Category: culture

Fri: 16 Oct 2009

3 ways of being better than everybody else

Easy quick no brainers to be better than everybody else*

1. Have a kick ass email signature.

Make it easy for people to contact you. So automatically put your email address, phone, twitter, website, etc. in your email signature. That way, someone wants to contact you after reading your email, all the info they need is right there. A discreet quote is fine, but not necessary.

2. Apologize for interrupting people.

Time’s short, so you may need to cut someone off and get to the chase, but do apologize and give them a chance to continue.

3. Say thanks, and please.

Extremely effective in business communications. Someone does you a solid, thank ‘em. Need something from someone? Be courteous enough to ask nicely.

4. Bonus Tip: Know how to end conversations.

It’s classy and clean to make it clear that the communication is over, whether that’s phone, face to face or email.

*better at everyone else at communicating, which is the key to everything. While these may seem like simple random tips, these will put you ahead of a ridiculous number of people.

What other simple things can you do that put you over the top?

3 ways of being better than everybody else

Nothing is mandatory, everything is expected

I’ve often struggled with the notion of what should and shouldn’t be mandatory when training entrepreneurs. I’ve decided that nothing should be mandatory. If you have to make someone do something, they’re not really ready to be their own boss and run their own enterprise. Why? Because in business, when you’re the entrepreneur, no one is going to stand over your shoulder and make you do things. If a person can’t motivate themselves, they’re not ready.

Being an entrepreneur is like running a marathon. It is a challenging endeavor which requires commitment, focus and motivation. And yet, like a marathon, it’s a totally voluntary endeavor. No one can make you run a marathon – no one can make you become an entrepreneur. If you asked a marathon runner if their training regimen were ‘mandatory’, they’d likely look at you like you were a fool. ‘Mandatory? No. 100% necessary – absolutely.’ There’s nothing mandatory about a proper marathon training regime. You could easily show up for a marathon one hundred pounds overweight, never having run a day in your life, and wearing high heels. It’s your choice. But one choice will lead to success (completing the marathon) and the other failure (being forever known as the guy who had a heart attack while wearing high heels at the marathon).

When training would-be entrepreneurs, design your program with this notion in mind. Self-motivation is crucial. It’s a hard thing to train and coach people on. It’s certainly not impossible, but the first time someone asks if something is mandatory, give them the marathon speech; the second time they ask show them where the door is and wish them well somewhere else.

Have ideas; not opinions. Thinking is better than being smart.

Have ideas. They’re more important than opinions. With an idea, you’re open to suggestions. With an opinion, you’re trying to be right.

It’s more important to think than to be smart. This is why successful people are always asking questions. They may not be smart, but they never stop thinking.

Do that; victory will follow.