PERSONAL SPECIAL ............... 4 Skills Required For Success

4 Skills Required For Success

A study of successful entrepreneurs is really a study of successful  people. Actually, it's a study of successful relationships. The world is built  on good and bad relationships. Good relationships are worth  striving for because you can usually get something you want from them. The other person in the relationship wins, too.  Trades and deals leave both parties feeling happy.  That's what you're aiming for. Bad relationships don't do *quite* as well for both parties. Usually just one. But still, bad blood makes the world go round.  War is a multi-trillion dollar business globally. So even when someone is having seven shades of you-know-what leathered  out of them, someone, somewhere, is getting rich.   What a lovely species we are! Relationships - good and bad - can be lucrative. But I don't suggest  you try to make a business, career or fortune out of being a  war-mongering tyrant. Or servicing the war-mongering tyrant  market in some way. Yes, there's money in it. But you need to be  able to look your kids in the eye, right? Anyway, the point I'm labouring to make is this. If you want to  make big money outside of your job... you want to do something  on your own... and you want it to last more than a couple of months ... you need more than just an idea and customers. Good relationships - this is what I want to spend some time  yakking about today. A-Holes don't make big money anymore The Donald Trump, 'type-A' autocratic entrepreneur is an  anachronism. A dinosaur. And a rarity in 2015. I've worked for a  couple of these types of men. (They are usually, but not exclusively,  male.) They were most unpleasant. To boot, they were unpopular,  egotistic and not very smart. They had high staff turnover because they believed the best way to motivate an employee was to chew them out aggressively in front of colleagues. This was a management style popular in the 70s and 80s - a time where  the labour market wasn't as transient and mobile as it is now.  These days, you can walk straight out of a 10am bollocking in the  boardroom; jump on LinkedIn or Seek, and have a job offer appear  in your inbox by lunchtime. We used to fear this type of boss. Now we despise and pity them.  It's not good leadership. It's weak leadership. In any case, I don't think it's particularly smart to be a jackass in   business in this day and age. Especially not as a start-up. I believe  that how you conduct and manage key relationships is the single  biggest influencing factor in your success. I call it the biggest influencer because it's the most controllable  part of what you do. You could have the best product on the market.  But if you treat your suppliers, partners, employees - or even  customers - like dirt, no one is going to want to help you succeed. On the flip side, even if your product or service isn't market leading;  if you conduct yourself well - if you're friendly, amiable, cheerful  and ready to help - you'll draw customers to you. You'll create a  good impression and a great experience. That will guarantee you  referrals and repeat business... the very way you'll stay operational. You can control all of this. Remember, people do business with PEOPLE - not corporations.  If you only take one thing out of today's eletter, make it that.  We're all time poor. Dealing with difficult, spiky, inflexible types is  a bloody drag. It's hard work. And particularly galling when you're  spending money in the bargain. But when you do business with someone who's pleasant, helpful and attentive, you feel good. And relieved. This person has solved a  problem for you. And dealing with them was easy. It reflects well  on you that you chose them. That itself makes you more likely to  choose them again in the future. You and I know that researching solutions to problems is a time  consuming pain in the ass - even in the internet age. I want that  burden lifted from my shoulders, quickly. I don't want to have to  do more work that takes even more time - especially once I've  picked someone to do the job for me. I want to know that you are 'on it'. If you can communicate that  effectively - lift that burden off my shoulders - you'll get my  business now, and in the future. You can learn these four simple success skills in an  afternoon It doesn't take a lot of work and effort on your part to develop these   qualities - and give yourself more chance of succeeding.  You should honestly see this as the biggest no brainer of them all.  I'll be surprised if you don't. Your goal should be to make it a pleasure to do business with you.  That's it. We are hardwired to make decisions that will cause us the least  hassle. Being a difficult, unpleasant character will stop you getting  business. Why would you hamper your own efforts? Here are four obvious skills to learn, develop and master that will  definitely help you make more money and last longer in business.  Because doing business with you will become a pleasure. Be nice.  Simple, right? They used to tell me 'nice guys finish last'.  Maybe in the 80s. Nowadays I wouldn't risk my business on  cultivating a difficult personality. Social media will destroy your  commercial aspirations inside of an afternoon if you're rude,  obstinate or miserable. Try being nice, helpful and attentive to the  people who will pay you their money. You'll get more of it. Share.  Share your ideas with people. Your staff. Your customers.  Even your competitors. Sounds counterintuitive, right? But you all  benefit from a strong industry. Compete on price and service by  all means - but becoming an 'industry champion' will pay dividends  by way of added credibility. Credibility is so important in  relationship building. It's the number one factor that influences  trust. Trust is all about being open. So share! Listen.  I used to be the guy who always knew best. How embarrassing.  I thought I knew more than everyone else - and that my experience  was worth more. These days I know way better. I listen - to friends, colleagues, mentors, my family; anyone and everyone who wants to contribute. I don't presume to know better than anyone. Because I  don't. My business is all the better for it. Remember: one idea can  change everything. Not all the ideas have to come from you.   Discovering this is humbling. Be humble.  Past glories are only relevant to your efforts to build credibility.  Beyond that you just look insecure when you bang on about that   great deal you made in '05... or the incredible sales campaign that  launched six months ago. Those are gone. The only thing that matters is your next deal. You have to work hard to be humble (take it from me).  But it's so important. Thank your team. Acknowledge their  contribution. Same with suppliers. Thank your customers for  their business. Let them know how much it means to you to do a  good job for them. Humility is such an open emotion. Humble  entrepreneurs only communicate a willingness to do a good job.  There's no ego or conceit. It's one of the most attractive qualities  you can display to your customers, co-workers and suppliers.  Being humble will definitely get you more business and more money. That's your takeaway: make it a pleasure to do business with  you. If you do, you'll fare better than your competitors, make more  money than your competitors, and last longer than your competitors. By Simon Munton Note: This article was first published in The Escapologist, Australia on 22/10/2015.