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The V a l u e Manager |  |
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Greetings, Long time no see - I apologize! Yes, I've been consulting, travelling, writing, speaking, and working more and more, so I didn't realize I completely forgot to publish the Mar/Apr issue of The Value Manager. I guess that's good and bad. As far as manners go, it is considered rude to keep people waiting, thus it's proper to acknowledge my rudeness with an apology. I'm sorry. And thanks to those that kept e-mailing me to hurry and catch up. Sometimes we just need a little prodding. Have you been late for a meeting or missed a deadline? Perhaps some discussion on time management would be in order. Keep reading and I'll practice what I preach. Enjoy, -aj-
As a business person, you must sift through a barrage of information, from sales reports to P&L statements to balance sheets. It's hard sometimes to make sense of it all, and see which pieces of information actually impact your business in significant ways. What will happen next is never certain. Business plans that you've developed may not match current economic conditions. When things don't click, and fall into place in the way that you had planned, it can be stressful, confusing, and frustrating. In all the confusion, it's vital that you keep cool and organized. Rather than try to do too much with the little time and energy you have, it's vital that you stay focused. The pressure to get things done in a short time can be a significant source of stress. And when your plans don't seem to be working out, there's psychological pressure to make difficult decisions quickly. Should you stick with your current plans, or look for new opportunities? There's a need to be careful. You don't want to make the wrong decision and miss out on a rare opportunity. When you feel that you have too much to do and not enough time to do it, it grates on your nerves. Suddenly, everything can seem unorganized, unstructured, and confusing. One of the most effective ways to cope with the pressure to get more things done than you have time for, is to change your time perception. Time perception is the degree to which people perceive their use of time as structured and as contributing to a specific goal or set of goals. When you're frustrated and unsure of what to do next, you can feel that you are moving aimlessly back and forth among alternatives and getting nowhere. It's as if you are out of control. At these times, it is necessary to return structure into your life. When you perceive that your time is structured and that you are working toward a specific purpose, you will feel calm and satisfied. When frustrated by business pressures, you can become an extreme perfectionist, afraid to make a mistake and unsure which path to take. To gain control, it is necessary to set clearly defined and realistic goals, and make specific plans for how to reach these goals. When you feel especially confused, it makes sense to pick a few projects or goals, and focus on implementing them. Which should you pick? Pick the ones that seem to match the current business conditions, but don't get hung up on it. Many managers make the mistake of thinking that they must chose the one right plan or else they will miss out on an important opportunity or goal. That may be the case. You may indeed pick a project or goal that wasn't the best, but you could be wasting more time deliberating among goals and projects than taking decisive action, which can restore a feeling of control and direction. Once you implement at least one item on your task list, you will naturally reward yourself, and feel that you have achieved a meaningful goal. You'll feel back in control.
Every morning for years, at about 11:30, the telephone operator in a small Sierra-Nevada town received a call from a man asking the exact time. One day the operator summed up nerve enough to ask him why the regularity. "I'm foreman of the local sawmill," he explained. "Every day I have to blow the whistle at noon so I call you to get the exact time." The operator giggled, "That's really funny," she said. "All this time we've been setting our clock by your whistle. Are you sure your information is good for setting your own clock?
Why Business People Speak Like Idiots If you have sat through boring sales presentations, listened to cliche-laden speeches, or tried to decipher an e-mail from a consultant, please read this book. There is great insight into how things work in the corporate world and how bull has affected so much of our lives. The book provides a good "value proposition," and will help you develop a "synergy" with your staff, clients and vendors. Did you catch all that bullshit? If not, read the book, or at least use the FREE Bullfighter software.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own
reason for existing." "My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few
questions." "The Best way to get more productive is to probably turn off the
Internet for a few hours a day." "Experience is that marvelous thing that enable you to recognize a
mistake when you make it again."
Below are some tips on how to schedule and budget your time when it seems you just don't have enough. Don't be a perfectionist Learn to say no Learn to Prioritize Do your best to stay on top of things. A regular review of your tasks and commitments will be key. As you get a handle on the blur of activity that is your business and personal life, you'll feel pretty cool.
I hope your year so far has been hectic and profitable. It has been a couple of years since I could be choosy about the work. Some of your issues are complex and interesting, while others are just necessary. Wow, what a feeling! Please continue your e-mails with your pertinent issues, problems and successes. That's one way I can keep a pulse on business activity. Please forward this issue to any friends, peers, and associates you think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I. Until next issue...
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