Cut The Kudzu
April Showers brought May flowers.
Maybe a little kudzu too.
Now is a good time to cut it – before it takes over everything. Not just your space but your time and energy and sometimes even your good humor.
You know. Things like stacks of newspapers, magazines, mail, bills, etc.
Attack them today.
If you can’t toss them, make places for them. Baskets or stackable trays are great for this – a basket for unread newspapers; a basket for unread magazines; a basket for bills; another for other important mail; another for junk mail; or if it’s truly junk mail, toss it in the trash or recycle bin before it even gets into your office or house.
Make a deal with yourself that if the basket of unread magazines gets full, you’ll cancel or won’t renew the subscriptions. Unless of course, your child is now selling magazine subscriptions. And then how about subscribing in the name of a local hospital or non-profit?
All of these ideas help you clear out the kudzu and control its future growth.
Leaving space, time and energy and brainpower for other things – or nothing.
C’mon. Lets go cut the kudzu.
copyright 2008 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Doing Your Job
You have a goal. Everyone on the team knows the goal and they all worked together to come up with the plan that would get them there.
Now everyone is working the plan. Except for John.
You and others on the team are having to jump in to get his work done and it’s cutting down on the entire team’s productivity.
You hesitate to say anything to him. You don’t want to be too hard on him because he’s having a tough time at home. So – you keep hoping things will change soon and he will start doing his job.
What about you?
When are you going to do your job?
You know – the part that includes coaching John to be proficient in his job so that your team can be successful.
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
But First
Just had coffee with a former colleague. Actually it was iced tea and Diet Coke. Our conversation about distractions and focus reminded me of the snippet below. It was sent to me by a woman who attended one of our Business Class workshops. She didn’t know the author. If you do, let me know so I can give him or her proper credit.
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Does this sound familiar?
I call it the “But First, Syndrome.” You know, it’s when I decide to do the laundry, I start down the hall and notice the newspaper on the table. OK, I’m going to do the laundry….
BUT FIRST I’m going to read the newspaper. After that, I notice the mail on the table. OK, I’ll just put the newspaper in the recycle stack….
A Dumb Rule Confession
So I told you about the bank in Dumb Rules and about Another Dumb Rule at the car dealership.
Lost customers. Lost revenue.
Here’s a dumb rule I created.
During my university directory publishing days, we had a special edition with limited circulation for townspeople. Each customer could get one directory for free; additional ones for $1 each.
One day a real estate broker called to request 25 copies – one for each of his agents. Our receptionist explained that the charge would be $24, since the first one was free.
The broker didn’t like that answer and so he called me. He explained that these 25 directories were for his agents…that it seemed different from other situations…and that perhaps I could make an exception. I supported the information our receptionist had given him. The charge would be $24.
About an hour later, I looked out the window and there was a caravan of cars in the circular driveway of our building. I went into the lobby to see what was happening. One by one, 24 agents came to the front desk and asked for a copy of the directory. At the tail end of the line was the broker. As he picked up his free copy, he looked at me and grinned.
I remember the day the rule was created and it was for a very smart reason. But on that day it became a very dumb rule.
Compared to the bank and the car dealership though, we were lucky.
We only lost $24. Plus we gained very valuable insight into dumb rules.
What about your business?
Does it have any dumb rules?
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Meetings Meetings Everywhere
Meetings meetings everywhere!
Great way to communicate. Great tool for propelling the way to goal. A great investment of time or a huge ZAP of it – and energy too.
It’s a good idea to do a quick meeting review every now and then. Just to be sure that your team isn’t over-using this commucation tool. About each meeting you call or attend, ask yourself:
1. What is the purpose of this meeting?
2. What are the results or potential results?
3. How much does it cost to hold the meeting? Example: 10 people X 2 hours X average pay of $20 per hour = $400 + $100 for meeting room + $25 for coffee and doughnuts = $525.
4. Is it really worth $525???!!! In other words – do the results (from #2) warrant the investment (from #3)?
Craig Madison, the CEO of the Grove Park Inn and Spa in Asheville, NC views time and people as his most valuable resources. In a Business Class interview, he stressed the importance of periodically analyzing each meeting to determine if an adequate return on investment is there.
5. If the return isn’t strong enough – could the meeting be discontinued? Or held less frequently?
6. Or could the meeting be more efficient?
Tips for this last one coming in a later post.
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Ending March Madness
Featured in “Business Class” Volume 7 Issue 5
It’s amazing the difference a little four letter word can make. The right four letter word.
Larry had a situation to tackle. We brainstormed all the possible approaches, weighed the pros and cons, reviewed a cost/benefit analysis and then Larry chose his path. Next he made an action plan and time table.
Each time Larry and I met after that, he wanted to discuss a different approach.
Read more
Another Dumb Rule
I was once ready to buy a Volvo station wagon – blue with black interior, heated seats and a tape deck. That was it. I was ready to buy.
So I called the local Volvo dealership, got a salesperson on the phone and asked for a price. He said there was a rule that customers have to test-drive a car before getting a price. I explained that I had driven a Volvo for many years, had already test-driven this particular model and just wanted a price. He said, “I am sorry ma’am, but that is the rule”.
After hanging up, I called the dealership in a nearby town and got a price. They had the exact car on the lot so I went and picked it up the next day.
About a month later the salesperson from the first dealership called and said, “Ms. Bolick, are you ready to test-drive that station wagon?”
I said, “Thanks for calling but I already bought a car.”
He said, “A Volvo wagon?”
When I said, “Yes”, there was dead silence on the other end of the phone.
I feel certain that smart people made that rule for a smart reason. But it became very dumb in that situation. Making it too hard to do business. Chasing business away.
What about your business? Does it have any dumb rules?
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Staying Out There
Part #7 of the series on Managing Tough Times
Remember how Sally included her staff in the development of a Hunker Down Plan?
At that first meeting, in which she asked for their input on how to cut costs, she said:
“If my worst case revenue projections come true – we will have a $250,000 shortfall this year – which puts us in a bad situation with the bank.
“We certainly aren’t going to settle for this worst case scenario. We are taking charge. Staying out there. Acting boldly. And working on strategies for doing more of the same in order to boost sales. I’ll be asking for your input on that soon.”
She kept her promise and asked for their input on boosting sales at another staff meeting held a few weeks later. She started by Read more
April Fools
Featured in “Business Class” Volume 8 Issue 6
They are everywhere – so many of them, they cannot be counted.
Back in January, they said they would do it.
In a blink-instant, it was February. Nothing had been started and many were ready to hide out with the hog.
That blur called March came and went, leaving them feeling like fools because they believed what they said in January, but now are saying to themselves, “How did I fall for it again?”
Others try to gloss over their lack of action by saying, “Oh – I didn’t really want that. I was just foolin’.”
If you are feeling any of this about any of what you said you would start, stop or do better – whether you said it on on New Years Day or any other day – read on.
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