The Law Of Results

Sir Isaac Newton’s third Law of Motion states that “Every Action has an Equal and Opposite Reaction.”

Aside from physics, this principle has many similar applications in your daily life. If you smile at someone, they will invariably smile back at you. In like fashion, if you wish someone “Good morning”, they will in turn wish you a good morning as well.

This same principle is also true for business. For example, no one ever sells something until someone buys something.

The point that I’m making is that nothing ever happens in life until somebody does “something”. You can’t get heat from a fireplace until such time as you gather the wood and build a fire in it. The significant factor in the law of physics is that the “action” and opposite “reaction” are EQUAL in nature.

How many times have you heard someone say “You get out of it… What you put into it”? If you or your people only put forth a half-baked effort, then you or your organization are only going to get a half-baked result.

As you read this, you might be saying to yourself that you are taking plenty of action and that you are working your tail off. And the reality is that you probably are. I don’t question that you are working hard and that you are putting forth a great deal of concerted effort. However, I do question whether you are getting the results that you really “want”.  

According to Sir Isaac… The result (whatever it is) that you are getting is EQUAL to what it is that you are doing to generate the result. Therefore, if you are not getting the results that you want in your life and work, then it’s high time to start taking some different action.

At this juncture, I would like to introduce you to the Law of Results which states that “Taking RIGHT Action Equals RIGHT Results.” For it is the process of taking new (right) action that will ultimately bring you closer and closer to achieving the right result outcomes that you want for your life, career or business.

The problem is that most people are so busy getting from birth to death any old which way that they can, that they never find the time to determine what it is that they truly want, let alone how to get it. The reality of their lives is that they never actually do take action. They spend their entire lives allowing their circumstances to control their lives and consequently find themselves in permanent “reaction” mode. There is no “equal”. There is no life balance. There is no real satisfaction, accomplishment or meaningful achievement.

For most people and organizations it is much easier to talk about taking action than actually doing something that is planned and proactive. The reality is that talking about ideas and potential actions feels far safer than stepping up and stepping out. Actually doing something is generally construed as risky business.

There are very predictable reasons for why people shy away from taking risks. Maybe you or your people are familiar with them:

Fear. Fear is without question the biggest factor that holds people and organizations back. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of reprisal. Fear of not being good enough, smart enough and the like.

Victimization. Nothing every works out for the victim. Everybody is out to get him or her. There are too many distractions and interference for them to work effectively. The deadlines aren’t fair or realistic.

Habits. Old habits and poor work habits hold people back as well. While there may be better and more cost effective ways of doing things, these individuals simply don’t see any reason to change.

Perfectionism. After all, if you are going to do something… then do it right. Right? Very few tasks or projects literally require being perfect. If you wait for all conditions to be perfectly right, you will never get anything done.

Lack of Commitment. People want to be on the winning team, that’s a given. However, a lot of people want to hedge their bets just in case something goes wrong. Their lack of true commitment leaves them constantly straddling the fence of life. To them it only makes sense to leave their options open.

Don’t be afraid of taking some healthy and reasonable risks. Press past your fears and anything else that is holding you back. Commit to doing “something”. Better yet, commit to doing the RIGHT something!

Developing Forward provides developmental training, processes and structure to support, or even assist you in identifying and achieving the results you want for your business, career and personal life. At your convenience, call us to learn more or to schedule a confidential evaluation. 

Learn more… Do more… Become more…

 

Copyright © 2014 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Your Brick Wall Is There For A Reason

Do you recall what it was like having to struggle in order to get something you wanted? Time and time again throughout your life, you have encountered an endless number of obstacles, roadblocks and brick walls.

How well did you deal with them? How well did you understand them? Did you have any measure of appreciation for them?

In many instances you may have become frustrated or irritated. After all, you were in a hurry to get where you wanted to go and to accomplish what you had intended to accomplish. Right? Take a moment to recall the time that you were in a hurry to get to a morning meeting, but failed to purchase gas for your car the night before. Perhaps you caught all of the red lights that morning. Maybe you walked out your front door to discover that you had a flat tire or a dead battery.

While these everyday life events seemed like anything but fun at the time, the may actually have been life savers. I would imagine like most people, you have learned later on about a tragic accident that occurred at an intersection that you normally frequent or along the road that you usually take. The fact that you had to switch roles with your spouse that morning and take your child to school, caused you to take a different rout to work and ultimately kept you from being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The acute awareness that there was a fatal car wreck at the time and place where you normally are and the fact that you were some how spared from being involved is a sobering experience that can give your life new perspective. So, let’s take a few moments to put some of these events into a proper perspective:

Obstacles. First off, obstacles are not a setback at all. An obstacle is simply not going to keep you from achieving what it is that you have set out to do. Regardless of your undertaking, it’s a given that you want to get from Point A to Point B in the shortest amount of time. In track and field they are the runners who run the 100 yard dash. For the rest of us along the road of life, it’s more like running the 100 yard hurdles. No matter what you set out to do, you’re going to inevitably encounter a few hurdles along the way. While they’re not ideally wanted, they are readily overcome and are not going to keep you from achieving your goals.

The other thing about obstacles that you need to comprehend is that most of the obstacles in any endeavor are actually “predictable”. The act of becoming a good goal planner includes identifying potential obstacles during the planning stage. By identifying them upfront, you can have ready made solutions in place for dealing with them should they actually arise.

Roadblocks. Contrary to your probable reaction to one, a roadblock isn’t a setback either. Imagine that you are driving to a conference in a nearby city and about halfway there the highway crosses over a river. However when you get there, you find that the road is blocked off, there are flashing lights and a sign that says Bridge Out.

In one regard you have come to the end of your road. But just because a flash flood from the previous night’s storm may have washed the bridge out, it’s not really the end of the road for you. It’s just a “detour”. There are other roads and different routes that will still get you to the conference. Even if you happen to get there a bit later than planned, it’s not a big deal. While you might miss the welcoming cocktail party -- that’s not the real purpose of the conference is it?

Roadblocks are a clear signal that there is a flaw in your plan and that you are going to have to make a course correction. In the end, you will still achieve your goals and objectives.

Brick Walls. In the words of Professor and Disney Imag-ineer Randy Pausch “The brick walls are there for a reason.” When you encounter a brick wall in your life, its purpose is not to block your path to success or to prevent you from achieving what you set out to do.

Rather, it is there to present you with the important question… How bad do you really want what it is that you are after? Are you absolutely certain that you are ready to handle it when you get it? Brick walls are there to separate those individuals who don’t want it bad enough, from those who will not let anything get in the way of achieving their goals -- Not even a seemingly insurmountable brick wall. Those that possess the all out determination and the ingenuity to find a way to get over, under or around their brick wall, will ultimately have learned to respect their achievement and manage their new found success appropriately.

Your ability to scale your brick walls, will keep taking you to new heights of achievement.

Copyright © 2013 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Leadership In Decline

A recent Washington Post headline read “Federal leadership on the decline, report says” which was referring to the newly issued report by the Office of Personnel Management for the year 2012.

 

Based on a 100 point scale, the overall leadership score for federal government agencies fell 3.82% (2.1 points) from 2011 to 52.8 points. Max Stier, President and Chief Executive of the Partnership for Public Service stated “it is definitely significant and consequential”.

 

I would heartily concur with Mr. Stier, as this report provides further confirmation of the growing global leadership crisis and the shortage of qualified leaders in our government, business and civic arenas. 52.8 out of a 100 is a failing grade score by any measure.

 

The report also cited that federal employees “feel less empowered to do their jobs and are less satisfied with the way senior leaders are handling their agencies”.

 

Additionally, “Given the current environment, sustained attention to improving leadership is not a luxury, but a necessity.”

 

The House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul stated that his panel “has routinely found that Department of Homeland Security mismanagement and a lack of real leadership has bred dissatisfaction throughout the ranks…”

 

The Office of Personnel Management report also stated that “The decrease in satisfaction with senior leaders is especially worrisome.” One of the specific issues that the report cited was that “Part of the problem is that leadership doesn’t communicate with staff well enough”.

 

Effective communication is not only a critical leadership issue, it is an essential attribute of an authentic leader. In the words of Gilbert Amelio, President and CEO of the National Semiconductor Corporation, “Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it… Then having a message doesn’t even matter.”

 

When you consider the results of a recent Salary.com survey report, there are a lot of messages that apparently don’t matter to the American workforce at large. According to a Salary.com report, 84% of all American workers are either dissatisfied or unhappy with their jobs. Concurrently, 86% of American workers are not fully engaged in their work assignments.

 

On “National Boss Day” in 2012 it was reported on Yahoo! News that “Two-thirds of American’s are unhappy with their jobs to the point that they would rather have a ‘new boss’ than a pay raise.”

 

Good communication is a basic concept and a clear necessity for building mutually beneficial working relationships in business and government. This requires nothing less than a basic comprehension that every human being is unique and that they have genuine “value”. Effective communication and meaningful business relationships are built on the foundational building block of mutual “respect”.

 

People can only take appropriate actions if they are first appropriately informed about both the current situation and the work that needs to be accomplished. Regardless of how brilliant the ideas and plans of leaders may be, if they can not be effectively communicated, little progress will ever be made to achieve or implement them.

 

George Bernard Shaw once observed that “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily work routines, the fatal mistake is that all too many supervisors, managers and executive leaders assume that their people know what they know and consequently “understand” what is at stake as well as the work to be done.

 

One of the primary reasons that leadership is in decline is the failure to comprehend that communication is the language of leadership.

 

Copyright © 2013 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

The Top 5 Signs That You're Stuck

How many times in your life have you heard someone say “I’ve got to get my act together”? Or you may have heard it expressed as “I need to get my priorities straight”.

Be honest now… How many times have you said these statements to yourself? How many times has someone else said them to you? I would imagine that over the years, it’s been quite a few times.

These self professed acknowledgements are sure-fire indicators that something is potentially out of balance in your life or in your work. Perhaps both. While there are numerous potentialities for what may be occurring (or not) in your life, there is a high likelihood that you are stuck in one form or another. Worse yet, you may not even realize it.

Following below are the Top 5 Signs That You’re Stuck:

You’re Floundering. The most common sign of floundering is indecisiveness. This typically takes the form of waffling about making decisions and initiating the actions that you deep down know must be taken. One part of you says that you don’t know what to do or aren’t sure about what to do. Conversely, there is another part of you that instinctively knows what the right thing to do is, yet you can’t seem to pull the trigger.

You’re Disorganized. When your normal state of organization deteriorates into an inefficient state of chaos it’s a sure sign that you are not coping well and that something is affecting your life to a significant degree that is sufficient enough to disrupt your ability to remain organized.

You’re Procrastinating. Putting off your least favorite tasks or chores temporarily while you work your way down to the bottom of your list is reasonably normal. However, when you start putting things off for longer periods of time or even indefinitely this is not normal. The problem with true procrastination is that you disproportionately skew in your mind that which needs to be done. You build the task into a monumental event far beyond the scope of reality, i.e. cleaning out the garage is going to take me all weekend and will cause me to not be able to play golf with my buds on Saturday. Plus I’ll miss out on… (You get the picture).

You’re Avoiding. The act of avoidance differs from simple procrastination in that is not merely circumstantial, rather it’s 100% “intentional”. In variably what you are avoiding has a clear consequence associated with it. Consequences are generally painful, which may not always impact just you. Often times, what you’re avoiding will also cause pain or disappointment to someone else.

You’re Distracted. There are times in life when you will find yourself in a state of “overwhelm”. In such circumstances your state of overwhelm is going to cause you to be easily distracted. When your conscious brain becomes overloaded it enters into search mode looking for a way out of the pickle you find yourself in. Everything then becomes a distraction which only serves to further cloud the issue of what to do next.

In that you are a perpetual work in progress, the reality is that you will never truly “get your act together”. You will however find yourself stuck in a ditch along side the road of life from time to time. While it’s never a pleasant experience to endure, you will in the end get through it.

The correct mindset to adopt when you find yourself in one of these roadside events that will actually make more sense than the aforementioned adage… is “To get your life back on track”. Don’t allow your life to get put on hold for any appreciable length of time. Call a tow truck (get real help), get yourself out of the ditch and get yourself back on the road of life. Then put your foot on the accelerator and get back up to speed.

In the process, you would be wise to heed adage #2 from the intro above and seriously consider what is genuinely “important” and further enhance your recovery process by prioritizing the most important issues and tasks that will get you back on track, back up to speed and back in control of your life.

Copyright © 2013 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Hurdling Toward The Crossroad

In light of the tragic events which have now occurred at the Boston Marathon, the United States would be wise to heed the resounding warning of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who in referring to her own nation, keenly observed that “Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant memory of an offshore island, lost in the mists of time like Camelot.”

Nearly six decades ago many Americans who were enamored with President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jackie Kennedy, Caroline and John-John -- Affectionately referred to their all too brief tenure in the Whitehouse in the context of “Camelot”.

In the post war era of the mid 50’s and 60’s the every day life of America’s people was safe, secure and prosperous. If something such as Camelot ever existed for the average family, this was the time and this was the place. Wally and Beaver along with the rest of the Baby-Boomer generation grew up experiencing the epitome of personal freedom that today’s young people couldn’t possibly begin to conceive of.

Times have changed… The world has changed… Life as we once knew it has changed. Camelot is no more.

Margaret Thatcher will never pass this way again. She will be sorely missed, as her watch was one of true authentic leadership.

Of all the potential crises that we currently face, the single greatest crisis is the lack of authentic leadership in every arena of our modern society. Simply consider the events of “Leadership Gone Wrong” that have surfaced in just the past week:

Six prominent New York political leaders were arrested for election corruption.

In Cleveland a former Councilwoman and 4 other officials await sentencing on bribery charges.

The U.S. Department of Justice squandered 58 million dollars on extravagant conferences.

The IRS was rebuked for wasting taxpayer dollars on highly questionable video parodies of Gilligan’s Island and Star Trek.

And then… there was the Atlanta public school system "cheating scandal" which resulted in the indictments of 65 school system leaders.

Each one of these events is without question a result of broken leadership. Where there is faulty or inept leadership, companies fail and governments crumble. Simply stated, it’s referred to as “history”. When government officials find themselves incapable of appropriately solving the nation’s problems and in the process fail to adequately protect its citizens… then its leadership has unquestionably failed the people.

At such a juncture, neither an organization nor a country can stand united… it has become fragmented. People summarily fail to agree and consequently fail to act. The inappropriate events and actions listed above are but the tip of the proverbial iceberg. These are the capricious and selfish acts of elected government officials, business executives and civic leaders who abide by a single mantra… Look out for #1.

The United States was forged as a “republic” of the people… by the people… and for the people. The result of leaders who effectively abandon the interest of their citizenry and whose primary focus is the preservation and elevation of self -- Is that the people will ultimately be returned to the state of having to fend for themselves.

It is this writer’s opinion that we are all too fast hurdling toward this crossroad. I encourage you to join with me in praying for our country in accordance with II Chronicles 7:14. May God again bless the U.S.A.

Copyright © 2013 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved

The Top 5 Responsibilities Of Authentic Leadership

Allow me the opportunity to ask you this frank question… Who do you honestly believe to be a great leader?

What exactly is it about this person that makes you feel that they are a great leader? Is it because of specific characteristics, attributes or qualities that they exhibit? The fact is that great leaders are not all the same. Consider the likes of General George Patton, Coach Vince Lombardi or business innovator Steve Jobs.

Clearly, these three individuals were all great leaders in their own right and each of them in their own theater of life. Three remarkably different personalities with three remarkably different leadership styles… yet each of them highly accomplished and respected leaders. So, the question remains… “Why” were they such great leaders?

It is my personal belief that what made them such great leaders was their “authenticity” and their forthright commitment to take the responsibilities of leadership seriously. Following are the Top 5 Responsibilities of Authentic Leadership which are:

Be A Great Communicator. Clear and concise communication lies at the heart of every undertaking and is essential to the ultimate achievement of the organization’s goals and objectives. According to a Wall Street Journal survey of several years ago… The most important thing that employees wanted was “open communication”.

Be Authentic. True authenticity all comes down to own thing… You have to be the “real deal”. It starts with being who you already are complete with your strengths, weaknesses and yes, even your flaws. No one is perfect and your potential followers will not expect you to be. What they do expect is that you will be genuine in nature and conduct yourself congruently with your core values and beliefs. People want to know what it is that you truly stand for and should they share the same values and beliefs… Then they will choose to stand beside and with you.

Be Accessible. As human beings, everyone has times when they are unsure of themselves or are uncertain as to exactly what or how to do what they are supposed to be doing. People have questions, need direction, require encouragement, motivation, praise and more. There will be countless times when your people will need available access to you for your varied leadership abilities, inspiration and wise counsel.

Be An Example. The really great leaders are invariably those who make the conscious decision to lead by example. When it comes to authentic leadership, the picture truly is worth a thousand words. People take notice of the leader that walks his or her talk and who is willing to roll up their sleeves and help out when the going gets tough. So, choose to be the example that people will take notice of and then follow.

Be A Mentor and Coach. The truly great leaders are also great mentors and coaches because they take advantage of every available situation by turning it into a learning opportunity for their people and organization. In business, these are the leaders who build loyal employee bases who will then in turn not only love what they do and who they do it for… They will in turn build loyal relationships with the organization’s customers.

While there are literally hundreds of characteristics, attributes and qualities that can be observed in leaders from all walks of life, highly effective leaders key on the leadership attributes that best mesh with their personal strengths and their personal leadership style.

Your quest to grow your business and thereby create a high performance organization begins and ends with your ability to create high performance people through authentic leadership.

Copyright © 2012 Developing Forward  | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Failing Your Way to Success

The Hall of Fame Basketball Player Michael Jordan once said “I’ve failed over and over and over again, and that is why I succeed.”

Clearly, M.J. has had a remarkable career both on and off of the court. And like so many famous people that are perceived as super-stars… the rest of humanity has only seen their favorite celebrity’s “highlight” reel of accomplishments. We the endearing fans never really get to see behind the scenes at the struggles and failures that the Celebes have endured time and again just like you… before they hit the Big-Time!

The vast majority of people from all walks of life simply don’t handle disappointment or defeat very well. They say to themselves and worst of all to others… “That sure didn’t work out well… clearly I wasn’t cut out to do this.” Or perhaps… “I should have known better, nothing ever works out right for me.”

How many times have you said something like this out of frustration over your failure or disappointment? Everyone has and you are no exception. What’s more… I would wager the proverbial dollar for a donut that you really didn’t mean the things that you said. Deep down inside of yourself, you didn’t believe it either.

The difference between you and highly successful people like M.J. is that they didn’t bail on themselves or put themselves down. Instead they dug in harder, kept right on believing in their goals, dreams and abilities and never ever allowed themselves to give up. Not even for a minute.

When it comes to failing your way to success… carefully consider the following true story:

In the year 1831 a young man failed in a business venture. The following year in 1832 he ran for public office and met with resounding defeat for a legislative seat. Again, in 1833 this same man attempted to launch another business enterprise which also failed. In 1834 he made another attempt at running for public office and was elected to his state legislature.

However, in 1838 he was defeated for speaker. Once again in 1840 he was defeated for elector. And then in 1844 he lost a race for a Congressional seat. At long last in 1846, this man was elected to a seat in Congress, only to eventually lose it two years later in 1848.

Seven years later in 1855 he again ran for the Senate and was once more defeated. The very next year in 1856 he ran for Vice President but again did not win. Once more in 1858, he ran again for the Senate and was defeated. Then in 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected as the President of The United States.

President Lincoln’s road to success was a rocky one to say the least. His journey to his goal of the presidency is a testament to the grit of determination, patience, perseverance and persistence. While Abraham Lincoln’s life began in a rustic log cabin, he overcame his humble beginnings and a multitude of failures in both business and politics. Abe Lincoln didn’t have a lick of quit in him and by not ever giving up, his tenacity eventually paid off. In the process, Honest Abe left behind a legacy of lessons for all to learn from.

Failure is the seed from which real learning sprouts. Just ask Thomas Edison who remained undeterred although he had already found over two thousand ways not to make a light bulb. The simple fact of the matter is that every one of your failures and disappointments is chock full of valuable lessons that will help you to excel and succeed on a brighter future day.

The road of life of the rich and famous is mired in difficulty, challenges and adversity. And it is this same road that you must traverse in search of your success. So what ever lies around the next bend in the road ahead… Be certain of this one thing, that you will never ever take failure lying down.

While they may be from different eras, Honest Abe and M.J. are undeniable proof that failure is never final!

Copyright © 2012 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Are You Hiring?

Are you hiring? When you saw the title of this article, your instinctive reaction was probably something along the lines of “Are you kidding… In this economy?” Your secondary response most likely was “I actually wish that we were busier so that I was in a position to hire more people”.

As business owners we all wish that we were in a position to provide someone else with a job. While your underlying desires and intentions are in principle good, the underlying problem is that you’re just “wishing” and subsequently dismissing the issue of real job creation. What if anything are you earnestly doing in the interest of creating real jobs?

The way that I see it, we all have a shared responsibility when it comes to job creation. At last report there were approximately 14,000,000 unemployed workers in America. This statistic has undoubtedly increased as a result of the sizeable number of high school and college graduates who are now entering the work force and are as well unable to find a job, let alone suitable employment.

Depending on which report you read, there are some where between 27 million and 34 million business enterprises in the United States. From a purely statistical perspective, if half of these businesses were able to create just “1” job… the U.S. unemployment problem would be solved and there would literally be full employment… without any help or impedance from the federal government.

In one regard, I would agree that this seems a bit idealistic. On the other hand, it’s not exactly far fetched either. The real issue that I’m attempting to address here is… What CAN you do in your business to help create jobs? If your response is that there is simply nothing that you can do, then I would state that you are absolutely wrong. The basis of my position is the true story about a young man named Johnny who also thought at first that there was nothing he could do to help improve things where he worked.

Then Johnny had a very simple idea about how he could improve his own work… That simple idea ultimately transformed the entire company! If you don’t know the story about “Johnny the Bagger” then you owe it to yourself and your people to Google it and then watch the video. If you’ve seen Johnny’s story previously, you need to watch it again.

It is my earnest belief that every business is capable of making a meaningful contribution to the process of job creation. So, what would you have to do in order to create “1” job? What’s holding you back from doing this?

If you’re not prepared to “step it up” just now in an effort to create a job – then what CAN you do to help other business owners to create jobs? Be a Johnny! Start looking for ways to do something! Even if you truly think you can’t… You CAN make a real contribution toward job creation.

Let me give you a personal point of reference. As you may be aware, I have print published two books within the past year and am currently putting the finishing touches on book number three. Printed books require printing presses and ink. Books require paper stock and binding. Book covers require graphic art work and layout. Books require sales outlets. Books have to be shipped to the purchaser or distribution outlets. Books have to be marketed and advertised.

I would hope that you are getting both my message and my point. What ever business venture you may be in… Who receives the benefit of the additional work if your business sells one more car, one more washer & dryer, one more heat pump, one more water heater, processes one more mortgage application, insures one more life or delivers one more bouquet of flowers?

How many different companies, components and people does it take to manufacture and then deliver “1” of what ever you sell or service to market? As an example, a single automobile has over 10,000 components. Selling one more car directly affects 1,000’s of companies and people. What happens when your business and a thousand of your fellow business colleagues across the country all sell “1” more unit each? The all important answer is… that it creates a “job”.

So, get out there and do everything in your power to do what ever it takes to sell or service “1” more customer each week (even if you have to break even to do so) and you will find that you can in fact make a real and meaningful contribution to your industry’s and nation’s job growth!

Copyright © 2012 Developing Forward  | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Your 7 Best Time Strategies

Time is fleeting and life passes by oh so quickly. Every moment of your time is truly precious and should be used wisely.

In a few weeks you will receive the gift of an extra 24 hours to do with what ever you please. What are your plans for your Leap Year gift? How will you spend them? Or, will you choose to invest them?

Your journey through life… is also a remarkable journey through time! Time is in a sense a portal, because you literally pass through it. Time is also a dimension, because time changes everything, including you. Time like money, is also a commodity, for it is the most valuable thing that you will ever possess. And no amount of money can ever add a single day, hour or minute to your life.

February 29th should serve to remind you of your responsibility to both value and respect your gift of time throughout every moment of your every day – for once the grains of sand have slipped through the hour glass, you can never get them back. Time is an integral part of your daily environment, because it is with you wherever you go. And as I’m certain that you would agree, taking care of our environment is an appropriate thing that we all should do. When to comes to your own personal environment, time is the one thing that is so utterly precious… Yet, you can neither conserve it or nor recycle it. It has a zero shelf life.

Every one of your hours and every one of your minutes has an absolute value that must be used “now”. Time is the ultimate use it or loose it commodity. Your ability to strategize and prioritize your time is your prerequisite key to improving your personal productivity. Given the volatile global economic environment, following are my Top 7 Time Strategy tips to assist you with your continuing need to do more… with less:

» Allocate Time Properly. Planning your time is critical to your productivity. Decide today how you are going to allocate your time tomorrow. Not only will you sleep better tonight – you’ll perform better tomorrow.

» Focus On Revenue Generation. On average, business people only devote about 20% of their time to those activities which actually generate income. Look for ways to delegate, outsource or eliminate non-revenue generating tasks. Then start focusing on turning your time into cash.

» Identify Time-Wasters. You waste time every day… stop it! Review the past several days while they are still fresh in your mind and then identify your Top 5 Time-Wasters. Be clear about “what” or “who” is wasting your valuable time. Now take the corrective actions to reclaim both your time and the money that this waste has been costing you.

» Prioritize Tasks. While you need to prioritize your daily work load based on importance, you also need to prioritize your tasks based upon their time requirements. Group tasks together as blocks of time, i.e. you have a staff meeting in an hour, but you don’t really have a sizeable task that will take up a full hour. Group a 30 minute task, a 20 minute task and 10 minute task together. You won’t leave something unfinished and you won’t have to review or refocus your attention back to that task after the meeting – Instead you will be able to start fresh on a new project.

» Think Prime-Time. Everyone has certain times of the day when they function best and feel the most productive. Learn to identify the time frames that constitute this “Prime-Time” for you. Then block out as much of this time frame as possible for your most important projects and tasks – then arrange for you to not be disturbed during this period of time. Start maxing-out your personal productivity.

» Stop Procrastinating. There will always be those tasks which are your least favorite things to do. Yet, in the end they still have to get done. Quit avoiding the inevitable… get them out of the way so that you can move on to more enjoyable work and creative opportunities. Not only will you be more productive, you’ll feel a whole lot better in the process.

» Put A Value On Time. If you really want to stop wasting time… Get crystal clear about what your time is really “worth”. While you know may readily know what you typically earn per week and consequently per hour – this is the wrong measuring tool. You are stuck in a loop that thinks in terms of “earnings” and not relative value. If you view how you make money in the context of revenue generation (listed above) which accounts for roughly 20% of your time – this means that when you are actually selling your product or service and generating revenue that your time is actually “worth” 500% more than it is the entire remainder of your day from an hourly perspective. When you know what your time is really “worth” you will quickly change what you are doing.

Ben Franklin is often quoted for saying that “Time is money.” When appropriately viewed through the prism of reality, it is my opinion that “Time yields productivity… and productivity in return yields money.”

By utilizing sound time strategies you can master the art of turning your time into “cash”!

Copyright © 2012 Developing Forward Thomas H. Swank, CBC All Rights Reserved.

A Small Business Revolution

As you return from your holiday season and begin your New Year… the question is how much of your work and life is actually going to be “new” for 2012?

Are your business expectations and self expectations genuinely optimistic, guarded or rather uncertain? Your answer to this question lies entirely in your beliefs of what is possible for you in the coming year. Whether you choose to believe for a little or a lot is entirely up to you. The key point to realize is that it is first and foremost a conscious “choice”.

Moreover, will you make the choice to become part of the economic solution?

I would ask you to consider that again in 2011 the casualty list for “big business” has been enormous. Just last week Sears/K-Mart announced the closing of 100+ locations. The other brand names that went out of business or closed retail outlets in the past year include Blockbuster, Borders, GAP, Anchor Blue, F.Y.E., Foot Locker, Talbot’s, Friendly’s, Pier One and Lowe’s. Even Macy’s, J.C.Penny, Walmart Marketside and BJ’s found themselves having to shut down many store locations and substantially reduce their staffing.

The obvious media storyline revolves around how bad the economic recession has been, how so many workers have lost their jobs and the resultant impact on both the uncertain economy and the wary consumer. However, there is a whole other not-so-obvious side to these big business events than you may be missing and which the main stream media is not covering.

What I’m driving at it this… big business is exactly what it says it is… BIG. In many ways too big for its own good. It’s all in how you choose to look at it. Big business is cumbersome in that it is slow in being able to deal with and respond to change. Its decision making processes are complex and slow. Retooling costs a fortune and takes time. Big business is laden with heavy debt and economic structures. Its ability to innovate is bogged down in lengthy and often questionable research and development projects. What’s more customer service, satisfaction and loyalty are continuing to decline.

Conversely, small business owners are agile and lean by comparison, and are therefore far better able to respond to changing markets and trends. You are able to make more expedient business decisions that are free from the procession of endless management and committee meetings. Small business has always been able to innovate and bring new products and ideas swiftly to the consumer market. The garage based small business start-ups like HP and Apple have clearly demonstrated this ability and the innovation capability of the budding entrepreneur.

Of equal significance is the fact that small business is historically responsible for creating 60% - 80% of all new jobs. The reality is that it is you the small business owner that holds the key to economic growth and future prosperity.

There has never been a more perfect time than now to raise your business expectations and performance bar to the extreme. This is not the time to hang back and wait for things to turn around in their own good time. Especially with the fact that there are more no cost and low cost ways to promote your business than ever before! So, why not get more aggressive about the results that you want to achieve in 2012?

The other important factor that you need to realize as a small business owner is that you have the direct ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships with your prospective customers and existing clients. As well, you have the capability to provide a level of personal service that big business for all intents and purposes is incapable of delivering.

When you take the time to really consider the big picture for business in 2012 and beyond… It is the small business enterprise that is going to fill the void of the big business organizations that have gone under or have been forced to downsize.

It is small business that is going to create the jobs, reshape the business landscape, invigorate the economy and fuel future prosperity.

I encourage you to make the conscious choice to be part of the economic solution and become a vibrant member of the small business revolution that radically grows their business in 2012!


Copyright © 2012 Developing Forward Thomas H. Swank, CBC All Rights Reserved.

Tom is a trusted advisor and mentor to business entrepreneurs worldwide. Jump-Start your New Year with Tom’s new book Noggin Nuggets ~ 365 Days of Exceptional Motivation order your copy at http://www.developingforward.com/Noggin_Nuggets.html