A couple of weeks ago, I spoke to a large business networking group on how to make 2008 the best marketing year ever. I had a long speech prepared along with reams of information on how to market, developing a new marketing strategy, cultivating existing clients along with all the usual marketing techniques. I decided at the last minute that being a coach, I should take a different approach and look at how the individual business owner or CFO could make their own personal business life that much better. Leadership starts from within.
I have been coaching small, medium and large business organizations for the better part of 20 years and as a coach I am qualified to discuss personal approaches to helping individuals perfect their personal lives. So here are a few tips from that presentation. I call them " Tips from Your Very Own Personal Owners Manual".
(1) Reflect on all your past experiences from 2007, learn from everything that happened both good and bad. The good should be repeated, the bad should be analysed and changes made and then move on. Don't dwell on the past. Its a new year. As long as your feet hit the ground every morning you have the ability to change for the future.
(2) Know what you want. In this area get clear about what success means to you. It is not always about making money. Success can be defined in a number of ways, so get clear on what you want.
(3) Choose 2 or 3 simple themes for 2008. Use these themes as your guide to goal setting. Keep them simple. My theme for 2008 is " consistent abundance".
(4) Set up for yourself monthly and quarterly goals. Make sure you cover the key areas of your life which include: spiritual, family, health, professional and intellectual.
(5) Keep your to do list in prospective, after all its only a list and not a map. Don't confuse fundamental direction with a mere list of tasks.
(6) Write a gratitude journal. It will transform how you think and behave. Review your journal every week and act upon the lessons that you learn.
(7) Avoid negative thinkers. They won't help make your 2008 great. They keep putting obstacles in the way of thinking. You need to be surrounded by positive thinkers. Don't confuse realism for negativity however. Being realistic is not negative.
(8) Work smarter, not harder, break your work into small chunks, stop multi-taking; it may feel heroic but its grossly inefficient.
(9) House clean, your email box, your desk, your office and make a point of dropping 5 commitments that you find are not helping you in achieving your corporate goals.
This can be really simple. Stop joining committees.
(10) Make a point of knowing who it is that is giving you your business and why? Find out where all your referrals are coming from. Avoid MBWA ( marketing by walking around). If its time to build more relationships with real customers other than potential customers, then that's where the business is coming from.
I hope that these ten small tips will help you in your quest to make 2008 a much better year. As a business owner, CEO, or CFO, its time to get your personal life in order. Once you are clear on what you want personally, you can better understand your staff, your company, your customer base or where it is you want your business to go. Sometimes, we forget that we are the one who is the role or leadership model.
Remember to continue to listen closely to people who think and act positively, give generously, stay flexible and program your mind to stay persistent.
All the best for your best year ever in 2008.
Kensel Tracy is The Marketing Coach and a Senior partner in the Corporate Coachworkz Inc. He is an author of " The Ten Commitments to a Better Life" and helps small, medium and large businesses to grow and prosper.
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