10 Ways to Make a Positive Impression When Greeting People
In yesterday’s post, Phone Greetings That Make a Positive Impression, I shared with you some simple tips about how to make a positive impression when you greet people over the phone. Today’s lesson will focus on the strategies for making a good impression when you meet and greet people in person.
1. When you greet people in person for the first time—To make a positive first impression when meeting new people, include the following as part of your greeting: a warm smile, an introduction that includes your first and last name, a welcoming comment, direct eye contact, and a firm handshake, if appropriate. I also recommend repeating the person’s name. For instance, “It’s very nice to meet you, Bob.”
2. When you meet people who don’t tell you their name—If this occurs, simply ask them for their name. I might say, “I didn’t catch your name.” After they respond, I will repeat their name as described in the previous point. This is a simple way of demonstrating your interest in them.
3. When someone introduces you and does not include your name—When you are introduced to someone and the person making the introduction doesn’t include your name, it’s likely they forgot it or they don’t know how to make a proper introduction. In this case, offer a warm greeting as I described in the first tip and be sure to include your first and last name. This will prove you are paying attention and that you realize your name was omitted.
4. When you greet someone who likely forgot your name—When I greet people I have not seen in a while, I always take the initiative to introduce myself by name. I could say, “Hi, Paul; Todd Smith. How are you doing?” If I don’t remember the person’s name, I will introduce myself by sharing my name and hope they respond by sharing theirs. If people don’t offer their name in the greeting, I will often say something like, “Will you kindly remind me of your name?”
5. When you are not introduced—I was with a friend in a restaurant recently and a couple of his friends stopped by the table to say hi. He talked to them for a few minutes but never introduced me. The proper etiquette in this circumstance would have been for him to introduce me to his friends.
When I’m not introduced to people, I generally respond by introducing myself if the right opportunity presents itself. This seems to make everyone feel more comfortable.
6. When you meet with a group of people you DON’T know—Have you ever walked into a room with a small group of people you didn’t know and stood there awkwardly not knowing what you should do? If this happens, be proactive and introduce yourself to each person in the room. This will make you stand out from the group as someone with confidence. It will also make everyone feel more at ease.
7. When you meet with a group of people you DO know—When you get together with a group of friends or business associates, immediately greet each person with a friendly greeting. As new people join the group, be the first one to show you care by greeting them. My daughter Hannah calls this “being like a dog.” Dogs are always happy to see you, and they’re the first ones to greet you.
8. When you meet with a group of people, some you know and some you don’t know—When I find myself in this situation, I will always greet the people I know and introduce myself to the people I have not yet met. Once again, this seems to make everyone in the group feel comfortable.
9. When you greet a receptionist—Whether you are greeting the receptionist at your dentist’s office or at the offices of one of your clients, always introduce yourself with a smile and a friendly greeting. For instance, “Hi, my name is Todd Smith. I have a 4:00 appointment with Steve Johnson.” In the case of a business environment, I always hand the receptionist my business card to go along with my verbal introduction.
10. Practice, practice, practice—If you will follow these tips, you can be assured of making a positive first impression and enhance your existing relationships. You will be viewed as someone who is friendly, confident, and recognizes the value of making people feel comfortable. I realize some of these recommendations may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but, like anything, the more you do it, the more comfortable it will become.
When you show an interest in others and the things important to them, they will show an interest in you and the things important to you!
Phone Greetings That Make a Positive Impression
In today’s lesson, I will share with you some of the little things I learned years ago about how to properly introduce yourself over the phone. Once again, this is an opportunity to make an impact. We make judgments about people the first time we see OR hear them. Your tone of voice and the words you use will create an impression. Make sure it is a positive one.
Calling a Place of Business
When you call a business or organization and someone other than the person you are calling answers the phone, I recommend introducing yourself in the following manner: “Hi, my name is Todd Smith. May I please speak with Katy Williams?”
If the person answering the phone uses their name in the greeting, you should take the time to repeat their name. For example: “Thank you for calling ABC Widgets. This is Amber, how may I help you?” I would respond in a friendly tone, “Hi, Amber. My name is Todd Smith. How are you doing today?” After exchanging pleasantries with Amber, I would then say, “May I please speak with Katy Williams?”
When you introduce yourself as I’ve described, you will stand out from all the other people calling and you will likely make a positive impression on the person answering the phone. Not only is this a friendly and professional way to request to speak to someone, but also it’s important to recognize the person answering the phone often has an influence on the decisions made within a business or organization. Even if I call a utility company to report a problem, I’ve learned that being friendly and introducing myself often results in better service.
Another reason I immediately introduce myself is to save time. Rather than having an exchange where the person asks, “May I tell her who’s calling?” and I have to respond with my name, I eliminate a step and save time for both of us. This may seem inconsequential but if you can implement hundreds of tiny time-management tips throughout your day, they will compound for increased productivity.
Calling a Friend at Home
When you call someone’s home, I recommend doing the same thing as I described with respect to calling a business. If the person you intend to speak with does not answer the phone, introduce yourself and engage in conversation before asking for the other person. As an example, if I am calling my friend Mark Davy and his wife, Ann, answers the phone, I would say in an upbeat and friendly manner, “Hi Ann, this is Todd. How are you doing?” After a short period of small talk, I would say, “Hey, is Mark around?”
Side tip: If I make a call and I am not sure that the person who answers is the one I want to speak to, I always introduce myself by saying, “Hi, this is Todd Smith. Is Sherry available?” Even if it turns out to be Sherry, I haven’t offended her by asking. It’s always better to play it safe.
Answering the Phone
When you answer the phone, be proactive and introduce yourself as part of your greeting. Don’t make people wonder if it’s really you. As an example, I answer my phone “This is Todd.” Most of my successful friends answer their phones by using their first and last names. For example, my friend Jeff’s greeting is “Jeff Mack” and my friend Tina answers her phone by saying, “Hi, this is Tina Williams.”
If you are a business owner, let me strongly suggest that you have all your employees answer the phone by introducing themselves within the first sentence. Obviously, they should also speak in a professional and friendly manner. Something along the lines of: “Thank you for calling ABC widgets, this is Amber. How may I help you?” This is such a simple thing to teach your employees, and it will make a huge impression on the people who are calling your place of business.
If you will implement these little tips, you can be assured of making a positive impression on everyone you call and everyone who calls you.
You can achieve anything that’s important to you if you will focus on the little things that matter.
The Power of Showing Your Appreciation
William James, well-known psychologist and philosopher, said, “The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.” If we are honest with ourselves, we all want and need to feel valued for who we are and recognized for our contributions and accomplishments. It’s important for us to know that we have made a difference in someone’s life.
If a person takes the time to express their heartfelt appreciation for something we have done, it boosts our spirit, passion, and purpose. It builds our self-confidence, self-esteem, and our entire self-image. It gives us energy and motivation to work harder and do more.
Six Benefits You Can Derive by Showing Your Appreciation
1. When you give people a sincere compliment, words of encouragement, or just a warm smile, you are making their world a better place. You are making them feel appreciated and valued.
2. When you express your approval or gratitude for something they have done, you will not only enhance their lives, but you will enrich yours as well. You will feel more fulfilled because you have done something to make someone else’s life better.
3. One of the laws of the universe states that what you give you get in return. It costs little or nothing, and it almost always follows suit that they will demonstrate their gratitude for what you do.
4. When you show an interest in others by noticing the good things they’ve done, they will be drawn to you like a magnet. It will accelerate the relationship-building process and enhance their overall impression of you.
5. It will increase your value to the market. When you show your appreciation to others, their respect for you will grow and so will your influence as a leader. In today’s world, people have choices. They absolutely prefer to work with people they like and trust and who show an interest in them.
6. It’s a free form of currency. People will do more for recognition than they will for money. If you are in a leadership position, remember that people will work harder and do more if they know they will be recognized for their accomplishments. Show them you care and they will be loyal to you, even if better opportunities come their way.
Six Tips to Show Appreciation
1. Be genuine about your praise and don’t expect anything in return for being nice.
2. Be very specific with your words and use the person’s name whenever possible. This makes it more meaningful. For example, “Bill, thanks for making us feel so welcome when we arrived at the hotel. It was the perfect start to our vacation.”
3. Demonstrating eye contact and positive body language goes hand in hand with the words you choose.
4. Think of special ways to show your gratitude. For example, buy flowers or do something special for your spouse that you know he or she would love. You don’t have to spend a lot of money for the thank-you to have value.
5. Send a handwritten thank-you card or note of appreciation. Most people don’t take the time to do this simple act.
6. If the praise or appreciation relates to a specific act or circumstance, give it as soon after the event as possible to have the most impact.
My Challenge to You
I want to challenge you to make your expression of appreciation stand out from the crowd. Make sure it is genuine and something that will make an impression. It will require more effort on your part, but it will be worth it.
While going the extra mile is admirable, don’t forget the simple little things we can do on a daily basis to let people know they are appreciated. For every handwritten thank-you note I write, I probably send 30 emails thanking people for the little things they’ve done for me. For every gift I buy for my wife, I probably tell her 50 times how much I appreciate all she does for me.
Make a list of those people who regularly do things for you, including your co-workers, friends, family members, and those who work under your leadership. When this list is complete, go back over each name and determine how you can express your appreciation for the things they do for you in a way that makes them feel noticed and valued.
Let me also encourage you to thank 100% of the people for 100% of the things they do to make your life better, even if it’s part of their job description. Whether it’s the hostess who seats you in a restaurant, a grocery clerk who scans and bags your groceries, a hotel bellman, or a co-worker, everyone deserves to be thanked. Begin to adopt an attitude of gratitude!
“Three billion people on the face of the earth go to bed hungry every night, but four billion people go to bed every night hungry for a simple word of encouragement and recognition.” -Robert Cavett
How to Kick Butt in This Economy
More than 20 years ago, I heard a story about one of the most dominating martial arts champions of the time. While I can’t recall his name, I will never forget what he said. When asked how he achieved such dominance, he described the following scenario: if he became physically exhausted during a fight, he knew there was a good chance his competitor felt the same way. At this point of extreme fatigue, he fired himself up and attacked his competitor with every ounce of strength he could possibly draw from his body.
This martial arts champion said the key to his success was his mental strength and strategy to attack during his competitor’s moment of weakness. Since hearing this story, I have applied his way of thinking to my professional career, as well as playing and coaching sports. Not only do I look for the little things I can do to gain the advantage, but I also look for times to strike like the martial arts champion.
I can recall many Decembers when my competitors were focused on the holiday season and I was intensely aggressive in my prospecting efforts. The irony was that when my competitors were relaxing, my prospective clients were extra friendly and more apt to spend. It was the sole month of the year when I had very little competition.
If you want to have an unfair advantage in advancing your career, now is the time to attack. I have never seen a time with more people in survival mode, curled up in the fetal position, waiting for the economy to improve. If you have been looking for the right opportunity to advance your career, it’s here staring you in the face. This is the time to curl your lips back, show those teeth, and begin to growl.
Even if you find yourself in an environment where no matter how much you apply yourself today, you won’t make any additional money, don’t think for one minute it’s not worth stepping up your game. This is what your competitors are thinking, which is why now is the right time to kick their butts.
I also want to reinforce an important point I made in What’s Your Value to the Market. If you want to earn more money, you must FIRST increase your value. It doesn’t work in reverse. And the only way you are going to increase your value is by the compounding effect of small, daily improvements.
Now is the time to be noticed as someone with a great attitude who is “giving everything they got.” By standing out from the crowd today and building your value, when the market turns (and yes it will turn), there will be a huge void of leadership. All the efforts you put forth today during this economic downturn will catapult you over your peers and competitors. You will enter the new economy not only in the lead, but also with a momentum that will be hard for others to catch.
I believe if you are not advancing your career, you are falling behind. There are people in your profession who resemble the martial arts champion. They seek opportunities and take full advantage of them. They are kicking butt right now and positioning themselves to be the leaders of the future.
If you make a commitment to step up your game, despite the current economic environment, I am confident your attitude and self-image will improve and your life will become more fulfilling and enjoyable. Accepting this challenge will require you to stop reading and listening to all the bad news and hanging out with people who are filled with doom and gloom. If you are going to focus on offense, you must fill your mind with positive information that inspires and motivates you.
NOW is the time to think like a martial arts champion and KICK BUTT!
“You see, it’s never the environment; it’s never the events of our lives, but the meaning we attach to the events — how we interpret them — that shapes who we are today and who we’ll become tomorrow.” – Tony Robbins
Count Your Blessings
I am feeling heaviness in the air. I am not sure if it’s because of our prolonged recessionary period, the fact that so many people are struggling financially, the long, cold winter, or a combination of all of the above. But whatever the reasons are, I feel it’s time to put things in perspective and focus on our blessings.
If you are going through a challenging period of time in your life, I bet the woman in the attached photo would trade with you in a heartbeat. Take a couple of minutes and imagine her life: sleeping on the ground every night trying to keep her children warm; having no access to clean drinking water; standing in long lines for food; getting soaked every time it rains; and not having a change of clothes, toilet paper, or a toothbrush.
Yes…your life may not be turning out exactly how you envisioned it would. But if you are reading or listening to this on your computer, you have it a whole lot better than more than 5 billion people who don’t have this simple luxury.
If a mother and a father raised you, you have it better than 132 million orphans who didn’t have that opportunity.
If you can see, you have it better than the 40 million people who are blind.
If you can walk, you have it better than the 250,000 Americans who are paralyzed.
If your home gets foreclosed and you have to sleep in your car, you are luckier than the 5 billion people who don’t have a car.
When you are crying in the shower about a problem, be happy you are standing in a shower. Over one billion people don’t have this ordinary convenience.
Next time you want to complain about your job, just remember there are 239 million adults who wished they had a job to complain about.
No matter how bad you think your life is, stop to consider that you have it better than more than 775 million illiterate people who wouldn’t be able to read this post if it was written in their native language.
If you will focus on all the things you are truly blessed to have, rather than your problems and what you don’t have, you will be happier and have a better outlook on your life. This change in attitude will improve everything: your career, your relationships, and your self-esteem. After all, it is almost impossible to advance your life forward when you obsess about your problems.
If you are currently going through a difficult period, remember that you are in control of your thoughts and actions. You can choose to continue to wallow in your disappointments or you can take control of your life, turn the page on this chapter, and begin to write the next one. I also suggest reading my post It’s a New Day.
Regardless of whether you feel like your “life is like a bowl of cherries” or it seems like you’ve been run over by a Mack truck, take 10 minutes today and write down everything for which you are thankful. If you struggle to come up with a long enough list, just think about your daily routine and your possessions and visualize the woman in the photo and her life.
When we stop to consider all the ways our lives have been blessed, we can be grateful for what we have.
10 Ways to Enhance Your Online Brand
In What’s Your Brand? I pointed out that just as products carry a brand, people also carry a brand. Branding is how the world sees you; the impression you make on others; the values you stand for; the qualities that mold your personality; and the characteristics that make you stand out from the crowd.
This lesson will focus on a significant component of your overall brand: your online presence. In today’s world, you can be assured that every potential employer, prospective client, and college admissions officer will search the Internet to learn as much as they can about you. It’s even likely that someone would check you out before asking you for a date. You can be assured that what they find will influence their opinion of you and what they learn can either close doors or open up opportunities.
Let’s look at 10 things you can do to enhance your online brand:
1. Create a Personal Website—You can control what people find when searching your name or you can leave it up to the search engines. If you don’t currently have a website, then I would suggest creating a simple one-page website. I made the decision in 1999 to take control of my online brand when I set up my one-page website at toddsmith.net. You can buy your domain name at a low cost and use a free template to create your own website or blog.
2. Join Facebook—Almost 3 billion people are now on Facebook. It offers more opportunities for networking and building relationships than any other website. If you want to promote a business, blog, or non-profit organization, you can also create a fan page in addition to your individual profile. Facebook is a powerful way to connect with people and enhance your online brand if you use it wisely.
3. Create a LinkedIn Profile—More than 900 million professionals use LinkedIn to make connections and exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. If you are a professional and you don’t have an account with LinkedIn, you will certainly run the risk of appearing to be out of touch. If you are unfamiliar with LinkedIn, take a look at my LinkedIn profile for an example.
4. Consider Twitter—Depending on your line of work, you may want to consider getting an account with Twitter. To determine if it makes sense for you, look at what your competitors are doing.
5. Get an Avatar— Your avatar is a photo of you that follows you from site to site, appearing beside your name when you do things like comment or post on a blog. You can see an example if you look at any of my comments posted below my blog posts.
6. Complete Your Profiles—When you set up an account with any social media or professional networking site, take the extra time to complete your profile. Having an incomplete profile will likely make a negative impression. Even worse, you are missing an opportunity to market yourself.
7. Select Good Photos—Every photo you post on a website, including your Facebook profile picture, is how the world will see you. Many websites are using the Facebook login and will automatically pull your Facebook profile picture to identify you. Make sure all photos accurately depict how you want to brand yourself. Unless you want to be seen as someone who “parties” all the time, get rid of all the photos that present you in that fashion.
8. Think Before You Write—We generally don’t need to be reminded to think before we speak, but far too often I find that people don’t think before they write. Be conscious of the words you use when you post or make a comment on websites, blogs, or forums. Avoid using inappropriate language or acronyms. And since every item of information on the Internet is archived or cached, any item you post has the potential to be seen by others.
9. Groups and Fan Pages—Keep in mind that the groups you join or become a “fan” of on social-media sites tell the world what’s important to you. Even if I am not connected with someone on Facebook, I still have the ability to see which groups they follow. Make sure the groups you’ve selected are consistent with the brand you want to build for yourself.
10. Google Yourself—As you create your personal brand on a variety of sites, networks, and other platforms, your name will begin to pop up on search engines and social networks. Google yourself and determine if the chatter is positive or negative. Consider setting up a Google alert for your name that can help you monitor your brand.
I suggest that you review this list one more time and make notes beside the things you can do to improve your online brand. And, if you are going to have a presence on any website site, make sure it is consistent with how you want the world to view you. Demonstrate pride in who you are and how you are portrayed.
I invite you to share any thoughts, ideas, or insights below this post on Little Things Matter.
Your personal and professional success will be greatly influenced by the impression you make on others, both offline and online.
The Go-givers Are the Winners
I read a great book written by a longtime friend, Bob Burg, along with co-author John David Mann. The title is Go-givers Sell More. While the book is primarily designed for those in the sales industry, its core lesson is universal. To succeed in the business world, you must be someone who brings value to the lives of others before expecting anything in return.
This concept embodies a fundamental shift in the mentality of salespeople who market products and services, as well as our approach to the marketing of our personal services.
I am ALWAYS turned off when people try to pitch me on things without first trying to build a relationship with me or to learn if what they are marketing is something I desire.
In today’s world, we want to do business with people we like and trust, people who have first shown an interest in us and the things that are important to us.
So, how can we make this shift in thinking work to our advantage? The answer is simple: we must focus on building meaningful relationships and putting the interest of others before our own.
Your circle of influence grows by 250 people every time you build a new relationship.
According to Bob and John, each of us has a circle of influence of about 250 people. Therefore, each time we build a new relationship, we are expanding our sphere of influence by 250 people. Here’s an example to illustrate the power of this point.
A friend once called to tell me that his company was looking for a sales VP in Orlando and asked if I knew of anyone. As I considered potential candidates, there was one person who stood out in my mind. His name is Gregg Corella. Gregg is a perfect example of a “go-giver.” He is someone who has been intentional about building a relationship with me and offering me value.
Here are the five simple things Gregg has done to make himself stand out:
1. He was very friendly in all our communications and showed an interest in me. I hate to say it, but he showed more of an interest in me than I did in him.
2. He went out of his way to help a mutual friend get a job, which I found impressive in a world filled with people focused on selfishness.
3. He sent me a direct message through Facebook complimenting me on the Little Things Matter fan page soon after it was launched.
4. A few weeks later, he sent me a message to let me know that he had recommended the Little Things Matter fan page to all his friends. Putting his credibility on the line by recommending the fan page was a great compliment.
5. His consistent positive communication prompted me to learn more about him. I reviewed his profile, photos, and posts on both LinkedIn and Facebook and, unlike 95% of the people that provide their personal information on social media and business-networking sites, Gregg has built a positive online brand. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about online branding.
Primarily based on these five things, I put my credibility and reputation on the line, which I seldom do, and recommended him to my friend.
Gregg is the perfect example of why “go-givers“ are the winners. He has been intentional about building meaningful relationships with people and, by doing so, has expanded his sphere of influence to thousands of people. And by building a relationship with me, a new career opportunity opened up for him.
Let me challenge you to begin to think like a “go-giver“ and to be conscious about building meaningful relationships and bringing value to others before expecting anything in return.
“You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” – Zig Zigler
Who Do I Have to Become to Get What I Want?
Far too often in my career, I have observed that people focus exclusively on the “things” they need to do to achieve their goals without giving any consideration to their personal characteristics. In other words, they never ask themselves if they have the traits necessary to accomplish their objectives. And if they don’t, are they willing to do what it takes to become the person they need to be?
Several personal-development gurus have written about this concept. Jim Rohn, one of my personal mentors, said, “For your life to get better, you must get better.” Expressed another way by Les Brown, “To achieve something you have never achieved before, you must become someone you have never been.”
Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine, has also focused on this idea. He truly is a master of doing the little things that matter. Perhaps that’s why we have become friends. I highly recommend reading Darren’s Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life series in the Success Magazine blog. In Part 6, he provided two examples to illustrate the significance of becoming the person worthy of achieving your goals.
Example #1 by Darren Hardy
“When I was single and ready to find my wife and be married, I made a long list of the qualities of the perfect woman (for me). I filled up more than 40 pages describing my wife-to-be in great detail; her personality, character, key attributes, attitudes and philosophies about life, tastes, interests, even what kind of family she’d come from, culture, and of course, physical makeup, down to the texture of her hair, etc. I wrote in depth about what our life would be like and what we’d do together.
I then looked back at every aspect on the list and asked if I had those attributes myself. Additionally, I asked myself this question: What kind of a man would a woman like this be looking for? Who do I need to become to be attractive to a woman of this substance?
I made a long list of all the traits, qualities, behaviors, attitudes, and characteristics that I assumed a woman of this caliber would be looking for in a man. Then I went to work on becoming this person.
Guess what? It worked! As if she was peeled off the pages of my journal and appeared in front of me, my wife is exactly what I described and asked for, in almost eerie detail. The key for me was getting clear on who I’d have to be to attract and keep a woman of her quality and doing the work to achieve that (and I’m still working on keeping that part!).”
Example #2 by Darren Hardy
“Let me give you another example to bring this home for you: let’s say your goal is to earn another $100,000 this year. Now we need to ask the question: Who do you need to become to be an extra $100,000 valuable? Your answer might contain some attributes—stated in the positive, ‘I am,’ such as:
- I am a disciplined master of time efficiency.
- I focus solely on high-payoff and high-productivity actions.
- I wake up an hour earlier and review my priority objectives each morning.
- I fuel my body properly and exercise four days a week so I am energetic and highly effective each work hour.
- I feed my mind with ideas and inspiration that will support and bolster my passion.
- I surround myself with peers and mentors who elevate my expectations and prod me to rise to greater levels of discipline, commitment, and achievement.
- I am a smart, confident, and effective leader. I seek and cultivate the strength and greatness in everyone around me.
- I deliver excellence to my clients and continually find ways to ‘wow’ them, encouraging repeat transactions and abundant referrals.”
Darren’s example also reinforces the ideas expressed in What’s Your Value to the Market? In this post, I highlighted the fact that if you want to increase your income, you must first increase your value.
Todd’s Five Challenges:
1. Select one of your most important goals and define it as clearly as possible, just as Darren did in describing his future wife. The more clarity you bring to what you want, the more likely you are to achieve it.
2. Set your sights high. One of the reasons I have enjoyed a rewarding and satisfying career is because, years ago, I made a list of all the elements I was looking for in a dream business.
3. Determine who you must become to achieve your goal. Make a list of the qualities and attributes that you must have to be a person worthy of achieving that goal. Identify which of those characteristics you currently possess and determine whether improvement is needed. And most importantly, recognize those that you don’t have, so you know where you need to focus your efforts.
4. Believe in yourself. You are an amazing creation capable of achieving anything you desire. Make “I CAN DO IT” your mantra and repeat it daily.
5. Start today to focus on becoming the person worthy of achieving your goals. Remember that growth comes from the compounding effect of small, daily improvements.
Will you accept my challenge? It will define your future!
“When you become a millionaire, it’s not the million dollars that makes you valuable. It’s the person you become in the process.” – Jim Rohn
No One is Perfect
Have you ever told someone, “You won’t believe what I did,” then proceeded to tell them about something stupid you did? Why did you feel compelled to share your mistake? Other than using it as an example to teach a lesson, what benefit could you derive by telling people about something you shouldn’t have done? Have you ever stopped to consider that it could negatively influence how they view you AND how you see yourself?
Our personal brand is formed from the hundreds of impressions we make on others: the words in our e-mails, our voice tone on the phone, our appearance. Everything we do or say is making small impressions on those around us.
Tony Jeary, popular author, speaker, and communication coach, said, “Every day, in dozens of different ways, you’re sending a message out to the world. The wrong message will cost you respect, career promotions, and perhaps relationships. And the right messages will enable you to achieve your personal and professional best.”
In the business world, the more positively you are viewed, the more options you will have and the more value you will offer to the market. In your personal life, how you are viewed will affect everything from the quality of people you attract into your life to how you are treated.
A word of caution: before telling people about the unwise things you’ve done, pause to consider how it may influence what people think about you. Remember, even among your closest friends, every impression matters!
Another critical factor to consider is the residual effect on your personal development and self-image. If you concentrate on your faults and focus on the remorse for your poor decisions, you will begin to develop a poor self-image. It’s likely to become a downward spiral, as the negativity will breed more negativity.
Let me encourage you to focus on your strengths and the positive things you do. We all do stupid things from time to time. No one is perfect. When you do make poor judgments, learn all you can from your mistakes. Then use your self-control to stop thinking about them. And unless there is a darn good reason, don’t talk about your weaknesses or your unwise decisions.
Since we aren’t perfect, we are going to make mistakes. The key is to learn from them and move on.
How to Put Together an Action Plan
Just as you wouldn’t be successful in building a home without a set of blueprints, it’s doubtful you would be successful in achieving any significant goal without having an action plan. A well-designed action plan clarifies the things you need to do in order to achieve your goal, outlines a prioritized sequence of steps, and serves as a method of measuring your progress to ensure that you are on the right track.
I would like to share with you two personal examples that demonstrate the connection between well-thought-out, written action plans and the achievement of specific goals.
My Plan To Earn $400,000
In January of 1990, I set a goal to earn $400,000 from selling residential real estate. In reviewing my sales numbers from the previous year, I determined that if I wanted to make $400,000, I would need to sell 117 homes at an average sales price of $115,000.
Rather than working with a lot of buyers, I spent most of my time identifying sellers who wanted to sell their homes because of the control it gave me. Based on my previous year’s prospecting results, I knew I would have to meet with 252 prospective sellers in order to reach my goal. I then divided this goal of 252 appointments by 52 weeks and determined that I had to set a weekly goal of five appointments, or one per business day.
Once again, my record-keeping helped me assess how many phone calls I would need to make each day in order to get one appointment. At 27 years old with little credibility and no friends who could afford the purchase of a house, most of my efforts were focused on the cold market, which meant I had to make a lot of calls.
By the end of the year, I had met with 250 prospective sellers, two short of my goal, and I had sold 115 homes, two short of my goal. But due to the appreciation in the market, my average commission was slightly higher than the previous year, and I earned $401,000.
If I had started out the year by saying, “I want to make $400,000 and I will work hard to do so,” do you think I would have accomplished my goal? No way! If I did, it would have been pure luck. Do you want your success left up to luck or do you want a plan?
The key to this action plan was a breakdown of daily activities. By tracking my results, I knew where I stood relative to the weekly goal. If I was behind schedule, I picked up the pace. So many people fail to reach their goals because they fail to carve the goal into daily activities and therefore never know if they are on the right track.
My Plan for the Little Things Matter Blog
When I create an action plan for new projects, the first step I take is to open Microsoft Word on my computer and go through a process of “draining my brain.” I compose a list of everything I can think of that would go into achieving my goal. After a complete “brain drain,” I organize my list. After organizing it, I set priorities and assign deadlines to the key elements.
When I contemplated launching this blog, my list included categories such as website, podcasts, potential profit centers, budget, business formation, social media, organization of my list of little things, marketing, etc.
Then within each category, I listed subcategories. For example, the social-media category contained such things as learning from and following experts in the field; joining Twitter; getting an avatar; establishing my Facebook fan page; completing my profile on LinkedIn; and learning proper protocol in the social-media sector.
Once I was satisfied with the action plan, I reviewed it with the mastermind team that I had assembled for this project. This team is a group of people I respect and have expertise and experience in this arena. Based upon their suggestions, I refined my plan and got started executing it.
The end result is I launched my blog just as I had planned.
What’s Your Plan?
Let me encourage you to take the concepts I have shared with you in this lesson and put together a prioritized daily action plan to achieve the goal that is most important to you. Once you have “drained your brain” and created your prioritized plan, identify five people who have been successful in your chosen endeavor. Ask them to review your plan and offer you feedback.
People who have been successful are the very people who will be happy to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask or let your ego get in the way. Most successful people gain fulfillment by sharing their experiences with others. One of the smartest things you can do to achieve any goal is to learn from those who have already achieved the success you desire.
Once your final action plan is broken out into the daily activities you need to take, get started! Be disciplined and be sure to track your results. From time to time, share your progress with your mastermind team and continue to seek their advice.
If you have experience with the creation and execution of action plans to achieve your goals, please contribute to this post by sharing your ideas and tips in the comments section below this post.
To achieve any important goal, you must first develop a prioritized daily action plan. Then using your self-discipline, execute your plan with excellence.
Becoming a Respected Leader
John Maxwell is the most recognized author on the subject of leadership. He describes leadership as “being a person who has influence.” But what gives you influence? How is it earned? I believe the number-one factor in determining your influence is the respect people have for you. If people don’t respect you, why would you expect them to follow your lead?
My experience tells me that the most effective way to earn people’s respect is to consistently strive to excel at everything you do. When you give it your all, you will earn respect for your effort and for the person you become in the process. As people’s respect for you grows, your influence will grow accordingly. And when your influence develops, your value to the marketplace will increase.
Focus on Two Areas
If you have the desire to become an admired and respected leader, there are two specific areas on which to focus your attention:
The first is to develop in the area of personal responsibility. Begin by identifying the little things that will allow you to perform your obligations at the highest level and then strive for excellence as you master them. Whether you want to be a great mom, a call-center supervisor, or the owner of your own successful business, the key is to push yourself to perform at the highest level you are capable of reaching.
The second is to improve yourself and grow as a person. Here are four recommendations:
- Become a student of personal growth and study the habits and characteristics of successful people. I attribute a great deal of my success to my commitment to personal development. There are many choices in the self-help marketplace, but I prefer materials created by those who have actually been successful outside of their sales tool and speaking business. If you prefer learning by audio, I recommend Your Success Store.
- Subscribe to Success magazine. For less than $3 a month, you can learn fresh ideas and strategies from some of the most recognized and respected leaders in our country. My favorite part of the magazine is the CD insert containing leadership tips from these experts.
- Commit three to five minutes a day to either read or listen to my daily lessons. I suggest you download my daily podcasts and keep them in your iTunes library for reference at any time. Repetition can have a powerful impact on learning. I have been teaching and coaching people for decades, and I am convinced people learn more by listening than by reading. You can subscribe to my podcasts or download them by clicking the “Apple” icon in the upper right part of the Little Things Matter home page.
- Observe successful people, especially those who hold a position of leadership you aspire to achieve. Pay close attention to the little things, from their appearance to the way they interact and treat other people. I have learned a great deal in my life by observing other successful people.
As you begin implementing the little things you learn, stretch yourself to do your very best. Push yourself harder than you have ever pushed yourself before. Regardless of your age, education, or background, if you will strive for excellence to be the very best at what you do, you will quickly see your influence begin to grow.
Let me challenge you to be the type of leader you would respect, admire and want to follow. Great leaders aren’t born. They are slowly formed from the compounding effect of small daily improvements. Starting today, begin to view yourself as the leader you want to become. Then commit yourself to the daily process of constant and never-ending improvement.
Becoming a respected leader will open opportunities in your life that have never existed before. As you grow as a leader, one of the most rewarding and fulfilling benefits is the opportunity you will have to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
In every type of leadership position, the improvements you make in who you are and what you do will have a positive impact on the people you are leading. So, when you do the little things to get better, everyone you lead will get better.
Learn to Control Interruptions
One of the most basic fundamentals of good time management is to focus on one thing at a time. I read an article a while back that said every time you allow an interruption, you lose ten minutes of productivity. One could argue whether ten minutes is an accurate number, but regardless, productive and successful people control interruptions.
If you’re interrupted while working on a task, not only is the interruption itself often a waste of time, but when you resume your work, it takes time to gather your thoughts and return to your original state of focus before the interruption occurred.
If you value your time and want to improve your time-management skills, here are four tips to assist you in avoiding interruptions:
1. Turn off ALL notifications on your computer. This includes everything from social media sites to your e-mail program. Instead, block out windows of time to return e-mails and visit your social media sites.
In my case, I check e-mails two to three times a day and check my social media sites one to two times a day.
2. Turn off ALL notifications on your cell phone device. Unless your job requires you to respond immediately to messages, consider putting your phone on silent or do-not-disturb mode. If an instantaneous response is not necessary, return messages during breaks between tasks or during windows of time you allocate for such responsibilities.
As an entrepreneur for the last several decades, I value the importance of generating sales and providing a high level of customer service. But I also know that I don’t need to drop what I am doing and disrupt my thought process every time someone calls, texts, or e-mails me.
3. Resist the temptation to accept unscheduled phone calls. If a caller has not scheduled a specific time to talk to you and they consistently get your voicemail, they will soon learn the value of setting an appointment.
While I don’t require my family and close friends to schedule calls with me, I still maintain established boundaries to prevent unnecessary interruptions. My family understands the value of my time and knows not to interrupt me unless it is an emergency. They also know that spending time with my family is important to me and I will do my utmost to prevent others from interrupting our time together.
4. Learn to control interruptions in the workplace. Now I realize that everyone’s job description is different, but if your job affords you the ability to control your schedule, make it a priority to minimize interruptions. You will need to set some parameters for your co-workers and honestly, they will be happier if they know the rules. For example, you may want to establish blocks of time for certain activities and explain to your colleagues that you don’t want to be interrupted unless there is something that absolutely requires your immediate attention.
Writing these blog posts is a perfect example of how I block out time to focus on my projects. I know I am at my best first thing in the morning, so I allocate from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for my writing. I don’t schedule calls, accept calls, or answer e-mails during this block of time. I have also asked my wife and kids to respect this time by not interrupting me.
I realize that with any time-management technique, there will always be exceptions, and controlling interruptions is no different. Your first step is to recognize that you don’t need to be available every time someone wants to reach you. Take control of how your time is spent rather than allowing others to control it.
When you value your time and control how you spend it, others will value your time, and their respect for you will grow.
Stand Out From the Crowd
One of the best ways to not only stand out from the masses, but to actually leapfrog over them, is to be branded as someone who is responsible. A simple, basic definition of being responsible is “doing what is expected of you.” This includes returning e-mails and calls in a timely manner, being on time for appointments, showing up for meetings prepared, taking pride in your work, and doing what you said you would do when you said you would do it.
There has never been a time in my life when I’ve noticed more people being irresponsible than I see today. It’s almost as if people feel that it’s acceptable not to do what is expected of them and that it’s the new standard in our society. The source of the problem is not what’s important. Rather, I want to focus on the opportunities it presents for you.
If you will make a commitment to become a more responsible person, people’s respect will not just grow, but it will soar. Your relationships will become more meaningful and your career will advance to a new level.
Top Five Tips to Brand Yourself as Someone Who Is Responsible
Here are my top five tips for becoming responsible:
Return e-mails—When people send e-mails, most of them are expecting a reply within 24 hours. For this reason, strive to return all your personal and business e-mails within 24 hours, even if it is simply to acknowledge the e-mail and let them know when they can expect to hear back from you. While there will be occasions when this is just not possible, make those times the exceptions and not the norm.
Return telephone calls—When people leave you messages, most of them are expecting a returned call within 24 hours. When you return your calls in a timely manner, people appreciate it and their respect for you will grow. If necessary, use travel time to return calls. Even if you aren’t being paid for your extra efforts today, your value to the market will grow and you will be paid for it the rest of your career.
When it is not possible to return people’s calls within 24 hours, send a short e-mail acknowledging their calls and provide a couple of windows of time you are available to talk. Then proceed to schedule firm times to talk. If the subject of their messages is such that you can respond to them by e-mail, then save time by responding by email.
Be on time—When you are late for appointments with people who value their time, you will have wasted one of their most valuable assets, and there is a good chance they will view you as rude, irresponsible, and disrespectful. If you are occasionally late for your appointments, take a couple of minutes and read my lesson on the importance of being on time.
Exceed expectations—Take pride in your work and if you are going to put your name on something, make sure it is the absolute best you can do. Start striving for excellence in all that you do. The more you stretch yourself to be your very best, the more growth you will experience, and the more success and fulfillment you will enjoy. Remember, you can’t grow and get better if you aren’t stretching yourself.
Do what you say you will do—From this day forward, when you tell people you will do something, do it, even if you later regret having agreed to do it. I have followed through on many projects shaking my head, wondering why I agreed to do something. When you follow through with your commitments, you build character and you will become wiser about the things you agree to in the future.
Being Responsible Improves Your Brand
Build a brand for yourself so that people know if you’re the one in charge, the task or the project will be done on time with excellence. I want to challenge you to hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Go above and beyond what might be viewed as your job description or society’s expectations.
Always be accountable to somebody for completing an action, for successfully carrying out a duty, or for fulfilling a promise. A person who does as promised gains the reputation of being reliable. People want to associate with and give their business to someone whom they can count on.
Here’s a critical point that I can’t stress enough: you should not distinguish between your commitments to being responsible in your career and those in your personal life. What so many people don’t seem to comprehend is that how they are viewed outside the workplace is just as important as how they are viewed in the workplace.
And lastly, don’t offer excuses to justify why you can’t be responsible. We are all busy, but it’s a matter of setting priorities. If being viewed as a responsible person is important to you, then you will find the time to do what’s required to fulfill your basic responsibilities.
One of the best ways to earn a person’s respect is to consistently do what is expected of you. It will make you stand out from the crowd.
Make Your Appearance an Asset
I read a study a couple years ago that indicated people make a decision about the trustworthiness of a website in less than one second. Yes, I said less than one second. Think about it. How long does it take you to form an initial opinion of a website? Is it one second, two seconds, or five seconds?
Just as people quickly form an initial opinion of a website, they are also quick to form an opinion of us. After all, do you notice how people look, what they are wearing, and how they comb their hair? Whether you acknowledge it or not, you are forming a mental picture of this person within a short amount of time.
First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions
How we look plays a significant role in our overall brand, but it is especially important in the business world.
The first impression you make on people creates a lasting impression. In fact, if you fail to make a positive first impression, you may never be given a second chance. This is especially true when going on a sales call or a job interview. Just as your smile, handshake, eye contact, and ability to remember someone’s name are components of an initial first impression, so is your appearance.
Appearance Has Value
Companies spend millions of dollars on packaging and branding their products because their research teams have determined that the look and feel of a product impact buying decisions. Wouldn’t it make sense then that we consider how our appearance affects the price we are able to charge for our services?
While I have always known that people form opinions of us based on the way we look, this became overwhelmingly apparent on a recent business trip. Normally, when I travel, I wear jeans and a golf shirt, but once on a one-day business trip, I wore a suit and tie. I was looking good! When I arrived at the gate, I went up to the counter, smiled, offered a friendly hello, greeted the gate agent by name, and asked if there was any availability in first class. The agent responded with a smile, upgraded my roundtrip ticket to first class, and didn’t even charge me. I also noticed that the airport vendors, flight attendants, and other passengers treated me differently.
Now I am not suggesting that wearing a suit and tie will get you first-class seats on airplanes, but I do believe that your appearance will make an impression and will affect how people view and treat you.
The Little Things That Make a Good Appearance
If you want to achieve greater professional success, you must be conscious that your appearance sends a certain message. A good appearance includes the way you groom yourself and the clothing and jewelry you wear. All these little things combine to form your overall “look.”
I recommend that you observe how successful people dress. Pay close attention to the details from the length of their tie to the style and appearance of the shoes they are wearing. A pair of poorly-shined shoes speaks louder than words. One of the fastest shortcuts to success is to learn everything you can from those who are more successful than you.
When you find yourself unsure of how to dress, I suggest playing it safe. Always overdress rather than running the risk of being underdressed. For example, you can always take off your tie and jacket if you find the attire to be more casual when you arrive at the event. I always feel awkward if I find myself underdressed, no matter how I may try to justify it, but seldom do I feel uncomfortable when I am overdressed.
If you would like to contribute to this lesson by sharing any ideas you have about personal appearance, please make a comment below this post on Little Things Matter.
The easiest way to have others view you as being successful is to look successful.
The Value of Remembering Names
Have you ever met someone for the first time who hardly looked you in your eyes, said the standard “nice to meet you” greeting without any authenticity behind their words, and couldn’t remember your name five seconds later? What impression did this person make on you? Would it have required any more time or effort to make eye contact, offer a genuine smile and give a friendly greeting, such as “It’s very nice to meet you, Bob”? The answer is obviously no, but the first impressions created by the two greetings would be as different as night and day.
In Dale Carnegie’s timeless book How to Win Friends and Influence People, he wrote, “If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.”
Techniques and Tips
When you greet people, regardless if it’s the first or the tenth time, make it a point to say their names in your initial greeting. For example, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sharon,” or “Jim, it’s great to see you again.” And then, when the conversation concludes, use their name again. “Jim, I really enjoyed our time together,” or “Sharon, it was a real pleasure getting to know you.” Remembering someone’s name is a difficult skill to master, but if you make it part of your daily routine, you will stand out from the crowd in personal and business relationships.
Ron White, memory expert and sales trainer, recommends you create images for people’s names because people remember faces and not names. For example, Tom=tomcat; Steve=stove. Ron is the 2009 United States Memory Champion. He holds the record for the most digits memorized in five minutes (167 consecutive digits) and the record for the fastest to memorize a deck of cards (1 minute and 27 seconds). To learn more about Ron’s memory techniques, visit his site at http://www.ronwhitetraining.com.
Here are my top tips for remembering people’s names:
Make it a priority to remember people’s names. The only way you will be consistent is if remembering people’s names is important to you.
Make a habit of repeating people’s names when meeting them for the first time. If you will make this a routine, you will be forced to pay attention to their names when they are introduced to you.
Upon hearing the name, repeat it to yourself several times.
Try to think of someone else with the same name. As I repeat people’s names in my mind, I try to think of someone else with the same name and then make the connection between the two people.
When “meeting” people over the phone, I immediately write down their names.
If you don’t understand the pronunciation of someone’s name, kindly ask the person to repeat it. If you still don’t understand, ask how it is spelled and then try to say it. People with hard-to-pronounce names are accustomed to people mispronouncing them and will appreciate those who show an interest in getting it right.
Here is my challenge to you: start today to be intentional about remembering people’s names. Use all the tips I have outlined but start with the easiest one. Repeat the name at both the beginning of the conversation and at the end. This is one of those little things that make a big impression on people.
If you have any follow-up thoughts, ideas, or tips about remembering names, please share them in the comments section below this post.
Remember, you can achieve anything in life that is important to you if you will focus on the little things that matter.
20 Tips for Important Dinner Engagements
I once had the privilege of attending a black-tie dinner in Bangkok, Thailand. Not only was it a great opportunity to spend time with a group of distinguished leaders from around the world, but it also served as a reminder of the importance of proper dinner etiquette. I am far from being Mr. Manners, but I have learned a lot over my career about how to handle myself at important dinner engagements.
In this lesson, I will highlight the top 20 things I’ve learned about being a dinner guest. By following these simple rules, you will make a positive impression on everyone at the table.
1. Prepare in advance—Make sure you know what you are going to wear, including all the accessories, and give yourself plenty of time to get ready. I won’t tell you about the time I left my tuxedo shirt at home and didn’t realize it until I was getting dressed in my hotel room.
2. Look good—Discover what the dress code is in advance and make sure you look your best. If you are unsure, you are better off over-dressing than under-dressing. One of the last things you want to do for an important dinner is to feel under-dressed.
3. Arrive early—Not only do you want to be respectful of everyone’s time, but also it feels good to arrive at important appointments early. Being early is a stress reliever. Just don’t be too early, as you don’t want to catch your host and hostess off guard and unprepared for your arrival.
4. Greet everyone—Make sure you greet each dinner guest with a warm smile, a firm handshake if appropriate, and repeat his or her name.
5. Wait to be seated—Ask the host where he or she would like you to sit. You want to be respectful of how they would like the group seated.
6. Don’t be the first to order an alcoholic drink—I enjoy a nice glass of wine when dining out, but I wait to see what the other guests request. A cold glass of water is a good choice, and then if everyone else orders an alcoholic beverage, you can order one as well.
7. Go with the flow—If everyone at the table is drinking plain water, don’t ask for sparkling water. Remember, the more people feel they have something in common with you, the more connected they will feel with you. And it just plainly makes things easier.
8. Focus your attention on the person talking—When someone is talking, make sure you maintain 100% eye contact with this person. This demonstrates your respect for the person and indicates that the topic of conversation is of interest to you. This is even true when the waiter arrives at your table to take a drink or dinner order. If you turn your attention to the waiter, then you are indicating the waiter is more important than your dinner guest.
9. Include everyone when talking—When you are the one talking, be sure to share eye contact with each person at the table. This action demonstrates that each person is important to you. It also communicates to them that you understand the importance of including them in the conversation.
10. Think before you speak—Don’t be quick to jump into the conversation. Instead, be a respectful listener and observer. When you do talk, carefully consider what you say.
11. Don’t talk about yourself—Unless someone asks you to talk about yourself, resist the temptation. Instead, show an interest in others by asking questions about them and their interests. Then listen attentively and continue the conversation accordingly.
12. Don’t start a side conversation—Be sure to focus your attention on the person speaking, even if they aren’t making eye contact with you. They may not understand its significance.
13. Don’t change the conversation—Unless a conversation is clearly over, don’t change the topic being discussed. If you change the conversation, it could be perceived that you don’t have an interest in what’s being discussed.
14. Leaving the table—Don’t get up to leave the table in the middle of a conversation. Wait until there is a pause or a shift in the conversation. Otherwise, your actions could be interpreted as a lack of interest in the conversation and the person speaking may well take offense.
15. Wait until everyone is served—Wait until everyone has received his or her food before you start eating.
16. Don’t cut up all the food on your plate—Since you are not feeding your two-year-old, cut up your food as you go. Sorry if this sounds trivial or condescending, but I have seen far too many people do this!
17. Don’t drink too much—Of all times you don’t want to over-drink, important dinner engagements rank at the top of the list. If you want more to drink, then wait until the dinner party is over.
18. Pass it—If someone asks for the rolls that are in front of your place, always pass them the basket without taking one. After they take what they want, you can ask that it be passed back to you, and at that time, it is appropriate to take one.
19. Be on your best behavior—Sit up straight; leave your elbows off the table; don’t pick your teeth, and all the other things your mother taught you!
20. Help clean up—If the dinner engagement is at someone’s home, help clean up. If they decline your offer, simply say, “I would enjoy helping you clean up. Would you please allow me to help you?” When they accept your offer, help them clean up until the job is finished or until your host wants to take a break. If they decline your help because they would rather continue the conversation in another room, ask them again when the party is over.
Let me encourage you to follow these 20 tips at your next dinner engagement. If you do, you will make a positive impression on everyone, you will feel good about yourself and who you are becoming and your value to the market will grow.
If you like the lessons I am sharing through my daily blog posts and podcasts, I would appreciate it if you tell your friends, family, and business associates about my blog LittleThingsMatter.com.
Remember, you can make a positive impression on others if you will focus on the little things that matter.
What’s Your Value to the Market?
Whether we recognize it or not, we are all entrepreneurs marketing ourselves to the marketplace. One of the most basic fundamentals of our economic system indicates that the amount we earn is based on the value we offer. Therefore, the more value we bring to the market, the more we can charge for our services.
What is the difference between those at the top of the pay scale in a given profession and those at the bottom? In most cases, the people at the top of the pay scale receive a higher salary not only because of their skill or ability, but also because of all the little things they do to bring value to the organization.
Increasing Your Value
If you want to earn more money, FIRST you must increase your value. Only after increasing your value can you expect to charge more for your services. It doesn’t work like many people think: “Pay me more and I will do more.” That is the mindset of a low-wage employee who will never get ahead. The mindset of an entrepreneurial-minded employee would sound something like this: “Let me do all I can to increase my value and if I can’t earn what I am worth with my current employer, then I will market my services to another employer.”
I would like to relate a story about my son Gerrid and his first job as a bagger at a local grocery store. This is the same store where my son Jake used to work. His employer’s instructions were simple enough: ask the customer if they want paper or plastic. As you pack, put like items together and don’t make the bags too heavy. One day, Gerrid came home discouraged. He said, “Dad, this job is not at all challenging. It’s actually a rather meaningless job.”
I shared with him my philosophy about the little things that matter and how he could improve his value and his image. I reminded him that he wouldn’t earn any additional money, as the salary of a bagger was limited, but that it was important for him to perform the role of a bagger in the best possible way—with excellence. I encouraged him to look at this job as an opportunity to grow, to become a better person, and prepare him for the future.
I challenged him to think of ways to go beyond his employer’s normal expectations. I suggested little things like keeping his shoes shined, pressing his clothes, smiling at the customers, offering them a friendly greeting, making eye contact, thanking them for their business, and volunteering to do the things the other employees did not want to do.
My goal was to teach Gerrid a new way of thinking—to focus on the little things he could do to increase his value to the marketplace. It wasn’t long before he began to enjoy his work, winning the appreciation and admiration of his employer and co-workers. Today, he owns his own very successful search engine optimization firm (SmithSEO) and is one of the most significant contributors to my Little Things Matter mastermind team.
The Compounding Effect
Just as my son Gerrid experienced in his life, focusing on the little things to enhance your value will add up. Going the extra mile brings great rewards because so few people make this kind of effort. As you make small changes, you will see some increase in your value. At first, it may not be measurable. But your ultimate success will come as a result of a compounding effect of doing the little things over a long period of time. It comes from making small improvements day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year. Compare your success to investing your money. Just as interest compounds over time, so will your value if you will stretch yourself to build your value each day.
Being Intentional
As you look to increase your value, you will want to focus on two things. First, be intentional about performing your core job description at the highest level of excellence you are capable of achieving. Learn by identifying the little things the successful people do in your field of expertise that make them stand out. Second, be conscious of doing the little things that will brand you as the kind of person others look up to with admiration and respect.
The most significant increase in your value will be achieved if you know the little things that matter and do them consistently at the highest level of excellence you are capable of achieving.
Cell Phone Etiquette
I once wrote on the Facebook Little Things Matter fan page two posts about cell phone etiquette. The comments I received clearly expressed passionate opinions about the proper use of cell phones. There was a strong consensus that talking on or texting and e-mailing from your cell phone in certain places and at certain times is inappropriate, irritating, and downright rude. I share their opinion.
If you don’t show respect and common courtesy when using your cell phone, you run the risk of aggravating people and destroying your personal brand. On the other hand, if you use discretion and follow the simple recommendations outlined below, you will be able to enhance the impression you make.
Avoid using your cell phone…
1. In public places—When you are in public places where others can hear your conversation, you should avoid talking on your cell phone. When your phone rings, let it go to voicemail.
If you determine it is ABSOLUTELY critical to accept the call, be respectful of others. If possible, walk outside or to a private area where others won’t be annoyed or distracted by your conversation. If there is no escaping, then keep your voice down and cover your mouth to keep your voice from traveling and wrap up the call as soon as possible.
2. When spending time with the family—Unless you have a job that requires you to be on call 24 hours a day, be respectful of your family by not talking, texting, or e-mailing people when you are together. With decades under my belt as an entrepreneur, I know there will be exceptions. When I do make an exception, I always apologize to my family members. Once again, the example we set for our children will pave their way to appropriate and effective behavior.
3. When traveling with others in a car —When you’re spending time with people in a car, give them your full attention. Once again, there will always be exceptions, but the key is to make them exceptions and not the general rule.
4. While driving, period—If you find it hard to talk on the phone and focus on driving at the same time, then avoid talking on the phone in your car. If an important call does come in, pull over. I hope it goes without saying that we should never check and respond to e-mails nor send or answer text messages while driving. The fatality statistics due to distracted driving are staggering.
5. While at work—If you are using your cell phone for personal matters during the time you are being paid to do your job, you are stealing from your employer. When you steal from your employer, not only will others lose respect for you, but you will also likely lose respect for yourself. After all, how can you respect yourself when you are doing things you shouldn’t be doing? If there are personal calls, texts, and e-mails that must be returned during your workday, do so during your break or lunch hour.
6. During meetings—When you attend a meeting or share a meal with someone, put your phone on silent mode. Or even better, leave it in the car. Also, don’t text or e-mail during the meeting. Even though your phone may not make sounds, your eyes and attention are diverted from the other people in attendance. Your lack of attention to them demonstrates disrespect. Besides, how can you concentrate on the discussion when you are typing or reading messages?
7. When spending time with your friends—If you’re like me, you probably don’t have a lot of time to spend with your friends. So when you are together, why wouldn’t you give them your undivided attention? When I am out socially, you will very seldom see me with my phone. I want to thoroughly enjoy my experience and show respect for those who chose to spend time with me.
Here is one of the biggest takeaways of today’s lesson: don’t let your cell phone become an addiction. Learn to control the times when it is used. Some of us grew up without cell phones and we lived our lives just fine. If it’s a true emergency, we all know how to call 911. Most things can wait until the time when it is appropriate to take the call or respond to the e-mail or text. If you follow my recommendations, your world will become more enjoyable, your time management skills will improve and the people around you will feel more valued.
One of the fastest ways to lose a person’s respect is to not value their time.
The Importance of Keeping a Daily To-do List
One of the most important keys to personal and professional success lies in how you spend your time. Each day contains 24 hours, but how we spend those hours is what separates people who enjoy lives of happiness, fulfillment, and success from those who experience lives filled with frustration, disappointment, and often failure.
Practicing good time management will not only have a tremendous impact on success in your career but it will also have a powerful effect on your entire life.
In order for you to be an effective time manager, you must first have the desire to be more productive with your time. It must be something that is important to you or you won’t take the steps required to improve your time management skills.
Keep a Prioritized Daily To-do List
Keeping a prioritized daily to-do list is my top time-management tip, and I believe my consistent use of such a list has played a significant role in my success. My daily to-do list is my prioritized daily action plan. It has been and continues to be my plan for how I will spend my time to accomplish those things that are important to me.
Everyone should keep a prioritized daily to-do list. It removes the guesswork from how to spend your time and who to spend it with. Keeping this to-do list also helps reduce stress, because it clarifies what you should and shouldn’t be doing. It will also keep you from forgetting things.
I keep my daily to-do list on a pad of paper. I carry this pad of paper with me everywhere I go. When new things come up that I must accomplish, I simply add them to the list.
The first step in creating your to-do list is to take out a blank pad of paper and write down everything you need to get done. As you make this list, don’t focus on prioritizing it or listing things in any specific order. Just drain your brain and make your list. Then, at the end of each day, go over your list and prioritize each item.
Prioritizing Your List
Once your list is complete, put an “A” next to those things that absolutely must get done the next day. These are the things that will bring you closer to the accomplishment of your most important goals. Throughout my career as an entrepreneur, most of my “A’s” have been the proactive things I must do to make money, such as prospecting for new business.
Put a “B” next to those items that you should get done. An example of a “B” item might be getting your dirty car washed.
Put a “C” next to those items that you need to do but just aren’t a priority right now. An example of a “C” item could be picking up the dry cleaning that you don’t need for a couple of days.
And lastly put a “D” next to those things you can delegate. This might be something you are going to ask your spouse or children to do, such as changing a light bulb or going to the post office to send a package.
After you have designated all the items on your list with an A, B, C, or D, then review all the “A’s” and put a “1” next to the most important A; a “2” next to the second most important A, a “3” next to the third most important A, and so on, until you are done with all of your “A’s.”
Then go over your “B’s.” Put a “1” next to your most important B and follow the same procedure as you did with your “A’s” until all your “B’s” are prioritized.
I generally don’t do anything with my “C’s” because I seldom get to them until they move up in importance. I do keep them on my list so I don’t forget about them. I then delegate the “D” items to the appropriate people.
Once my list is complete, I have a prioritized plan for the next day. I go to bed and rest comfortably because I am not thinking about all the things I need to do or the things I don’t want to forget to do. Each day I take out my list and look for A1, and that is the first thing I do. I intentionally do not look down the list for the easy things I could do quickly. Not only would that defeat the purpose of the to-do list, but it also would give me a false sense of accomplishment.
If you will put together a prioritized daily to-do list every day as I have described, and follow it diligently, it will do more to help you move closer to the accomplishment of your goals than almost anything else I can recommend.
I challenge you to make a prioritized to-do list each day for the next week and see how it affects how you spend your time and what you accomplish. I bet you will be astounded at your productivity and satisfaction.
Keeping a prioritized to-do list reduces stress, makes you more responsible, and increases your productivity.
Fly First Class Free of Charge
How would you like to fly first class anywhere in the world free of charge? Every time I fly internationally, I fly first class in my own fully-reclining seat…FOR FREE. In this lesson, I will teach you the tricks of the trade: how you can accumulate frequent-flyer miles without ever getting on an airplane so that when you actually take a trip, you can fly in luxury and land rested, ready to go.
Did you know you could accumulate airline frequent-flyer miles by selecting credit cards that give you one mile for every dollar you spend? Do you know the best way to use your miles to gain the greatest value?
When I took a trip to Thailand, I traveled for more than 27 hours, including one 16-hour flight. Unlike most people who would dread this type of trip, I had been looking forward to it because I was flying first class. And, unlike first-class seats on domestic flights, international first class provides you with twice the legroom and a reclining seat that opens into a bed.
How I Accumulate Miles
My wife and I have a United Airlines credit card that we use for all our personal purchases. I also have an American Airlines credit card I use for all my business purchases.
Having two cards allows me to easily separate my business and personal expenses and it allows me to collect miles on two airlines, giving me more options when I travel. Both credit cards give us one frequent-flyer mile for every dollar we spend.
The Best Value for Your Miles
Don’t stop reading this because you don’t have any plans to fly internationally for business. How about going on that African safari you’ve always wanted to do? Would you like to visit the Great Wall of China, scuba dive on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, ski in the Swiss Alps, or attend the Olympics?
The best use of your accumulated miles is to fly internationally. Both United and American require 25,000 miles for a domestic round-trip coach ticket. From Tampa, I can fly just about anywhere in the U.S. for less than $300, as long as I plan in advance. This means that each mile has a value of just over $0.01 per mile. Both airlines require an average of 135,000-145,000 miles for a first-class international award ticket. If you would pay cash for such a ticket, the fare could be as low as $5000 or as high as $18,000. When I use my accumulated miles for international trips, each mile has a value of over $0.05 per mile–five times the value of a domestic coach seat.
While I almost always fly coach when traveling domestically, flying coach internationally is just an awful experience. It is virtually impossible to sleep in a coach-class seat and if you do, you won’t sleep long. Whether you are traveling internationally for business or pleasure, you don’t want to land feeling exhausted and aching all over.
Compare saving $1500 by redeeming your miles for five domestic coach tickets to using those same miles to fly first class anywhere in the world you’ve dreamed of visiting. If there is someplace on your “Bucket List” you want to go, now would be the time to get your airline credit cards and start saving your miles. Even if it takes you five or more years to save enough miles, it will be well worth it.
The second-best value for your miles is to use them to fly first class to Alaska (redeem 50,000 miles) and the third-best value is first class to Hawaii (80,000 miles).
While my wife and I selected American and United, every airline offers credit cards. There are also credit card companies such as CapitalOne, where you can use your miles on any airline. The downside is they require a lot more miles for both domestic and international trips. My advice is to select a credit card that is offered through a major international airline. Even if they don’t fly where you ultimately want to go, more than likely they will have a partner airline that does.
My last tip is to always book your free tickets as far in advance as you can. The airlines limit the number of seats available per flight for people redeeming miles.
While I realize this lesson was a bit more pragmatic than the others, I hope you will be able to put my recommendations to the test. When you experience what it’s like to sit in first class on an international flight and land refreshed, you will know that little things matter. For the best hotel deals anywhere in the world, go to Hotel Deal Site.
Don’t just use your miles to save money; use them to improve the quality of your life.
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