June 23, 2009
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Positive personal impact is one of the keys to career and life success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things. 1) Develop and nurture your unique personal brand. 2) Be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line. 3) Know and follow the basic rules of etiquette.
Last Friday I came across an article on HRGuru.com called “15Dumbest Ways to Lose Your Job.” Guess what? The first three dumb ways to lose a job involved inappropriate information the job holders posted on line. They are cases of extreme stupidity – and cruelty, but they illustrate my point about being impeccable in your presentation of self on line very well.
In the first case, two nurses were fired for using their Facebook accounts to discuss x rays they saw of a patient who had a sex toy lodged in his rectum. The HRGuru.com comment – “Violating a patient’s privacy is just plain wrong. Violating a patient’s privacy, then advertising it on a social networking site is just plain stupid.” I agree.
In the second case, two Domino’s Pizza employees took pictures of themselves sneezing on sandwiches and cleaning a pizza pan with a sponge one of them used to wipe his bare bottom just moments before. They posted their video on YouTube, and it quickly became an internet sensation. Both employees were fired and now face criminal charges for tampering with food. That’s just not stupid, it demonstrates a complete lack of regard for other human beings.
In the third case, a guy in South Africa posted a comment on his Facebook page calling his boss a “serial masturbator.” A co worker saw the post and reported it to the employer. The poster lost his job. HRGuru.com says, “Don’t say anything on Facebook you wouldn’t want your boss, spouse, parents or children to see. Ever.”
I really agree with HRGuru.com’s advice on the third point. That’s why I always advise my coaching clients to be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people create positive personal impact. You create positive personal impact by being impeccable in your presentation of self. I used to think that dressing neatly and appropriately for your work situation was enough to make a good impression. Of course, I grew up in the pre internet age. These days, you need to think before you post things on the internet – even if they seem very funny to you at first glance, like a picture of you at a party. And, you should never post anything that is hurtful or demeans another person. It’s common practice for people to Google someone who they are going to meet for the first time. Make sure that what turns up when someone Googles you is the first impression you want a stranger to have of you.
That’s my take on the internet, your presentation of self and success. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 19, 2009
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Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to career and life success I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Career. If you want to become interpersonally competent, you need to do three things. First get to know yourself. Use this self knowledge to help you better understand others. Second, build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life. Third, resolve conflict positively. Treat conflict as an opportunity to strengthen, not harm, relationships.
Recently, I did a blog post where I featured Jeff Hajek’s book Whaddya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? I like this book. And, as I pointed out in the post, Jeff provides some great career advice in a book that at first glance doesn’t seem to have much to do with career success.
Jeff sent me an e mail the day after the post ran, thanking me for my favorable comments about his book. I thought that was great – and for me it was enough. However, a couple of days later, I received a handwritten note from Jeff. It read…
Bud,
I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to review Whaddya Mean on your blog. I am cognizant of the fact that you have gone out of your way to help me, so if there is anything I can ever do to return the favor, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best wishes,
Jeff
Handwritten notes are not very common these days. I was touched that Jeff took the time to write one and send it to me. By sending it, he really strengthened his relationship with me. The next time he asks for my help, I am very likely to give it to him. Also, he offered his help to me. I feel that I can go to him if I need assistance in his area of expertise. Jeff used a simple technique – a handwritten note – to build his relationship with me.
My post helped Jeff – any exposure helps. But I reviewed his book because I thought it would be useful to readers of this blog. My intent was to provide readers of this blog with useful information. So my review was a win/win/win. Good for you, good for Jeff, and good for me because I am meeting one of my goals – helping others create the successful life and career that they deserve. All three of us benefited.
Jeff purchased a thank you card for his note to me. That was great, but I have an even better idea. I have invested in a set of note cards with my name printed at the top and my return address on the back flap of the envelope. I suggest that you do the same – you’ll find yourself writing more thank you notes when you have a card handy.
One of the companies where I have done a lot of consulting and coaching work has picked up on this idea. They have placed blank thank you notes – with one of their core values on the front of the card – at convenient locations in their offices. The intent is to get employees to thank one another for good work. And it worked. People are sending more of these handwritten notes to their colleagues, strengthening relationships within the company.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are interpersonally competent. Interpersonally competent people are good at building relationships. Thanking people when they help you is a great way to build relationships. Hand written thank you notes are the best way of doing so. Hand written thank you notes establish you as someone who cares about other people and is willing to go a little out of your way to build relationships. They are the hallmark of interpersonally competent people.
That’s my take on thank you notes and interpersonal competence. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts on this topic with us. As always, you have my deepest gratitude for taking time out of your day to read what I’ve written.
Bud
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June 18, 2009
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Dynamic communication is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to master three basic, but very important communication skills: conversation, writing and presenting.
Michael Stelzner is an expert is writing white papers as a promotional tool. I subscribe to his ezine. The other day, Michael ran an article by Wendy Meyeroff of www.wmmedcommon.com entitled “Seven Steps for Fighting Writer’s Block.” Wendy is a professional writer and marketing consultant, specializing in the health and mature market industries. Her article was aimed at a professional writer audience, but six of Wendy’s points will benefit anyone who is a little stuck in his or writing.
Take a look…
1) Start Someplace Else -- I've always hated titles, and trying to think of the perfect one can sink me before I start. So the answer is simple: I don't start with the title. I find that once I've written the copy, the solution jumps out of the pages. Maybe it's a quote I've chosen, or something still in my notes that I didn't use due to lack of room. Of course you can use this concept to fight any part of the paper that's your nemesis: the opening or closing paragraph, the subheads, whatever. If the words aren't coming, leave a hole (maybe mark it somehow) and come back to that section later.
2) Start Highlighting -- Sometimes I'm able to keep the various points I know I want to include straight in my head, but when I can't, I feel like I'm sinking into quicksand. So I go through my paperwork, highlight what I think is particularly important, and then number everything. Don't misunderstand; the numbers don't necessarily indicate any final order. That comes next.
3) Make an Outline -- So now that I know what I really want to include (at least initially) I sort through and see what goes with what. I might see that quote number "1," from exec A, is greatly reinforced by a statistic I have someplace else, labeled "23." Together they inspire a common heading that I put down on paper. Eventually I have an outline. I may do more cutting/pasting before I have the final, but that's OK—and it's a lot easier with a computer!
4) Rehearse a Presentation -- Pretend you're facing an audience interested in what this paper discusses and talk it out. I started using this technique when I had to give a presentation about my services at events like chamber of commerce meetings. I locked myself in another room and, working from my outline, spoke it out loud. I found that, inevitably, I would discover points to delete or add as I talked. This method helps me better arrange my outline, and I think of strong phrasing designed to meet my audience's needs.
5) Put It Aside -- A standard rule, whatever you're writing: when you're stuck, walk away. Either literally leave (good for fighting neck cramps and other chronic desk-related problems) or work on something else, like phone calls.
6) Recognize When You're Dawdling -- Maybe this project bores you. Maybe it's one you took on just because there were some unexpected bills to pay. So you're really not blocked—you're stalling. Be honest with yourself, square your shoulders (good for fighting the neck cramps noted above) and get moving.
I asked Wendy if I could reprint her common sense ideas here. She said “sure.” She added, “You don’t have to have the words ‘professional writer’ or ‘copywriter’ or even ‘communications’ in your job description to benefit from this advice. Most of the folks who ask me to provide them with written materials, are handling some sort of writing project. The six steps above can help you when any writing project threatens to overwhelm you.”
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are dynamic communicators. Dynamic communicators write clearly and succinctly. However, writing isn’t always easy. Wendy Meyeroff’s suggestions for fighting writer’s block -- Start Someplace Other Than the Beginning, Start Highlighting, Make an Outline, Rehearse a Presentation; Put It Aside; and Recognize When You’re Dawdling – are great common sense ideas on how to get your thoughts and ideas on paper in a way that really communicates.
That’s my take on Wendy Meyeroff’s ideas for overcoming writers’ block. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 17, 2009
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Outstanding performance is one of the keys to success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to be an outstanding performer you need to do three things. 1) Stay at the top of your game by becoming a lifelong learner. 2) Set high goals. Do whatever it takes to achieve them. 3) Get organized. Manage your time life and stress well.
I’m a big believer in synchronicity. That’s why I pay attention to what’s happening around me. Several days ago, I received an e mail from Mike Litman asking me to check out one of his blog posts that focused on one word – action. Mike suggested doing one thing that I don’t want to do today that will move my life and business forward.
I was traveling last week. I took the latest issue of SUCCESS Magazine with me. You know I love this magazine. If you’re not a subscriber, I suggest you go to www.success.com and subscribe right now. In the current issue, Mel Robbins has a piece about time. She says you should begin every day by asking yourself one question, “What is the one thing I can accomplish today that would make me feel fantastic at day’s end?” Mel says do that one thing immediately.
In the same issue of SUCCESS, Richard Branson tells entrepreneurs to write down a risk they know they should take to improve their business, and to do it. “Take the risk, even if it scares you,” he says.
I recently attended an event hosted by James Malinchak. James is a very successful entrepreneur who really knows how to market. I left the event with a rubber bracelet that says, “GSDF: Get Stuff Done Fast.” Because I survived my brush with cancer, it hasn’t replaced the LIVESTRONG bracelet I’ve been wearing for several years, but it sits right next to my computer in my office.
Mike, Mel, Richard and James make a great point about outstanding performers – they get things done because they take action. Do it. Do it now. Just do it. Outstanding performers accomplish their goals because they focus on what’s important – something that can be risky or something they don’t want to do – and take action. They get stuff done quickly. As Tony Robbins says, “The path to success is to take massive, determined action.”
As I said at the beginning of this post, I am a believer in synchronicity. Lately, I’ve been getting lots of input urging me to take action – to do things I don’t want to do, to do things that will make me feel good, to do things that are risky and to do things quickly. I am following this advice. I urge you to so too if you want to become an outstanding performer.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are outstanding performers. Outstanding performers set high goals and then do whatever it takes to achieve them. Action is the key to achieving your goals. Action leads to success. It is the antidote to fear. It keeps you moving in a positive direction. If you want to succeed, you need to take positive determined action on a consistent basis. Action is the key to outstanding performance, and outstanding performance is one of the keys to personal and professional success.
That’s my take on action and success. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. Tell us about a recent action you took and how it helped you achieve one of your goals. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 16, 2009
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Positive personal impact is one of the keys to c areer and life success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to create positive personal impact you need to do three things. 1) Develop and nurture your unique personal brand. 2) Be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line. 3) Know and follow the basic rules of etiquette.
Do you use Twitter? It has become an important part of many people’s on line presence. Last Wednesday (June 10, 2009), USA Today did a big article called “What Would Shakespeare Tweet?” In part it said…
“There’s no doubt that social media networks are fantastic communication machines. They allow people to feel connected to a virtual community, make new friends and keep old ones, learn things they didn’t know. The encourage people to write more (that can’t be bad) and write well concisely (which is hard, trust us.) They are a new form of entertainment (and marketing) than can occupy people for hours in any given day. ‘Great blogging is great writing, and it turns out great Twittering is great writing – it’s the haiku form of blogging’ says Debbie Weil, a consultant on social media and author of The Corporate Blogging Book.”
But many people complain about Twitter, saying it is just a bunch of dumb, narcissistic updates like, “Got up, had breakfast;” or “Went to the store;” or “Watching the NBA Finals;” etc. etc. etc. And they’re right.
Don’t tweet stupid stuff like that. It won’t help you reinforce your personal brand, and it will not help you create an impeccable presentation of self on line. Tweet substance. You’d be surprised how much substance you can cram into 140 characters. Yesterday, I did the following tweet: “Career Common Sense: Admit your mistakes. You’ll gain a reputation as an honest person” – not real deep, but -- in my opinion at least -- some solid common sense advice on personal branding.
I tweet regularly. You can follow me @BudBilanich. I do two types of tweets every day. I let people know that I have posted a new blog, and I offer career success advice. For example, last Thursday my career success advice tweet read: “Career Common Sense: Work hard at building relationships with all kinds of people.” It was retweeted by at least five people. Retweets are great; they help me build my Common Sense Guy personal brand. They also help me identify the type of advice that most people find helpful. I repeat my Tweets three or four times a day. Twitter moves fast. By repeating my tweets at different times of the day, I am increasing the likelihood that more of my followers will see my tweets.
I got the idea for regular Career Common Sense tweets and for repeating my tweets several times during the day from Stephanie Frank, who is an absolute genius when it comes to social media and on line marketing. If you have a Twitter account, you should follow her @Stephanie Frank. You’ll love her “Daily Do It” tweets. I retweeted her June 11Daily Do It tweet; “Daily Do It: Passion for your life shows, no matter what the circumstances. Be passionate today.”
The common sense point here is clear. Successful people create positive personal impact. Your on line presence can help you create positive personal impact – but only if you pay attention. Twitter is a great way to build your personal brand. If you blog, set up your blog posts to go directly to twitter. You can also use Twitter to offer short bits of helpful advice that will help you become better known and build your brand. For example, my “Career Common Sense” tweets are career success advice in 140 characters or less. You can do the same in your area of expertise. If you do so, you will build your brand and become better known as an expert in your field.
That’s my take on how to use Twitter to create positive personal impact and to build your personal brand. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
PS: Please follow me on twitter -- @BudBilanich
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June 15, 2009
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Self confidence is one of the keys to career and life success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to become self confident you need to do three things. First, become an optimist. Second, face your fears and act. Third, surround yourself with positive people.
The other say I saw a great tweet by Stephen Pierce (@stephen_pierce) that was retweeted by Stephanie Frank (@stephaniefrank)…
“The only shortcut to success is to start right now. Delays in starting, equal delays in arriving.”
I like this tweet. It gets at one of the points I like to make about self confidence. Self confident people act. They don’t procrastinate.
I have found that procrastination and fear are intertwined. When I realize that I am procrastinating, I ask myself a simple question, “What are you afraid of here, Bud?” Usually the answer is, “I’m afraid of failing,” or “I’m afraid of rejection.”
Fear of failure and rejection will hinder your self confidence. They will cause you to procrastinate – to avoid taking the actions that will lead to your success. As Stephen Pierce suggests, “Delays in starting, equal delays in arriving” at your goal.
Here’s what I do to conquer my fears that lead to procrastination…
Identify what you fear. Figure out why you’re afraid. Is it fear of failure? Is it fear of making the wrong decision? Is it fear of a lost opportunity? Are you afraid that you aren’t up to task? Once you identify the reason behind your fear, you are well on the way to overcoming it.
Admit your fears. It’s OK to be afraid. You wouldn’t be human if you were never afraid. A common definition of courage is the ability to feel fear and still do what you need to do regardless. In 1988, I faced a very frightening decision. Should I stay in a comfortable but ultimately unsatisfying job with a large corporation, or should I start my own business? I was afraid of failing. Failing meant that I would lose my savings and have to start over again, looking for a job in another corporation. However, once I identified and admitted my fear, I was able to take the next step – acceptance.
Accept your fears. Accepting your fears is important, because it shows that you know you’re human. Once I accepted that I was afraid of failing, I was able to start my business and succeed. In fact, I embraced my fear of failure. It made me work harder; it pushed me to work the long hours and learn the entrepreneurship lessons necessary to be successful as a self employed coach, consultant and speaker.
Take action. Action cures fear. It is the most important of these four steps. Do something! The worst thing that can happen is that you’ll find it was the wrong thing to do – and you will have eliminated at least one thing from your list of possible actions. Action is the antidote to fear. In most cases, you’ll choose wisely and your fears won’t be realized. In the cases when you choose poorly, you’ll find that failure isn’t as catastrophic as you imagined. Successful people learn from their failures. By taking action on your fears, you win on both counts. You win if you make a good decision and things work out. You even win if you make a bad decision and things go poorly, because you have an opportunity to learn from your decision and the subsequent problems you faced.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are self confidence. Self confident people don’t let their fears get in the way of their success. They face their fears and take action. Fear often manifests itself as procrastination. When you feel yourself procrastinating, take four small, but powerful steps. 1) Identify the fear behind your procrastination. 2) Admit to your fear. 3) Accept your fear. 4) Take action to defeat your fear. Action is the antidote to fear.
That’s my take on action and fear. What’s yours? How have you conquered some of your fears? Please take a few minutes and share your story with us in a comment. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 12, 2009
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Interpersonal Competence is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to become interpersonally competent you need to do three things. First, get to know yourself. Use this self knowledge to better understand others. Second, build and nurture solid, long term, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life. Third, resolve conflict in a positive manner. Use conflict as an opportunity to strengthen your relationships.
The July 2009 issue of SUCCESS Magazine arrived in my mailbox the other day. If you read this blog with any regularity, you know that I am a big fan of SUCCESS Magazine. I read it cover to cover every month and usually blog about one or two of the articles in each issue. If you’re not a subscriber, I suggest you go to www.success.com and do so now.
This month, SUCCESS had an interview with Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I’m an admirer of Patrick’s writing. I particularly like what he has to say about teams and teamwork. Fear of conflict is one of the team dysfunctions he discusses in the book and interview in SUCCESS.
Here’s what he has to say…
“The fact is that great teams argue. Not in a mean spirited or personal way. But they disagree, and passionately, when important decisions are made. They argue about concepts and ideas and avoid personality focused, mean spirited attacks. So many of us have been raised to avoid conflict and disagreement that we try to compromise and reach artificial consensus, and that only leads to mediocrity.”
Interpersonally competent people are not mean spirited. They don’t attack others. They do, however, voice their disagreement with another’s ideas in a positive manner. They use conflict to find better, more creative solutions to their differences with others.
I always encourage people who are in conflict to do something that is counter intuitive – focus on where you agree, not where you disagree. When you find yourself in conflict with another person, it is natural to focus on your differences. However, this approach tends to lead to digging in your heels and looking for support for your position. The more you do this, the less you open you are to hearing what the other person has to say. Conflict resolution becomes a zero sum, win/lose game.
On the other hand, if you actively look for and find places where you agree, you can jointly create a solution that satisfies both of your needs. Here is an example.
When we bought our house, we had a conflict with the seller over the closing date. This was happening at the end of the year. The seller, who was also the builder, wanted to close by December 31. We were not planning on moving until February 1. Due to some ambiguous language in the contract, the situation was becoming quite contentious.
Finally, I said to the builder, “John, you want to sell this house. We want to buy it. I’m sure we can work out a closing date that suits us both.” At that point, the tone of our discussions changed. We were working together to solve a problem – not arguing over December 31 and February 1dates. Even though we both ended up giving a little, neither of us felt that we had given up on our position. We were able to resolve our conflict positively.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are interpersonally competent. Interpersonally competent people resolve conflict positively, with little damage to their relationships. Conflict can be destructive to relationships. But when you work to resolve conflict positively, you strengthen your relationships. Strong relationships make it easier for you to resolve future conflicts. Focusing on points of agreement, however small, is the best way to resolve conflict positively. Focusing on where you agree puts you in a position to jointly create a mutually satisfying solution to a conflict, as opposed to win/lose negotiation in which one person wins and the other loses.
That’s my take on how to resolve conflict positively. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. Share your stories of successful and amicable conflict resolution. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 11, 2009
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Dynamic communication skills are one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to master three basic, but very important communication skills: 1) conversation; 2) writing; and 3) presenting.
Yesterday, I did a post on lifelong learning. One of the messages of the post was that it pays to pay attention to information that may seem as if it has little relevance to you – you might learn something.
Today’s post is about the information in a book that you might be tempted to overlook if you’re not a sales professional – or if you haven’t read my last post on lifelong learning.
How to Win a Pitch, a very interesting book by Joey Asher, might seem like a book meant only for sales professionals. But it’s not. We’re all in sales, as we have to sell ourselves every day. We have to create positive personal impact to get people interested in us, and then we have to be good communicators to sell our ideas.
Joey presents five common sense fundamentals for becoming a persuasive communicator…
1. Focus your message on the business problem.
2. Organize your message around three memorable points.
3. Show passion.
4. Involve your audience in your presentation.
5. Rehearse…Rehearse…And Rehearse Again.
I like Joey’s points – even if he has five instead of three. Just kidding. The important idea is to focus on a minimal number of points. Joey has five fundamentals for becoming a persuasive communicator. I have four keys to career and life success: Clarity, Commitment, Confidence and Competence. The fact that my four keys begin with the letter “C” makes it even easier for people to remember them. In my case, this was a happy coincidence. I don’t suggest trying to force alliterations or acronyms. If your subject matter lends itself to them – great go with it. If not, don’t force it.
I also love what Joey has to say about passion. He is 100% correct when he says that your voice is your first key to passion. It’s OK to sound as if you’re excited – you should be excited about the points you’re making.
I once lost a job I really wanted because I didn’t let my passion for the job show through in the interview. Ironically, I made a conscious decision to act in a laid back manner in the interview – you know, “We’re both professionals here. I’m calm. I know myself. No sense in over hyping it.” As it turns out, I was one of two finalists for the job. The recruiter told me that the hiring manager liked my skills and experience more than the other guy, but he hired the other guy because he showed more passion and drive. I’ve never made that mistake again.
By nature, I am a passionate guy. I care about what I do. I let this passion show through, when I’m selling and when I’m doing my work. It’s hard to care too much. And, if I’m going to fail, I’m going to fail showing how much, not how little, I care. Joey Asher and I urge you to do the same.
I agree with Joey on the importance of rehearsals. As I often say, only half jokingly, “Preparation makes up for a lack of talent. That’s how I’ve gotten as far as I have in my life and career.” Prepare, prepare, prepare and you’ll become a better communicator.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are dynamic communicators. Dynamic communicators have mastered three critical skills: conversation, writing and presenting. Dynamic communicators realize that we are all sales people and that we need to constantly sell ourselves and our ideas. In How to Win a Pitch, Joey Asher suggests that dynamic communicators have mastered five fundamentals: 1) Focus your message on the business problem. 2) Organize your message around three memorable points. 3) Show passion. 4) Involve your audience in your presentation. 5) Rehearse…Rehearse…And Rehearse Again.
That’s my take on what Joey Asher has to say in How to Win a Pitch. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 10, 2009
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Outstanding performance is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to become an outstanding performer you need to do three things. 1) Stay on top of your game by becoming a lifelong learner. 2) Set high goals. Do whatever it takes to achieve them. 3) Get organized. Manage your time, life and stress well.
Looking outside of your traditional box is one way to become a lifelong learner. Recently, I had the opportunity to read a great book by Jeff Hajek, Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? Lean is a term that is most often used in manufacturing. It is a tool for continuously improving work systems.
At first glance you might think, “Why is this guy writing about Lean? I’m interested in creating a successful career and life.”
I’m writing about lean because learning about lean, and applying some of its tools can help you become more productive and better able to reach the goals you set for yourself. Lean tools can help improve your productivity – just like they help improve the productivity of companies around the world.
That’s why reading a book that at first glance you might overlook -- like Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? -- is important. See for yourself. On page 51, Jeff says…
“In short, lean does more with less. It eliminates waste so employees can focus more on productive work…In addition, lean companies generally have quicker delivery times and higher quality levels…”
If you’re serious about becoming an outstanding performer, you will want to do more with less, eliminate waste, and deliver higher quality work products quicker. Right? I know that I strive for this.
Jeff goes on to explain how wasted activity makes you less productive. He refers to Taiichi Ohno’s “Seven Wastes”
1. Defects
2. Overprocessing
3. Transportation
4. Motion
5. Time
6. Inventory
7. Overproduction
You’ll have to read Jeff’s book or another book on Lean to get a complete understanding of these principles. However, from even a cursory glance, I bet you can see how they -- especially defects, transportation, motion and time – can be a drag on your personal productivity.
For example, I am often guilty of poor time and motion management. Things often take longer than they should – mostly because I don’t spend enough time getting everything lined up before I start a project. Does this ever happen to you?
I found Chapter 11 of Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? “Be a Pro at Projects” to be particularly helpful. I think you will too. After all, your performance on big projects often is the key to getting identified as a high performer, someone not only to keep, but to promote. In these days of massive layoffs this is really important.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are outstanding performers. Outstanding performers are lifelong learners. They learn in areas that at first glance might be outside of their area of interest. Jeff Hajek’s book Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? is a good example of a body of knowledge that at first might seem to not apply to creating a successful life and career. However, on further inspection, the ideas and insights inside can help anyone become more productive, and achieve high goals. Learning can be found in lots of unlikely places. You just have to be open to it, and know where to look.
That’s my take on finding opportunities for learning in places you might overlook. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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June 9, 2009
05:54 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment
Positive personal impact is one of the keys to career and life success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success and 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. If you want to create positive personal impact you need to do three things. First, develop and nurture your unique personal brand. Second, be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line. Third, know and follow the basic rules of etiquette.
I have received several questions about personal branding recently. I went looking on line to see what I could add to what I’ve already written about personal branding, and found a blog post written by Staci Wood on Small Biz Trends. Staci asked her readers to share their best personal branding tips. She compiled them into a free downloadable ebook: Best Personal Branding Tips. You can download it here.
All 50 are great tips, but here are five that I particularly like…
Choose a favorite phrase that says what you’re all about and use it in a sentence at least three times a day. Mine is “It’s all about getting chosen.” – Ivana Taylor, Twitter @DIYMarketers
Be yourself and be true to your core values. Even if people disagree with you, stick to who you are. Personally, I come across as a little too aggressive for some. But my motives are good and I am ethical. That is what is important. – Joel Libava, Twitter @FranchiseKing
Focus your skills and promote yourself as the go-to person in your field. Chris Cottrell, Twitter@ ChrisCottrell
Give before you receive. Be authentic in the social network, not a robot who shares links. David Marchena, Twitter @DavidMarchena
Don’t fear being different or even a little quirky. Find something positive that makes you stand out from the crowd. Robert Brady, Twitter @Robert_Brady
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people create positive personal impact. Creating your strong unique personal brand is the first step in creating positive personal impact. As you might expect, I have two tips about creating and nurturing your personal brand. First, figure out the three or four words you want people to associate with you. Second, act in a manner that constantly and consistently reinforces your unique personal brand. For example, I’m the Common Sense Guy. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I post five days a week and end every post with a sentence that begins. “The common sense point here is…” That’s one of the ways I bring constancy and consistency to my personal brand.
That’s my take on personal branding and success. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. And don’t forget to download Best Personal Branding Tips and use the common sense advice you’ll find there. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
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