8 Business Principles That Never Go Out of Style
Want trendy, flavor-of-the-month
management ideas? You won't find 'em on this list.
Some business principles come and
go.
A company I worked for started so
many game-changing transformational programs and then, like a disgraced member
of the Politburo, quickly abandoned and airbrushed them out of our corporate
history so we could start yet another "business-critical" program
that would be abandoned. We referred to them as the "acronym of the
month."
Fortunately, there are some business
principles you can use forever:
1. Look past the messenger and focus
on the message.
When people speak from a position of
position of power or authority or fame, it's tempting to place greater emphasis
on their input, advice, and ideas.
Warren Buffett? Yep, gotta listen to
him. Sheryl Sandberg? Yes. Richard Branson? Absolutely.
That approach works to a point--but
only to a point. Really smart people strip away all the framing that comes with
the source--both positive and negative--and evaluate information, advice, and
input idea based solely on its merits.
If
the guy who delivers your lunch says it, it should be just as powerful.
Never
discount the message because you discount the messenger. Good advice is good
advice--regardless of the source.
2.
Focus on collecting knowledge...
Competing
is a fact of professional life: with other businesses, other products, other
people. It's not a zero sum game, but it is a game we all try to win.
Smart
people win a lot.
Smarter
people win even more often.
Continually
striving to gain more experience, more experience, and more knowledge is the
second-best way to succeed.
3.
...But focus more on collecting knowledgeable people.
You
can't know everything. But you can know enough smart people that together you
know almost everything.
And,
together, do almost anything.
Work
hard on getting smarter. Work harder on getting smart people on your side.
How?
4.
Give before receiving.
The
goal of networking is to connect with people who can provide a referral, help
make a sale, share important information, serve as a mentor, etc. When we
network, we want something.
But,
especially at first, never ask for what you want. Forget about what you want
and focus on what you can give.
Giving
is the only way to establish a real relationship and a lasting connection.
Focus solely on what you can get out of the connection and you will never make
meaningful, mutually beneficial connections.
Approach
networking as if it's all about them and not about you and you'll build a
network that approaches it the same way.
And
you'll create more than contacts. You'll make friends.
5.
Always work on next.
It's
impossible to predict what will work, much less how well it will work. Some
products stick--for a while. Some services flourish--and then don't. Some
ventures take off--and flame out.
You
will always need a next: a new product, a new service, a new customer or
connection,
No
matter how successful you are today, always have a next in your pipeline. If
somehow your current products or services or ventures continue to thrive,
great: You will have created a bigger line of products and services and
ventures.
That's
how successful people weather the storm when times are tough, and become even
more successful when business is booming.
6.
Eat as many of your words as you can.
If
you're always right you never grow. When you look back, one of the best things
to be is wrong because when you make a mistake you are given the chance to
learn.
(Don't
worry. Every successful person has failed numerous times. Most have failed more
than you. That's why they're successful today.)
Own
every mistake, every miscue, and every failure. Say you made a mistake. Say you
messed up. Say it to other people, but more importantly, look in the mirror and
say it to yourself.
Then
commit to making sure that next time things will turn out very differently.
7.
Turn ideas into actions.
The
word "idea" should be a verb, not a noun, because no idea is real
until you turn that inspiration into action.
Ideas
without action aren't ideas. They're regrets.
Every
day we let hesitation and uncertainty stop us from acting on our ideas. Fear of
the unknown and fear of failure are what stop me, and may be what stops you,
too.
Think
about a few of the ideas you've had, whether for a new business, a new career,
or even just a part-time job. Looking back, many of your ideas would have
turned out well, especially if you had given them your best effort.
Trust
your analysis, your judgment, and your instincts. Trust them more than you do.
Trust your willingness to work through challenges and roadblocks.
Granted
you won't get it right all the time but when you let an idea stay an idea, you
almost always get it wrong.
8.
Learn about squirrel nests.
Yeah,
you're hyper-focused. Yeah, you've got your head down and your blinders on.
Yeah, you're a 24/7, take no prisoners, failure is not an option gal or guy.
Occasionally
we all need to lighten up.
Example:
There are acres of woods behind our house. It's like a squirrel paradise.
Squirrels are always racing around the yard and scooting across the deck.
When
the leaves fall their nests are visible high up in the trees. I've seen their
nests for years and always wondered about stuff like what they're made of
(besides leaves) and how many squirrels share a nest. One day I stopped
wondering and took a break to check it out.
Stupid
example? Sure. But it was a fun five minutes that made me appreciate my
squirrel friends a little more--and sent me back to work with a little extra
oomph.
Once
in a while, take the time to learn a little about your "squirrel
nests," whatever those might be.
Success
is a marathon, not a sprint. Explore. Indulge a curiosity.
Jeff Haden http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-timeless-business-principles.html?cid=em01020week10a&nav=su
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