
Chronically late people, however, hate downtime. They enjoy the thrill of that last-minute sprint to the finish line and crave stimulation. To be more comfortable with downtime, bring along something to fill those spare moments.
“Knowing that you have something to occupy your time will help,” says DeLonzor.
From Fast Company

Saturday, 13 September 2014

6 SIMPLE HABITS THAT CAN SAVE YOU HOURS

From shortcuts and life hacks to proven productivity methods, we’re all looking to save time and get more done. If you want to be even more successful, it’s time to tap into your super powers: your habits.

A Duke University study found that 40% of the decisions we make each day are habits. While bad habits can derail you, good habits can put minutes back on the clock because they put you in a proactive mode and help eliminate wasted time.
We reached out to three productivity experts who offered six ideas for implementing habits that save time and improve your workflow

1. PLAN YOUR DAY THE NIGHT BEFORE.

When you check your to-do list in the morning, you’ve already wasted time, says Julie Morgenstern, professional organizer and author of Never Check Email in the Morning (Touchstone; 2005)
“If you’re overscheduled or end up with gap in your day, you don’t have the distance you need to correct it, and you go into pure reactive mode,” she says. Instead, take five minutes at the end of each workday to check your calendar. Decide ahead of time how to fill free time or handle overlaps.
“You will buy back two or three hours a day of focused productivity instead of wasting a half hour sorting through all of your options,” she says.

2. LOG OUT.

If you're easily tempted by social media or email, make a habit of logging out before you start a project or important task, says Emily Schwartz, author of The Time Diet: Digestible Time Management (2012).
“The extra step of having to enter in your password will buy you enough time to realize that you're distracting yourself and shouldn't,” she says. “Distracted work takes far longer than focused work.”

3. PREPARE FOR MEETINGS.

While meetings can be vehicles for wasting time, Morgenstern says establishing a pre-meeting routine can help improve their effectiveness. If you’ve called the meeting, send an email to the other participants telling them what to expect. If you’ve been invited, ask the organizer how to best prepare.
“Proactively engaging people before meetings could save an hour of wasted time trying to get everyone on the same page,” she says.

4. FOLLOW UP.

After you delegate a task to a person, make a habit of writing a confirmation via email, clearly defining what’s expected, says Schwartz.
“This extra minute of follow up can save hours of hassle later if, for example, a deadline has been miscommunicated,” she says.

5. CLEAR OFF YOUR DESK.

When you put everything away at the end of your day, you can jump right into work in the morning, says professional organizer Janine Adams of Peace of Mind Organizing.
“If you have papers all over your desk, you’ll waste time finding what you need,” she says. Tidying up each afternoon takes just minutes because you only have one day’s worth of stuff to handle. If you wait until you have a pile, it could take a whole afternoon, Adams says.

6. ESTABLISH A CHARGING ROUTINE.

Dead cell phones can be inconvenient, causing you to waste time searching for an outlet. Instead of freaking out over the power left on your battery, Adams suggests creating a habit of charging your electronics.
“I plug in my phone, iPad and Kindle every night before I go to sleep,” she says. “The charge usually gets me through the day and I don’t have to waste time worrying about my battery dying.”
From Fast Comapny

Friday, 12 September 2014

10 Opening Phrases to Use in Your Next Email

I process email for a living, or at least it seems that way on most days.

Hundreds of new messages arrive on a daily basis, some of them so dull and uninformative they make me want to go find a pencil and jam it into my spleen. Others start with something a little juicier, a little more attention-grabbing, and a little more helpful. And, when the message starts off with an interesting phrase it usually means the rest of the email is worth reading all the way to the end.
Try these lead-ins when you really need to get a response--and not just get a bunch of crickets chirping on the other end.

1. "Good news..."

Everyone likes to read about good news. Why not let your recipient know you are the bearer of it right away? As they say in journalism, don't bury the lead.

2. "I have an answer for you..."

Go ahead and lead with a confirmation that you have found the answer. Maybe it dates back to our days in grade school, but we all perk up a bit when someone has answers.

3. "I'll be honest with you..."

This phrase implies that you are going to get right to the point and won't hold anything back. It's helpful because too much opening chatter can confuse people.

4. "We have lift off..."

Apart from the fact that I like any space-related terminology, this opening phrase is positive and is a good precursor to any explanation about a project or business endeavor.

5. "Urgent..."

It's an old-school tactic, and make sure what you are about to say is actually a pressing matter, but leading with the word "urgent" can nudge someone into paying attention.

6. "Let me start with an apology..."

This one works on me because it's probably going to be a little juicy. It also lets the recipient know the message is not about his or her screw-up. It's about yours.

7. "Your day is about to improve..."

I'm guessing there are hundreds of ways to relay positive information, and this is one of my favorites. Work can be tedious, so if a message promises to improve it, that's a good thing.

8. "I've completed my research for you..."

If you use this phrase, I'll pay attention because I know the e-mail is going to give me good information, it will probably get right to the point, and it will be helpful.

9. "The rumors are true..."

You might think, what rumors? But that's a good thing. You are hinting that something special and worthwhile has spread around and now you are confirming it.

10. "Just getting back to you..."

It's a simple technique and maybe overused, but it works. My first thought is, getting back to me about what? Oh--that thing I was really waiting to hear about!
From Inc. Magazine

Why Most Companies Never Hire the Perfect Person for the Job

Want to hire superstars?

Trying to find the “total package” is the last thing you should do. Literally (and not in the teenage use of literally) the last thing.
Why? Think about the typical hiring process. You work hard to find and select the right candidate. You evaluate skills and experience and then ask interview questions to determine if the candidate possesses qualities like attention to detail, interpersonal skills, leadership ability, problem-solving skills....
Your process is exhaustive and, well, exhausting.
Still, while many of the people that get hired turn out to be good employees, few of them turn out to be what every company really needs: great employees.
Why? Those companies -- and the people making the decisions -- took the job description approach to hiring.
Think about job descriptions. They list a wide variety of qualifications the employee should possess. Typically attributes like “self motivated,” “able to work with minimal supervision,” “able to prioritize and handle multiple tasks,” and “able to work well alone or as a member of a team,” are included.
So what happens? People evaluate candidates with those requirements in mind. The candidate that ticks the most boxes is usually selected—and the company winds up hiring good when they really need great.
Now think about the truly great employees you know. Some are well rounded, some are not, but all possess at least one incredible skill. They all do at least one thing, one critical thing, so well that people are willing—even happy—to overlook some of their deficiencies.
They may not “take a collaborative approach to problem solving,” but wow do they make your fulfillment facility sing.
In short, a great employee has what you really need. All other attributes on the job description, while important, pale in comparison.
Next time you hire an employee, set the job description approach aside and take this approach instead.

1. Determine what you really need.

Forget about finding a “well-rounded employee” (whatever that is). If you could only pick one or two attributes, what are the most important skills or qualities you need?
Keep in mind those attributes will often change depending on your current needs and the skills your other employees possess.
So ignore the job description. Forget the position; think about the job. Decide what you really need the new employee to do.
As Dharmesh Shah says, "You don't need a VP of anything... you need a Doer of Things That Need to Get Done."

2. Decide what you really don’t need.

When you’re ticking off boxes on a list of qualifications it’s easy to forget that you simply can’t live with some attributes, regardless of how solid the candidate otherwise appears.
Complete this sentence about a theoretical employee: "I don't care how great she is, I would still let her go because she ________."
Those are your no-go attributes. Never lose sight of them.

3. Do a first pass.

Set aside every candidate that doesn’t have what you really need. Don’t be tempted by the, “Wow, she really has a wide range of skills,” candidate. If she doesn’t bring the one or two attributes you really need she may turn out to be a good employee, but she’s not likely to be great.
Then set aside every candidate with an attribute on your "no way in hell" list. She won't be great either.
4. Conduct highly focused interviews.
Spend 10% of your time assessing general qualities and 90% of your time ensuring the candidate truly has what you need. Dig in. Ask for examples. Ask lots of follow-up questions. Write everything down.
Then check references and use your notes to help you ask specific questions. Sure, some companies won’t provide any information, but many -- especially small businesses -- will.
Many will say they are not allowed to share information about previous employees. When that happens, try saying, “I understand. I’m just really worried I might a mistake. Can you just say, if you were me, whether you would hire him?”
You'll be surprised by how many people will want to help you out with a whispered "yes" or "no."
Then you can...

5. Assess the “total employee.”

If a few candidates seem relatively equal in terms of what you really need, then decide which one best meets your more subjective criteria. Conduct a second interview if necessary. Or let other employees interview the remaining candidates.
At this point you can afford to evaluate “nice to have” qualities because you’ve done everything possible to identify candidates that have the attributes you truly need.
Written by Jeff Haden

Thursday, 11 September 2014

The Entrepreneurial Personality

Entrepreneurship has touched my entire life. The sum total of self-employed parents and grandparents, personal ventures, topped by an adult life of counseling and consulting with countless entrepreneurs made a profound impact on me personally and professionally. Because it is the human side of business that I find most interesting, I have used life experiences as a foundation to form fairly strong opinions on entrepreneurship and the personalities that drive it. What follows is a very abbreviated version of an earlier discussion published on entrepreneurial focus, but it makes the point none the less about the personality of the entrepreneur.

If asked to define an entrepreneur, the words most often chosen are motivated, focused, confident, aggressive, dominant, leader, etc. While these adjectives taken collectively may accurately describe some entrepreneurs, they certainly do not describe all entrepreneurs. In fact, short of saying that all entrepreneurs work for themselves, it is as foolish to define them as one personality type as it is to say that all athletes, students or employees are the same. A business owner need not be aggressive or dominant, although they might happen to have those traits.

Answer the following questions and decide for yourself if entrepreneurs are essentially the same. Is a happy, successful franchisee the same type of entrepreneur as the franchisor from whom they bought their business? Is the consultant the same type of entrepreneur as the founder of a high tech, innovative manufacturing firm? Is the grocer the same type of entrepreneur as the multi-unit regional franchise owner? No, they are all different. The concept of entrepreneurial type is a stand-alone discussion and I will offer it another time as a separate article, but I refer to it here because acknowledging the presence of different entrepreneurial types helps us accept sub-sets of entrepreneurs. It is the first step toward defining real differences among them.

For the general population with little or no interest in the subject, the fact that all entrepreneurs cannot be forced into one mold is really not an issue. But, for students of the subject, and especially for people considering, or actually pursuing an entrepreneurial lifestyle, grasping the nature of the ownership personality can be critical to one’s success or failure.

OK, ask the obvious question. “Nick, are going to get to the point and define the entrepreneurial personality, or are you trying to say that it really can’t be defined?” Ah, good for you, you want to cut to the chase. Here’s the answer, at least as I see it, and frankly it is a very simple one.

Of course there is an entrepreneurial personality, the rhetoric was to clear the air and allow us to start with a clean slate.
All entrepreneurs can be properly defined by one special trait, but that trait is not focus, confidence, aggression, dominance, leadership, intelligence, integrity, or loyalty. Any or all of those traits can be found in hourly employees, corporate executives, teachers, or any other population.

The one element that separates entrepreneurs from all others is their extra measure of “independent spirit.”

Further, you will find that the successful entrepreneur displays a natural executive talent in conjunction with their powerful need for independence. Why natural executive talent? Because the need for independence must be accompanied by the ability to plan as well as execute the plan. Without that, the drive for independence could not be harnessed and realized.

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples in which independence rules the day.

The owner of your locally owned auto repair shop is most likely an ex-auto dealer or service station employee. However, the need for independence created the desire for ownership, and executive skills allowed the implementation of the ownership plan. The fact that the person is a skilled mechanic is irrelevant except that knowledge is required to operate the business. If this person were not driven by an independent spirit to own a business, they would have stayed at the dealership, and at best, “dreamed” of ownership. Such is the independence of an entrepreneur.

The owner of your local franchised print shop is most likely an ex-corporate manager who was downsized and decided to buy a job rather than tempt the corporate roller coaster again, or a frustrated executive who craved independence. However, this person was probably faced with the same problem that most corporate types face. Generally they do not have marketable trade skills that complement their administrative skills. The mechanic had knowledge of their business, but the corporate employee had to buy the required knowledge from a franchisor. Hail franchising.

The list of examples goes on and on, but no more are needed.

Of course, there are varying degrees of independence and varying degrees of executive talent, but those issues are associated with the different entrepreneurial “types” mentioned above. The key point is that entrepreneurs are different from other people and non-entrepreneurs cannot fully come to terms with that difference because they are not driven by the same need for independence. A different “feeling” exists inside. The banker, government administrator, or teacher who works with the entrepreneur may understand the business they are advising on, but they do not understand the entrepreneur’s heart, and therefore cannot apply their advice directly to or for the business owner. A gap exists that is real, and that gap generally creates a divide between the entrepreneur and the rest of the world that is difficult to bridge. Less than 10% of us are involved in some type of entrepreneurial venture; the other 90% does not live in, or understand that world. I might understand that NASCAR drivers love speed, but I could never understand what that need for speed “feels” like. If I was a good mechanic, which I am not, I might be able to give the driver better tools to work with, but only the driver would have the ability to apply those tools. It is the application or implementation of tools and systems that requires the “hands-on” person. Coaching, teaching and advising are NOT the same as doing, and that point is often missed in the business of serving and helping entrepreneurs.

The entrepreneurial personality is driven by independence and supported by varying degrees of knowledge and executive skills. Further, it is the varying level of each of those traits that determines entrepreneurial type.

Written by Nicholas A. Bibby

9 Sales Lessons For Entrepreneurs From a Baseball Pro

Getting a new product off the ground can leave you feeling a lot like this year’s Red Sox crop of rookies: What was once a season anticipated full of success, has turned to one of scratching and clawing for every personal and team accomplishment.

This scenario can be very similar to what young founders, or rookies,  face when launching a company or product. They’ve incubated an idea (single A ball), got through their first product development cycle (AA ball) and secured a small round of funding (AAA ball). But upon entering the marketplace (MLB), find a whole new level of difficulty when it comes to making sales.
I should know. My time with the Red Sox organization taught me more about sales challenges than any book I ever read on the topic. In the true nine-inning spirit of the game, here are the nine most important sales lessons I learned from baseball:
1. Get a good pre-game scouting report. While most entrepreneurs do their initial market research and identify target customers before diving into the sales process, many don’t bother learning about what it’s like to sell into a particular industry. The most successful salespeople are the ones who take the time to do this scouting homework. Try to find mentors that have sold into the industry in question to learn about potential challenges, and make friends working inside related industries that can offer you insight into your prospective customers.
2. Be prepared to implement “the shift.” No two customers are the same, and you need to be sensitive during each new interaction about what they’re looking for and what they might consider a deal breaker. Remember to ask probing questions early and often when engaging with new customers, and try to avoid playing out of position as a result of a poor scouting report.
3. Make yourself a five-tool player. Much like professional baseball players are acutely aware of their offensive and defensive strengths, in sales it’s important to recognize as early as possible what you’re good at and what you need to improve. For instance, if you’re great at establishing an initial meeting, but have a more difficult time closing a sale, you may want to seek out a team member or mentor who is particularly good at closing a sale and see what you can learn from their success.
4. Don’t dwell on the failures. Most likely, you won’t make every sale. But you shouldn’t let a loss get you down – after all, the best hitters in baseball fail two out of three times. Try your best to evaluate why you didn’t close a sale, make an effort to adjust for the next prospect comes, and move on.
5. Have an inning-by-inning approach. Just because you closed your first one or two big sales doesn’t mean you’ll be able to close again without putting in the same amount of time, effort and dedication that got you to your first customers. Stay grounded and don’t forget the things that got you those early wins. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can cut corners in the sales process the more success you have.
6. Take your cuts. Swinging and missing is part of the game. Whether you’re making or missing sales, stay motivated by your love of winning rather than fear of losing. Fear will force you to play it safe, tighten up and ultimately not connect with the customer as effectively as possible. If you want to hit your sale out of the park, you have to be willing to put everything on the line and not fear rejection.
7. Review your stats regularly. When starting out in sales, don’t be lazy about looking at your monthly, quarterly and annual stats associated with the number of calls made, emails sent, prospects visited and deals closed. Much like baseball stats are invaluable for pro players’ learning and improvement, sales stats are invaluable to helping you see objectively what sales methods are working best for you and what you need to work on to improve year-over-year.
8. Do your part AND rely on your teammates. A successful season for a baseball player is judged by both individual and team performance. Individual sales skills will get you a long way in closing initial deals, but as your company scales, you won’t be able to handle all sales single-handedly. You’ll need to build a sales and support team around you as your company grows and provide them with the resources and training they need to succeed.
9. Make sure to take an “off-season.” Baseball has one of the longest professional seasons, and the off-season is invaluable for resting, reflecting and practicing. You might think as a young entrepreneur that you have to work every waking minute for the whole year. But, if you don’t take time off, more of your sales will likely fall flat. As much as possible, try to step away on weekends and make sure to get the occasional day or week away from the “game.” 
From Entrepreneur

7 Things the Army Taught Me About Running a Company

Like all entrepreneurs, I know that success requires strategic thinking, risk-taking, and leadership skills. But unlike most people who start their own businesses, I was trained by the greatest institution on Earth: the United States Army, where I served as an intelligence officer.

Trading my uniforms for a pair of jeans and sneakers, then going to work for Amazon, Etsy and other leading technology companies, I realized just how applicable are the lessons I learned while in the service to the constant, joyful struggle of running a business.
Seven lessons in particular stand out:
1. "Plans are worthless, but planning is everything." This quip by Eisenhower is absolutely true. Few operations go according to plan but building a good plan forces you to think through constraints, resources and contingencies.
A good leader knows to plan. A great leader anticipates no plan will survive first contact with the enemy and knows just what to do about it. It's hard to train your mind for both the rigidity necessary to come up with good blueprints and the flexibility to improvise when plans fall apart but, on the battlefield or in the boardroom, it is crucial.
2. "Mission first, people always." The first time I heard this military adage I thought it was just another one of those feel-good sayings that had little to do with reality, but the more I experienced army and corporate life, the more I realized it is absolutely true. Accomplishing your missions and taking care of your team are one and the same. No victory ever is won single handedly. First-rate leaders treat glory as a communal reward to be shared and enjoyed by all.
3. "Drive on, private." When I was in basic training, there were some scenarios that were extremely demanding and offered no alternatives. I won’t gross you out with the details but imagine being as tired, dirty, itchy and dispirited as you’ve ever been. Imagine being willing to pay any price just for a 10-minute nap, a hot shower or a juicy burger but knowing that no comfort is to be had. There is no choice other than driving on, pulling through, getting past the hardship and persevering.
The cliché is true. Sometimes you can only grit your teeth and put one foot in front of the other. Starting a business is one of the times. There are fun and easy parts but the hard parts are many, lonely and testing. When they come along you have no choice but to close your eyes, grit your teeth and keep going.
4. Officers eat last. Anyone who has been in the U.S. military knows that when food is served, officers eat last. It's a way of showing your team that you're putting their needs above your own.
It’s a shame we’ve lost some of that spirit in the age of massive executive bonuses and other perks for corporate leaders. The leader who truly cares about the team is guaranteed to produce better results in the long run.
5. Lead from the front. Strong leaders lead by example, which means they take on all the same challenges as their team, if not more. In the army, this means being the first one to storm into the line of fire. At the office, this means working harder and longer, and being the first to take a hit if things go south for a spell.
The worst leaders make demands on their people that they themselves have no intention of following. The best ones make no demands but simply behave as they wish their employees would, too. It works every time.
6. The buck stops with you. Real leaders realize the great wisdom of that saying by Spiderman’s Uncle Ben: with great power comes great responsibility. They never blame others, even when others are to blame. They know that there’s always a time and a place for learning lessons, but that publicly, the only right thing to do is to stand up and own up to their decisions.
7. This isn’t about you.  If you’re any good, you know that this isn’t about you. There’s a company of men depending on you with their lives, or a corporation of people who rely on you for employment. It’s about your team, the passion you share and how you put that passion to work making something great. Act accordingly. Ask your team more questions, listen intently to the answers and take their ideas and feelings into consideration.
Being in the army was a distinct privilege during a period of my life that made me who I am today. While everyone doesn’t need to join the ranks in order to run a company, my hope is that business leaders of all stripes will apply these ideas in their own endeavors. That’s something I can solute.
From Entrepreneur