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Accountability
I have a client who had a great first quarter.
Now spring has sprung. The weather is better. We seem to be turning the corner on the pandemic…
…and my client has lost momentum.
He thinks he’s on target to hit his annual goals. So now he’s thinking, “I can take my foot off the gas.”
Call it the midyear doldrums. Call it the May Mistake.
I see it happen every year as the flowers bloom. Business people take their foot off the gas.
Some, like my client, ease up after smelling the roses.
Others set goals in January, don’t accomplish as much in Q1 as they hoped, and get stuck in the mud.
Many simply let the good weather, vacations, and other rites of spring distract their attention.
How do you avoid this fate? How do you ensure you don’t squander opportunities to push forward and prosper?
Read MoreI know a business owner who hates everything associated with billing, collections, and finance.
When it’s time to cut an invoice, he stalls. When payments are past due, he stalls. When he has to reconcile financial statements, he stalls.
Those things don’t get done, and they become an emotional anchor. He knows undone things are piling up. That weighs on him. He feels guilty for putting this off. That weighs on him. Cash-flow suffers. That weighs on him.
But, still, he doesn’t get it done efficiently.
Meanwhile, all that emotional weight distracts him from other tasks. So he struggles to get done even those things he likes to do.
Sound familiar?
Everyone faces important business tasks they don’t like to do.
Some stall and let it weigh on them — which creates undue stress for the business and its leaders. Others find a way to get the job done. Their businesses thrive, and the leaders suffer less stress. Everyone wants their business to thrive, not suffer.
So how do you make it happen? Here are four keys to get done the things you hate to do.
Read MoreI’ve always tried to stay physically fit — eat well, work out, stay healthy.
But it wasn’t until I worked with a personal trainer that I discovered how far I could go. My trainer pushed me to strive — more reps, more commitment, more discipline.
He encouraged me and held me accountable. I was good without him. But I felt GREAT with him — physically and mentally.
The same thing happens in business when you have an accountability partner.
Some business leaders say they don’t want an accountability partner. They think they’re fine without one. They fear they’ll look incompetent if they need one. They worry they’ll look like a slacker.
The truth is: Those who work with accountability partners reach a higher level and…
Go beyond “getting the job done”.
Are you reaching your full potential, or are you just getting the job done…
Read MoreHi, My name is a Tucker, and, in case you didn’t notice, I’m a dog.
Here’s a story of how my boss, Cheryl, motivated me to run, and leap and stretch to catch plastic discs she tossed in the air.
Cheryl thinks business people can learn a lot from this story about how to inspire and motivate employees.
That may be so… But I want you to read on so you can see the cool videos of me doing my thing (I’m a show-off).
Read MoreThis is an intervention……for all of you webinar addicts. Your business success depends on this. Since the pandemic began, I’ve seen too many business people lose focus as they click-and-watch every time they get an email offer for an interesting, informative webinar. Last week, a business owner told me about the Search Engine Optimization webinar he watched. He learned a lot, he told me. “Wow! Are you handling SEO for your company now?” I asked. He responded with silence. He got the point.
Read MoreHere’s the story of an owner who vowed to use his shelter-in-place time to get more done in the business. But he spent so much time chasing so many squirrels that he spun in circles. If you focus on too many things, you’ll spin your wheels. If you focus on ONE THING, you’ll get more done.
Read MoreI received an email the other day from an expert who noted that “a lot of people burn out this time of year, waning from their new year resolutions.” I stand accused. We set goals and make resolutions around the New Year. Then, as the first quarter ends, we’re burnt out, and our commitment to our resolutions fades away. Same thing in business…
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