Wendy’s Coach You To Success Blog

When we are praised for work well done, we take credit for it, but when our work is criticized, we often pass the blame. That’s the way of the world and this exists in families, corporate sectors, governments of civilized countries, and even in home businesses that involve the entrepreneur and staff. While everyone likes to take credit, none wants to take the blame when things go wrong.

It takes great courage to admit that we have erred if we really have. It’s easy to blame staff and menial workers, but if conscientiously we examine our role in messing up, we will realize in what way we have erred. And when ultimately we’re done with blame game, we blame God for making something wrong happen. In his book, ‘Believe in God Who Believes in You’, author Robert. H. Schuller talks of human tendency to blame God for road accidents and bridge collapses, when all we should blame is ourselves for driving recklessly, or the builders for using inferior quality building materials.

When a cosmetologist Dona launched her organic cosmetics, even society women thronged at her boutique. She hired and trained staff who were able and competent at their job and who rendered excellent service. Their competency made Dona complacent and she’d often go partying leaving the shop that spanned one single floor in her home at the hand of her able staff. However, when a client’s skin reacted adversely and she threatened to sue Dona, all Dona was to fire the staff responsible. Wasn’t it Dona’s responsibility to supervise every product and prescribe treatment according to a client’s needs?

When a business grows in leaps and bounds, it’s natural to get complacent, especially when you have able staff around. However, when you are on the top, the only way is back to the bottom onto square 1! If you want to remain at the top, you cannot just exist, but be in constant flux to recreate, to innovate and strategize.

Susan loved packaging and packing gifts with beautiful gift wrappers. In the 80’s she started a small boutique where she’d make gift wrappers and personally wrap them. She packed gifts to resemble wine and perfume bottles, pillows, chocolates etc. Her unique gift of wrapping presents brought many clients to her door-step. She soon recruited other gifted women like her to assist her. Nancy a young university student had a brilliant idea-why not paste hand-crafted cards bearing the presenter’s name, instead of using ready made complimentary cards?

Initially Susan was wary of Nancy’s idea, as it would involve additional expenditure, but when Nancy was given a ‘go-ahead’, she was amazed to see Nancy creating cards out of eco-friendly cards, fresh leaves, twigs and all! Susan later held an exhibition selling Nancy’s idea in a separate counter. Although Nancy worked only part time for fun, she decided she’d give this business her full attention. Susan and Nancy soon became business partners!

It is imperative that you don’t leave everything to your staff, however able they may be. You have your name etched in your company’s letter pad and any credit or criticism will reflect on you, not your staff. When your staff renders quality service most likely they will be appreciated for the extra effort, but when they goof up, you will have to bear the brunt.

When your staff is open to your ideas, you should be open to theirs as well. Nelson converted a part of his porch into a space selling plants, seeds, gardening equipments etc. When his business blossomed, he began recruiting staff to arrange flowers, mix compost and prepare manure. One staff Keith however, would be busy chipping away twigs and logs, while others slogged. In a fortnight, he created several name plates made of twigs, and containers out of logs to accommodate plants!

Nelson noticed Keith’s creativity and rewarded him handsomely, simultaneously exhibiting his creative products as well. Nelson had his porch exhibiting pretty wood work like name plates, candle-stand, photo frames, picture frames where dead flowers and leaves were stuck after being preserved and even polished wooden ornaments. From one thing, Nelson proceeded to a related field, making his porch resemble a creative eco-friendly shop!

Appreciate talent and be a guide to those faltering. You will learn a lot by appreciating other’s potential. Everyone makes mistakes. In life, there are no mistakes, only lessons to be learned, but ensure that your mistakes are not costly ones. By being tolerant, you will only retain staff and assure their loyalty. However, ensure mistakes aren’t repeated and be there to personally supervise staff. If you do need to take a break, ensure you have some partner to assist you in your job and impart all the necessary training and knowledge to this staff. Mentor someone who is interested in your job, so that tomorrow your memories will linger in the world! Take responsibility when things go wrong and give credit where it’s due!

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 93%

We are living in exciting times. There are immense opportunities and avenues to make our lives a success. Creativity and innovation are back in fashion. Or were they ever out of fashion, in the first place?

If we do things in the same old way, we will get the same old result. We have to break the mold and chase new dreams. We have to think of new ways to do things and to be creative. Creativity is not restricted. There is a fallacy that creativity is restricted to the arts alone. Or creativity means some great and monumental achievement or change. Business success is as much a result of creative thinking as music or sculpture. After all you are an artist carving out your business ideas. Everyday work environment can be a wonderful place to spawn creativity and innovation. It is an accepted fact that more decisions are taken near the water cooler than in the office cabins. The informal atmosphere plays an important role in such decision making. There is an opportunity to be creative in an open, interactive and informal work environment. This eventually impacts positively on productivity.

There are hundreds of ways of doing things. Some enhance our output whereas some simple act as speed breakers. Business acumen rests in separating chaff from the Bran. I have often observed that in many instances, creativity is associated with expensive and lavish expenditure. In one of the offices, a beautiful office with antique furniture, which cost a bomb, was articulated as creativity. Yes, it may have been creative but how did it contribute to the success of the organization? Business creativity means those endeavors which enhance productivity, profitability and success of the organization. They are not mere eye candy or artistic pursuits. Not art for arts sake.

Creativity need not be a lonely activity which individuals indulge in for pleasure and personal satisfaction. It is a wonderful idea to get all your personnel together for a brainstorming session, from time to time. You would be surprised as to the number of creative solutions people come up with. It is also easier to develop on an original idea and give it shape and identity. Most of the business fails to harness the latent creativity of their workforce. If managed effectively, it can save thousands of pounds for the company and also enhance productivity.

One needs to think differently to survive in the globally competitive environment. A good blend of creativity and innovation are essential to push growth and productivity. Thinking out of the box is no longer a management mantra; it is an essential part of business success.

Collaboration and collective thinking are the new buzzword of an interconnected world. The social networks of the Web 2.0 era have made interactivity and shared vision universally applicable. People from different walks of life, with diverse and varied background can now contribute to collaborative venture. The opportunities thrown up by the internet must be creatively used to propel ones business to higher level of productivity.

There is no place for complacence in the modern world of competitiveness. Either businesses embrace new technology wholeheartedly and use it for enhancing profitability or face extinction due to the fierce competition from adversaries. Continuous improvement in processes, an innovative problem solving approach and creative solutions to old world problems are the only ways ahead for successful companies. For those who are willing to learn, the rewards are an enduring success. For those who don’t, it is an uphill task ahead. The businesses of the future have no other option.

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com.

Popularity: 82%

Creating a shared vision statement and molding a mission statement from it is all very fine, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Just a desire to succeed is simply not enough to propel you to success. You have to work towards your goals in a sustained, regular and focused manner. Running a business is not always a pleasure. There are times when you feel like giving it up and folding your operations. The ups and downs of a busy life do take their toll. We would be in a fools paradise if we think that the path to glory will be strewn with roses sans the thorns. What does one do then to overcome the lows of business life? There is no magic potion which I can recommend for this ailment. But you can mitigate the situation with the two pillars of success, passion and action.

What is passion? The dictionary has many meanings, of which I have selected the most appropriate for the occasion. “An irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action”. Is passion irrational? If so, does it have a place in business? The answer is an emphatic yes. Life itself is not very rational. There are events occurring in our lives which have no reason or rationale. Unfortunately we have no control over these life changing or even life threatening events. What can be said if a person suddenly falls a victim to cancer? Or is involved in a car accident. The randomness of events and rapid changes in our environment can be baffling. If anything the only thing permanent is change itself. It is the same with businesses. There are external factors which impact on businesses. Changes in government laws, a sudden crippling storm like the one which hit New Orleans, shortage of raw material can all became threats to existing businesses.

It is therefore necessary to have passion to counter the irrationalities of life. Passion is beyond reason. It propels one forward despite the odds. It gives super human courage to overcome difficulties. To me it is a unique gift which is a part of every great personality. Anyone who has achieved phenomenal success in his life has been passionate. Sometimes, true success comes from breaking the mold. Since what they do is unique and different, they face criticism from the general public. Under the circumstances it is passion alone which drives them to push ahead against all odds.

The other aspect of business success is action. I have often seen people who are extremely articulate, who can think out of the box and are extremely creative. But when it comes to action, they fall short. Getting on with the job is the most difficult part of any program or plan. Sometimes the question is where to begin? My advice is to begin anywhere, to just do it. Once you are on your way, the momentum will keep you going, at least for some distance. We have to overcome inertia and start the engine of our business. Once started we have to steer, drive and reach our destination. Action is a continuous, routine and everyday process. Success cannot be achieved in fits and starts. I have seen many businesses fail because of inconsistent and casual attitude of the owners. One has to keep at it day in and day out. Consistent and continuous efforts are a must to propel a business towards success. I will even go to the extent to say that the business goal may be modest but if there is persistent action, success will follow. The most important ingredient of any successful venture is a generous dash of action. Now, go ahead and get going.

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 81%

Vision and passion go together. A compelling, clear and lucid vision is a must, to start with but the real engine of success is passion and the will to implement the vision, to bring your dreams to fruition. Many a businesses falter because of a conflict in objectives. Most often, these businesses are built with only one thought and that’s to make money. I don’t say that the objective of making money is perverse or undesirable. It is in fact the prime objective of a business. But money alone cannot be the motivation.

Vision and dream

There is a vast difference between dreaming and having a vision. Vision is a positive energizing and ‘call for action’ activity as against a passive, disjointed, dream. Granted, that the seed of vision is a dream. But what is important is to make this dream, cogent, realizable, practical and executable. The vision should be clear and lucid with all parts sewn in to project a unified thought process.

I have seen many business people flaunting their vision statement, because it is trendy and ‘everybody has it’. There are so many books recommending the ‘Vision statement’ that it almost feels as if your job is complete as soon as you have your personalized vision statement out. Contrary to it, a vision statement is a powerful tool to express your true desires, to expose and celebrate your ambitions. It is the ultimate goal of your business. But what do I really see? Most of the vision statements are made to be forgotten. What are the consequences of this casual attitude? No one really knows what your business is all about. Your vision statement calls for producing quality products, but you are actually in high volume selling. The employees are confused and the customer is unhappy. Why not simply say that you are in a high volume business? It may not be fashionable, but after all it is the truth. By speaking out the truth, you would give clear direction to your staff as well as focus on that segment of business.

Your vision is yours alone, imbued with its own unique personality. It is not trendy, fashionable or glamorous. It is a personalized road map with directions about how to reach that ultimate goal. The right approach is to sit down in earnest and write down all your desires, hopes and yes, dreams. From this mishmash of ideas a clear idea or goal should eventually emerge which would form the core of your ideals and vision. From this seed, you must build a full fledged garden with the fruits and flowers in all their glory. The second step is to share your vision with your colleagues. You would be surprised at the kind of comments and suggestions you receive. This is the stage to accept and modify your vision, infusing it with fresh new ideas. Sharing your vision with others would unify the thoughts of everyone in the organization and make them stakeholders. Being a part of the process automatically drives everyone to achieve that common goal.

The importance of a common, shared vision cannot be overemphasized. All action will flow from this unified vision. The goal would be clear and the role of each player would be well defined. This collective involvement can truly galvanize and electrify an organization and it can be catapulted to an unimaginable level of performance. This is what is called a dream run. The endeavor of a ‘vision statement ‘should be to elevate, enhance and ensure highest level of sustained productivity.
It is possible that your vision statement requires small alterations and modifications, as time goes by.

By all means go ahead and realign your vision. It is not a crime to be flexible and accommodating. Some business persons feel guilty in changing with the times. This is a big mistake. The environment is in a flux all the time and we have to adapt ourselves and our vision to absorb these changes. We should remember that our ultimate goal, whatever it might be, remains the same. Only the direction and emphasis may get altered with time.

• Remember that your vision is yours alone.
• A vision is not a fancy, fashionable concept.
• A shared vision can catapult the productivity of your organization.
• Change with the times. Altering your vision with time is not a crime.

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 37%

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Golden rules of leadership

1. Be a thought leader: Business success is all about leadership. Leadership means having a compelling vision, setting up a goal and working towards its success. If you have no idea where you want to go, then how are you going to reach there? Imagine driving towards your destination without a road map. Most of us start off on our entrepreneurial journey without the big picture in mind. Without vision, we crash at the very first hurdle which we face on our way to success. Think big. Let the sky be your destination. No one can stop you from dreaming in multi color. Your vision and enthusiasm will rub on everyone you come across and the combined energy will transform your vision into reality.

2. Lead by example: It is often seen that the boss is strict when it comes to punctuality but he is himself late for meetings. What kind of impression does it leave on the subordinates? What example will he set? A leader has to lead from the front. There is a misconception that a business owner can act differently from his staff. After all he owns the business. But it is exactly due to this reason that an entrepreneur has to be careful not to contradict himself by talking one thing and doing another. The morale of the team is dramatically affected by double standards of the boss. Their commitment and enthusiasm would be considerably diminished by such behavior.

3. Encourage, enthuse and reward subordinates: There is thinking among some business persons that it is sufficient to give monetary incentive to subordinates to get the best out of them. We tend to forget that we are human beings and our needs and desires go much further than the fulfillment of our basic needs. A pat on the back of an employee and that too in front of his colleagues can enthuse him to much greater heights of performance than just a monetary reward. A few words of praise, a well written note of appreciation for a job well done or a public announcement of their achievements can transform a work place and give outstanding results. Mind you, it would not cost you a cent.

4. Appreciate in public, criticize in private: We all make mistakes. The only person who doesn’t make mistakes is the one who doesn’t do anything. Risk and reward are always a part and parcel of any business activity. At times people have to be criticized and told about their mistakes. This is unavoidable. But this should always be in private. If admonished in public, it will damage their reputation and act as a dampener. Secondly, others would not dare do anything for fear of retribution. Appreciation on the other hand should be doled out in plenty and in public. Who doesn’t like being praised? It will send positive signals to the staff and enthuse them to emulate the behavior of those who are appreciated.

5. Empower and enable: Empowering the subordinates is a sure way to success. As an entrepreneur you only have a pair of hands and legs and one brain. If you can empower your men to work and perform the same way you do, what would be the result? You would have many more pairs of hands and heads working for you. Delegation however is a tough act. It is difficult to let go of the reins. But a true leader has to learn to delegate and empower his subordinates. There is no alternative. But once we gather the courage to delegate authority, we will soon realize the immense potential which will be unleashed in the organization. The resulting increase in productivity can be amazing.

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 37%

We are living in a world of abundance. There are so many opportunities and so less time to rest and taste the fruits of our success. It is a problem of plenty. We don’t know what to choose. The challenges are many, both within and outside the business environment. Smart entrepreneurs have known the art of focusing on their core competence and to be effective, successful and wealthy, as a consequence.

1. Sell what you love: The advice looks simple, yet it needs some thinking. Everything you love can be transformed into a business opportunity. But you have to identify it first. For example, a person who loves music has various options. They can become singers, start a band or play their favorite musical instrument for profit. One can promote sale of albums and organize performances. One can set up a studio for others to record their music. One can become a radio jockey or a disc jockey. Obviously, there are many options but only one can be chosen.

2. Identify the business opportunity: Taking forward the logic of selling what you love, it is essential that you clearly identify the business opportunity. Maybe your neighborhood does not have a good outlet for selling music albums. Setting up a music shop may be an excellent idea. Just because you love music, doesn’t mean you have to do something related to music without considering its financial viability. If say you already have a shop catering to music, there is no point in starting another one. May be a music school?

3. Gather resources and conduct research: If you have finally chosen to start a music shop, the next step is to gather all the resources required to make the venture a success. What are the things you would look for in a music shop? What is the latest trend in music? What sells? What is hot? If you like classical western music does not mean everyone likes it. Research is very important on the tastes and preferences of buyers. You may hate Hip-hop but that may be the latest craze. Look for what your customers will purchase, not you. This is a mistake which we make so often. There is a famous story of a saleswoman who filled her shop with fashionable shoes, because she liked them. When she saw sales dwindling, she looked for answers. She discovered that customers visiting her shop were working women, looking for daily wear shoes, which she had stopped stocking. Just goes to show that our business is meant to cater to our customers, not ourselves.

4. Delegate and then monitor: There is a tendency among many entrepreneurs to look over the shoulders of their employees and give a running commentary on their performance. This is distracting and also annoying to the subordinates. More than that, you are forcing your staff to under perform. People get used to being supervised and are unable to work without it. Meanwhile, the work which requires maximum attention suffers. If your core competence is sales, then employ professionals for manufacturing, accounting and personnel. You should concentrate on increasing the sales, which is your area of strength. There is no point in interfering with manufacturing. At the same time an entrepreneur cannot ignore all other activities. Monitoring the output by defining some critical parameters is a must. The elements you wish to monitor should give you a picture of the entire operation. Empower your staff to be effective and then monitor their performance on a regular basis.

5. Outsource non-core activities: The phenomenon of outsourcing is as old as business itself but has a larger impact in the modern world. There was a time when, an enterprise would mange all its activities and employ full time workers to execute them, from keeping the premises clean, managing the office canteen and also maintain its own fleet of vehicles for the employees. The realization dawned that their core competence was in producing goods and services in which they specialized, not in performing these jobs, however important they may have been. Soon, the cleaning was done away with, the canteen outsourced and the fleet hired. The new enterprise has gone a step ahead. They are outsourcing the accounts, manufacturing, recruitment and all non core activities. The core function of sales and marketing is the focus of the whole organization. This results in savings, as well as improved performance by focusing on their core competence.

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 42%

“I have no time. I have no rest. I can’t seem to keep up with my work”. How many times have you heard this refrain? The problem lies not with the availability of time but how we make use of it. Time is one commodity which cannot be purchased. If it were, it would be the most popular item on sale. Since it isn’t, we have to find ways and means to utilize time more effectively. Here is a list of ten things a business entrepreneur needs to do, to master time.

1. Stop procrastination. Use your will power: many a times we all want to postpone our work. The human mind is such that we always try to justify our behavior. Ultimately the work just piles up and a point is reached when we are no longer able to cope with it. The only way out of this dilemma is to consciously avoid delaying our work. It does take an effort to get going but there is no other option.

2. Make a short term plan: You must have a task oriented approach. When confronted with a huge chunk of work, it is human to avoid working on a problem right away. The magnitude of a task may lead to fears about ones capability to finish it successfully. One has to break down the big tasks into small manageable chunks. How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite. A tusk, a leg ……. and ultimately the tail.

3. Create a long term plan: Long term goals and aspirations is what keeps a person going during the tough times. Just imagining yourself at the proverbial pot of gold at the end of rainbow makes you undergo suffering and pain during the process of getting there. Having long term goals is critical to business success. You will inevitably face problems on the way, there are going to be many hardships, tears and triumphs. Only a vision of the future will keep you moving ahead in spite of hurdles.

4. Change with the times: Keep pace with life. When you are young there is plenty of energy and the youthful fervor takes you ahead. As time passes, you are mellower. Plan for more period of rest.

5. Delegate: Delegation of duties and work is the best way to save time. You can’t do everything. There is no time. Let go and give responsibility to your subordinates. The time you save can be effectively used to make you more productive. If you cannot delegate you cannot be a successful person.

6. Make it a habit: The most successful people are the one’s who have successful habits.

7. Define targets and assign time to each activity: Most often, we hear people moan that they have to accomplish so many tasks and have so less time. If you do not assign a specific time period for completing tasks, chances are that the task would never get completed. For effective time management, it is essential that we evaluate each task for the time it will take to complete and ensure that it gets done by the deadline. The importance of assigning time frames to activities cannot be overemphasized.

8. Habit of getting on with things: There are perfectionists who just cannot accept that a particular work has to be completed in time. They will not give up until they have the ideal solution in hand. They spend an enormous amount of time, tweaking the small nuts and bolts, till they are completely satisfied. A successful entrepreneur should avoid falling into such a trap. We have to understand that every task has a time and value attached to it. We have to get on with things, though we may not have an ideal solution.

9. Motivating yourself: Let us accept that the everyday grind of a businessman’s life can be frustrating. We have to keep ourselves motivated at all times if we are to succeed in business as well as in our lives.

10. Give time off for yourself: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Rejuvenate, refresh and recharge yourself at regular intervals. You will bounce back with renewed vigor when you are back from a break.

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 42%

The one thing that inspires people including children, mitigates fears, soothes frayed nerves and propels people to perform better than their best is nothing other than ‘Motivation’. Although for many, money is the main motivating force, sooner or later, people prefer reputation to money. Extrinsic motivation maybe used for children where parents often bribe them with presents and toys as rewards. Soon, excellent performance becomes a motivating factor, which then is called ‘intrinsic motivation’-a motivation that comes from within.

When you run a home business and manage a handful of staff, motivation is the only thing that binds your staff to you, at least when you’re yet to carve a niche for yourself. Mike had a tough time retaining staff when he started a home tuition for school drop-outs. Many of his staff quit to join bigger schools in search of more money and identity. After training a bunch of employees, he’d be marooned by them soon.

He then decided that academic results were far less important than building the self-esteem of children. He summoned all his employees and over the weekend, spent time vacationing. Here, he talked about his own childhood; his failure to meet his teacher’s and parent’s expectation, etc. He encouraged his staff to speak about their childhood experiences, why they chose teaching as their profession and allowed them to come up with better ideas to deal with tough students. His staff returned home light-hearted and with hope that they could make a huge difference in the lives of children who needed it the most.

Every week, Mike held a meeting discussing not about the fee structure or performances of students, but what problems a child was encountering and what the teacher did to mitigate the problem. He noted the special efforts taken by each tutor and announced that publicly. This motivated the other staff and soon, the staff became a second family to the students. He hired the best of teachers, trained them to not only monitor studies but also be a mentor and guide to each student. Naturally, the grades of students showed marked improvement, and their personality’s exuded confidence!

Mike then developed a unique system where, his staff was appraised by students and a paragraph was written by each student about each teacher. Thus, he was able to guess which teacher made an effort to go that extra mile. He publicly announced the name of that teacher and also rewarded the staff. He made it a learning ground for students, as well as teachers, where apart from academics, life’s lessons and values were freely imparted.

While initially rewarding staff financially may not be viable, simple encouragement, seeking the advice of even the person on the lowest cadre, asking about the staff’s family and working out common problems together, taking a day off to enjoy a drink, vacationing with family of staff all these are motivating factors. We take up a job or a task by asking ourselves, “What’s in it for me?” Building trust and camaraderie helps in assuring staff that soon they’d be paid enough. Transparency in the accounting system also ensures that none feels cheated.

Once your staff feels appreciated and a sense of belongingness is created, they’ll adhere to your company even in the face of temptations. Ultimately, the aim of any business is not just making profits, but creating goodwill-goodwill not only amongst customers, but also amongst staff. For any business to run smoothly, we certainly need help from those around us.

If you are in a business that pitches sales, definitely, commission is one way of rewarding your salesmen. Another way is by being their mentor. When you head a team of people, it will be wise for you to stop assuming that you are the ultimate boss. Be a leader, lead by example. Share your thoughts on what made you do what you’re currently doing and how others are contributing to the team’s success.

And never forget that ‘you’ have employed staff only because ‘you’ needed people to manage your show, thus it will be wise to share your profits decently. True, you are the investor and must’ve invested the capital, and certainly need to stash away a sizable portion of profits, but never be stingy. Some companies award their best staff with certificates as the best manager etc. However, just a wall hanging will not appease someone’s hunger.

Brenda is an enterprising woman, who runs her own beauty parlor from home and is known for her efficiency and dedication. Apart from selling quality products and treatments, she discerned what attracts customers and what puts them off. She trained her staff consisting of women and one feature she ensured was that none of her staff would go about work with the blues, none would talk unnecessarily and all would use mouth fresheners while treating clients. She was sensitive to the client’s need for peace during a full body massage and how annoying a bad breath could be when clients come in contact with such masseurs.

Clients were given an array of treatments by an array of beauticians, who were appraised according to their services. Whenever she sported a member of staff who treated customers well with promptness, she’d allow them to be pampered with complementary treatments!

Wendy Stevens, Nashville, TN, as a single mom vaulted to the top of the Direct Sales Industry in 8 months. Wendy is a former 3-time Division I All American Lacrosse Player, NCAA Division I National Champion and Division 1 NCAA Head Coach. Wendy is one of the top 1% earners in the entire direct sales industry. As Marketer, Trainer and Speaker, Wendy is in demand nationally. She earned 7 figures in networking marketing. For information on Wendy, visit www.coachyoutosuccess.com

Popularity: 39%