Volume 2 Issue 1 of RISBJ Featuring Andera
Now that it’s 2013, it’s time to start the year with all of those New Year’s resolutions that will last anywhere from 7-21 days. Maybe your gym membership will get 5 uses this year, up from the 3 after last year’s resolution. How about trying something new this year? Why not make your New Year’s resolution about your business? Here are a few of my favorites that should help us all start the year off on the right foot.
Talk less and listen more. So anyone that knows me, knows I like to talk – a lot. When it comes to dealing with clients and staff however, listening is key. Understanding your clients business and what their goals are is an important part of setting the foundation of a successful relationship. Understanding what your staff needs to be more motivated, more productive and feel more included is vital to their satisfaction and performance. By asking a lot of questions and actually listening to the responses, you’ll learn a lot.
Set goals and revisit them often. How often have you set goals and forgotten what they actually were? How often do you include key staff in your goal setting? This resolution will keep that from happening again. Once your goals are set, you need to revisit them often and include staff in the progress of reaching those goals. As a leader, you must help people keep the company goals in mind and remind them that you are trying to reach those goals as a team.
Be a leader. This seems to be obvious, but all too often we get caught up in the day-to-day of running our business and can forget that we are the leader of our team. Your staff is looking for you to set the tone of the organization and provide guidance. The way you act around them directly affects the behaviors they will exhibit. How is your staff interpreting your attitude, work ethic, and customer service? Looking at the behaviors of your team is often a direct reflection of your own behavior. Strong leadership in any organization goes a long way.
So what will your New Year’s resolution be? Whether it’s one of mine or something entirely different, be conscious of it. Ignoring our business resolutions can be much more costly than that $10/month gym membership and the results can far exceed those of 30 minutes on the treadmill.
I hope you enjoy our first issue of the year and wish everyone success in 2013.
