Take Your Business Game Up a Notch

Step Your Game Up

No matter what kind of business or industry you are in, there always seems to be the select few guys or gals that really just stand out amongst the crowd. They're more liked among fellow staff and peers, and even superiors, they get better opportunities or promotions, and things just seem "easier" for them...

What is different about them? And what can you do to have this "light" shine on you?

Start with these 3 simple basics that will set you apart from the herd: 

1. Punctuality

• The way you manage your time in your personal life can sometimes spill over into your professional life. More mature or experienced business professionals will generally be more punctual concerning time sensitive events. They will have gained insight about the do's and don'ts of proper ways to carry and present themselves, and even more importantly how to delegate tasks for time sensitive projects. This means having their daily schedule in order and planned precisely so they never have to miss opportunities to excel in business.
• The early worker is very efficient at one thing, and that is taking care of their business. While others rush to get noticed in the competitive workplace, the early worker has peace of mind knowing that he's well ahead of other colleagues by being punctual. This punctual worker is highly focused on his goals at hand. 
• By arriving early, you can review schedules and agendas clearer, brainstorm revisions or edits, and allow creative thinking to enhance your projects. As you develop the habit of arriving early, your daily tasks become automatic and your thoughts just flow into your projects. Maximizing your time is the best habit you can develop in business. This is especially true for young entrepreneurs looking to carve a name for themselves among their business competitors.
• The bottom line: Get to work EARLY. Start by arriving 20 minutes or more early, every day, and watch what happens with your career!

2. Perfect Your Craft

• Every complex task is made up of a series of steps. Pick a step and focus solely on that step. Break a sales call into component pieces; first, focus on perfecting your opening. No customer is the same, so develop modifications you can instantly apply to different scenarios. Deconstruct each step, master that step, and move on to the next one. When you put all the pieces back together your skills will be markedly improved.
• Write down a list of 5 areas that you can improve that will help you increase revenue, complete more tasks, or over-achieve in your field. Then take that list and put it in your planner or calendar so you see it every day. Focus on perfecting one thing at a time. In no time at all, your peers will be asking you for advice and looking at you as a leader in your field.
• Ask for feedback often! Every boss or business owner loves the employee that is always striving to improve. Make it known amongst your workplace that you are out to be the best of the best! Ask for feedback from management on how you are doing, what you are excelling at, and what areas you can improve in.

3. March to a Different Drum

• We all settle on ways to measure our performance; typically we choose a method that lets us feel good about our performance. So, try this: pick a different measurement! If you normally measure accuracy, measure speed instead. If you normally measure leads generated, measure conversions instead. Use video. Ask a colleague to critique your performance. Your customers, your vendors, and your employees all measure your performance differently than you do. View yourself from their perspective and you’ll easily find areas for improvement.

The bottom line is this: Focus on self-improvement, along with small, daily tasks that will elevate your professionalism, and take your game to the next level.