Tom Fuszard's Business Builder
Helping you and your business prosper
Develop good listening skills to set you and your firm apart One component of good customer service is good listening skills. By listening well, we prevent many problems from occurring, thus avoiding situations that could irritate a customer. In this video I review an incident that teaches two lessons: Listen carefully and speak professionally. The incident … Read more
Ever face a really small audience? If not, you will. It happens to every speaker at least one time. You owe it to yourself, your host and your audience to put on a professional performance. Here are some key points to keep in mind.
1. Remain positive. Keep a smile on your face and in your voice. Show enthusiasm and interest, even excitement. Act as if you expected–even preferred–a smaller audience.
If you’re like most people, you volunteer for a number of non-profit organizations. That’s great. I highly recommend it. (I’m involved with the Rotary Club of New Berlin, the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce, the southeastern Wisconsin chapter of JDRF and a Milwaukee-area ham radio organization.)
Those organizations and the volunteers involved with them regularly send out emails asking for advice, help or information. I imagine you promptly respond to each message. I have. It’s difficult not to. Due to my background in customer service and sales, I tend to react to messages quickly. That’s the problem.
Much like with exercising, becoming more productive (and therefore more successful) is possible by taking smaller steps. The key is to ingrain those steps in your brain so they become habit.
These steps include:
1. Cut out wasted time. I’m sure you can find 10 unproductive minutes during your day. Spend less time checking email, surfing the ‘net, or chatting on personal calls. You’d be amazed at how much of your day is wasted. Want to find out? Request your free time analysis sheet.
2. Eliminate distractions. Turn off your phones or send them to voice mail. Turn off the TV set. If the scenery outside is eye-catching, close the blinds. (Open the blinds after completing your project. That’s your reward.) Ask coworkers or kids to be quiet. Adjust the temperature in your room so it’s comfortable. You get the picture.
Everyone has their ideas of what constitutess a good leader. Whole books are written on this topic. An earlier blog column offered some suggestions on how to be a good manager. Here are five more tips to help you become a good leader.
1. Stay sharp. Professional development includes courses and workshops on the intricacies of managing. Workplace dynamics have changed. More workers are demanding flex time shifts, telecommuting options, and so forth. Those changes can affect employee relationships and morale. Your leadership techniques must adapt to these changes. Personalized coaching sessions may be of value, too.
2. Be firm. The overarching goal is to ensure the strength and vitality of the organization. Some employees or teammates may feel their way is better. Explain why a particular course of action is necessary, and make your decision. When possible, use suggestions from staff. They feel more like a part of the process. But in the end, it’s your organization. Stand firm on policies and procedures.