by Lisa Wedmann | Jun 20, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Latest, Social Media
I finally got a “round twit”.
Sure it’s an old joke, I hope that it’s so old nobody has heard it and it seems fresh again and people will think I’m incredibly funny.
But even if you don’t think I’m funny you may have guessed it’s a joke about procrastination.
There are two types of people who procrastinate.
Those who fear failure and those who fear success.
Afraid of Failure
Those who fear failure think of all the things that could go wrong. They worry about what people will think when they fail and as a result of their worries; they think it’s better not to try.
Afraid of Success
On the other hand there are those who fear success. To me, it seems counterintuitive to fear success. What is there to fear in success? Isn’t that what we want – to be successful? I wish I was successful in everything. That would be great. Sadly I am not. But I am fortunate to say I am not afraid to try.
People who fear success may be overwhelmed by the fear they will have new responsibilities. They may be afraid they can’t handle these new responsibilities and people will expect more of them. Consequently they don’t try.
Procrastination can be serious and could require professional help. But for those who simply need a bit of a push following are my top 3 tips on how to avoid procrastination.
Take the first step
We’ve heard this before. Break it up into tiny pieces. Focus on the first piece only. Once you complete the first piece, go to the next. Do not think about anything other than that first step. As soon as you begin to take action you are changing your mental attitude and you will become more positive and open and willing to try.
Set Appropriate Goals
There are tough jobs and there are even tougher jobs. Sometimes the job may seem impossible. Sometime we may feel there is no chance of success. To overcome this resistance, be realistic about what you can do and then set achievable goals. When you successfully achieve your first goal you can set the bar a bit higher. Each accomplishment will bring you closer to success.
Start with the Hardest or the EasiestJobFirst
This is a tough one. It’s tempting to start working with what we know is simple. But if we start with the hardest task and get it out-of-the-way we feel relieved and the rest seems easy.
Some people say to start with the easy things first so that you have confidence and this will move you forward. If that works for you then go for it but I find starting with the most difficult task works for me.
Procrastination is complex and it can take many tries to break you of bad habits. In the meantime if you would like to know more about procrastination … I’ll tell you later.
by Lisa Wedmann | Jun 18, 2013 | Business Success, Latest
Are you finding it rough juggling your job with your home life? Do you struggle with your basic commitments, miss doctors, dentists, optometrists, appointments because you can’t seem to get the time off work?
Even worse do your kids miss their doctor’s dentists, optometrists because you don’t have the time to take them? And what about your aging parents? Who is there to help them? Where do they fit into the schedule?
Cutbacks, technology, efficiencies, aging population, our commitment to putting our children into a zillion different clubs and activities, it doesn’t matter the reason, balancing work and home life is causing Canadians stress.
And if you are like most Canadians you are taking more days off work, using up your company benefits, turning down promotions, being less productive and working fewer hours according to a major Canadian study by Carlton University in partnership with Desjardin Insurance.
This stress is serious stuff. And if you think it’s not that bad, ask yourself, why a major insurance company is paying for this study? Does it have anything to do with the fact that stress increases the risk of heart disease, asthma, obesity, diabetes, headaches, depression and anxiety just to name a few. Does it have anything to do with the fact that health issues like this increase the risk of death and increase payouts from insurance companies?
I can’t answer these questions but they do make me wonder what I can do to achieve work life balance in my own life.
Here are a few important tips I have found:
“Above all, to thine own self be true”
Take care of yourself and you will be able to care for others. Take time out for yourself. You will clear your mind, become refreshed, invigorated and more effective in all your walks of life. Allocate a specific time each day that is your time. It doesn’t have to be long. It could be that morning cup of coffee, walk around the block or a brief break with a cup of tea and a good book. You pick it and control it. And as the Shakespearean line continues, … “thou canst not then be false to any man”.
Prioritize
Rank everything you need to do. This includes at work and at home. Break them into 3 categories. Must, Maybe and Mmmmmmmm that would be nice. It stands to reason you will do the Musts first. The Maybes come next but chances are the Mmmmmmmms will fall off the radar.
But not in isolation
But what is most important about prioritization is do not prioritize in isolation. Ask your boss what is important; ask your family what is important. What you think is important to them may not be important at all.
Conquer the challenge
Creating work life balance is a challenge but like any challenge we face, we can take steps to overcome or we can run away.
Me… I’m not much of a runner. How do you balance work and life? Do you think work/life balance is attainable?
by Miriam Hara | Jun 17, 2013 | Business Success, Latest, Miriamisms
How do you know when you are ready for business success?
So you’re right out of school or you’re new to the market and you want to break into your field. But are you ready? Really ready? When after the umpteenth interview and the many false starts, or “almost-getting-it” jobs, you get “the job”. Finally, you have arrived. But are you ready for the work place? Are you prepared to shine and do what it takes to make a good impression? Do you know how to become the go-to person for your team, or even the person that everyone feels they can rely on and trust? Having hired many people here’s my list of what to do and what not to do:
When you don’t add… you subtract: One of my friends once said this to me when we were talking about work and I immediately got it. If as an employee you aren’t adding anything more than just doing the work, then, you’re not adding value. In fact, you actually create a situation where your colleagues will compensate for all you don’t add, weakening the entire team. It’s as easy as being involved. Showing interest and not being afraid of asking questions or stating opinions. It’s not cool to be less than you can be.
Showing up isn’t enough: That’s right. If all you do is show up to the office or job, chances are you won’t be showing up there for long! Doing less and not following through or not keeping pace gets tired really quickly… for everyone else. It’s not cool to do less.
Own it all. From filing to… storing: There’s always grunt work, or work that no one likes to do. This is different for everyone, but regardless what it is, it has to get done. And it has to get done properly and accurately. Work with intention and be committed. It’s not cool to do only what you like to do.
Cross your t’s and dot your i’s: I cannot say this enough… and I am not just talking about grammar here! Yes, know the difference between its and it’s, or your and you’re. However, just knowing the difference isn’t enough. You need to exercise the knowledge! I digress. Pay attention to details. Success is in the details. It’s not cool to say ‘Oh, yeah… sorry’.
Come in energized: Come in happy… and rested. It doesn’t bode well when you walk in the door dragging your you-know-what. Be prompt. Be up-beat. No, it’s not cool to yawn or zone out in meetings.
Know what you know: It’s very important to know your capabilities. Know what you know and what you don’t. If you don’t know, then say so. This is a good way to manage your boss’ expectations and timelines. It allows your boss to respond accordingly whether it’s giving the task to another team member or providing you added support to complete the task. It’s not cool to say you know… and then show that you don’t.
Listen and do: Learn to listen and follow the direction you’re given. And well, just learn. It’s not okay to just hear the direction and do your own thing. If your boss tells you how to do something, or how they want something done, then do it that way. If you have a concern or a different approach, then discuss it with them. It’s not cool to just do it your way.
Read the environment: Timing is everything and when stressful situations happen at work, understand that everyone reacts differently. Sometimes people react well and sometimes they don’t. Know that it’s not all about you. Yes… you are important and your needs are important… just maybe not at that particular moment. And no, it’s probably not cool or a good time to joke around or spend time chatting it up with other employees.
Don’t over promise and under deliver: In any business, deadlines are important. Whether it’s a report or a deadline for an ad or event, know one thing: Deadlines are not elastic. If a business misses a deadline, that means money… in the short or long-term. If you commit to a task and a deadline, you need to respect it. It’s not cool to say you’ll do it and then don’t.
There’s so many more I could list, but if you get these down pat, and at the risk of sounding like a clairvoyant, business success will be yours!
by Lisa Wedmann | Jun 13, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative, Latest
A few years ago I was having a conversation with a photographer friend of mine. We were talking about business and giving each other tips on how we could become more effective. At one point in the conversation he turned to me and said, “There’s always time to do it over but there’s never time to do it right in the first place.”
I wondered what point he was trying to make since this statement seemed contradictory. Then he told me his story. A long-time client of his was on a tight deadline and needed a high priority, rush shoot. His assignment was to go to a busy street and shoot the crowd. Sound easy? You would think so.
He rushed over, took the shot and raced back to the client. He couldn’t wait to show them. He was proud of himself and was positive they would be happy. At that time he didn’t know about his BIG MISTAKE, he was still caught up in the delight of meeting his deadline.
What he didn’t know was there was a large billboard in the background of the photo. So what, many busy streets have billboards. Well, it wasn’t the billboard that was the problem, it was the competitor’s name on the billboard that was. And do you know what happened next?
He had time to do it over.
If he had taken the time to think through his assignment this wouldn’t have happened. And the moral of the story… the client never hired him again.
When we are rushing to meet deadlines we often jump in without thought. When we jump in without assessing the environment we make big mistakes and the consequence is we have to do it over and like my friend you may lose a client. So how do you do it right when you are faced with seemingly impossible deadlines?
DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE HYSTERIA
In order to do it right from the beginning do not get caught in the hysteria of the moment. You need a clear head to determine how you will get the job done. You look out of control when you run around screaming “I have to meet a deadline” and it can be infuriating for others who are trying to get their own work done.
As my friend felt about his photo, not a pretty picture. Instead, pause and take that spot of time where you would have been running around to plan your approach. Those few minutes can make all the difference.
ASK QUESTIONS
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Make sure that you know and understand what is required. Ask what is the purpose and what you are intended to accomplish. Obtain as much detail as you can. This information will steer you in the right direction and provide answer questions that you don’t have time to ask.
One question you might not think to ask is why is there such a tight deadline? Is this deadline final or is there any wiggle room? Is the deadline for a specific time of day? If it is at the close of one day you might be able to squeeze in some extra time by asking to provide your deliverable in the morning of the next day.
Just remember doing it right from the beginning will save you time in the long run.
by Lisa Wedmann | Jun 12, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Latest
I looked up and high on the shelf in the Dollar Store was a giant eraser with the words “We Make BIG Misteaks”. I thought it was funny and not so funny.
Not so funny when you are the one making those misteaks.
I bet Lululemon doesn’t think making misteaks is funny after their recall of yoga pants in March because you could see through them. The recall amounted to approximately $67 Million in sales, a big chunk of change but small change when last year’s revenue was close to 1.4 Billion.
The supplier said they followed specifications so what happened?
Maybe the Chief Product Officer knows. He was fired immediately.
Then, three months later after the excitement settled down it was announced that the CEO, Christine Day would step down. She gave no explanation for leaving.
Looks like that was a big misteak somewhere. But where: Lululemon or the supplier? The Product Officer or the CEO? We may never know.
We can only hope it doesn’t happen to us.
If don’t want to make big misteaks like Lululemon I have two recommendations to help you ensure product quality control.
Define Guidelines
An important way to ensure quality control is to have specific written guidelines for your product. These standards must be followed at all times. Do not turn a blind eye and make the excuse to let it pass just this one time. If you turn a blind eye to quality you are on a slippery downward slope.
Teach your vendor about your products
Having a good relationship with your vendor will go a long way to getting good results. Help them understand and teach them what is important about your product . Regularly rank your vendors so you can determine which of them needs improvement and work on getting that improvement.
By making these recommendations I am not meaning to act like I know better than Lululemon. I’m not. It’s hard to beat a Billion dollars in revenue. But what I do know is I can protect my business ….and with all pun intended … that’s the bottom line.
by Miriam Hara | Jun 7, 2013 | Business Success, Latest, Social Media
I often have discussions with business colleagues, associates and clients about the merits of having a LinkedIn presence and the value of having a presence on LinkedIn. Quite frankly, adding LinkedIn to your social media marketing and yes, sales arsenal is good business. Many generalize LinkedIn and compare it to Facebook based on numbers. True, compared to Facebook with their 1.11 billion users, LinkedIn seems like a lightweight with a mere 200 million members. Yes, I am being funny. 200 million users is impressive.
The big difference between LinkedIn and Facebook users is that LinkedIn users are business professionals, a totally different and distinctive demographic than the friends and families found on Facebook.Comparing these 2 Social Media properties is like, forgive the feminine analogy, comparing a business suit to a cocktail dress.
By now , I believe that the majority of us have a LinkedIn profile (please say yes!). We talk about our professional-selves and connect with others in our industry. Many people use it to find jobs and employers use it to advertise jobs…and research perspective employees.
According to Forbes, the American business magazine, “LinkedIn is, far and away, the most advantageous social networking tool available to job seekers and business professionals today.” I tend to concur. It is now “a natural” to go on line and research a company via their website, and also search it out on LinkedIn. I don’t need to tell you about the influential and far reaching weight of Facebook. Despite the many differences of Facebook and LinkedIn there are common elements. Just like Facebook, LinkedIn provides yet another opportunity for your business to have a company page. Your company page is an opportunity to talk more about your company and the people who work there. Like Facebook, LinkedIn enables you to add photos and videos as well as case studies of your work…. and best of all engage with the people who follow you. LinkedIn allows you to personify your company, by linking your employees and management profiles to the company page. This assist in building a business reputation and showcasing a culture through personnel that is key in any business evaluation, perspective employees or potential clients. It builds your business community… uniquely yours. If that’s not powerful marketing, I don’t know what is. With an average income of over $100,000 your LinkedIn followers are an excellent resource to drive word of mouth sales.
LinkedIn has a great set of features you will want to take advantage of. You can post status updates, company announcements, product releases or whatever content you wish and link these updates to your Twitter account. You can create a group where you reach out and build your own community, in order to build business reputation. Businesses can also showcase your products and services. And the one feature I think is the most influential is the recommendations you can receive from LinkedIn members. Not only do the recommendations create a positive image the recommendation links to the person’s profile that makes the recommendation and provides instant credibility that can assist any sales process from employment to business to business sales.
Like any good social media tool LinkedIn offers you analytic information. You can view the total company followers, group followers, impressions, new followers in the last 7 days as well as page views, unique visitors, and page clicks over the last 7 days. It shows page views by tab, page visitor demographics, and more. Don’t worry this information can only be viewed by your company page 
administrator.
With all this audience and information, it’s a wonder why more businesses don’t have a company page and if they do, why they don’t “work” it to its fullest potential. LinkedIn is a powerful marketing and sales tool that just makes business sense.
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