Jim Mathis' Weblog, www.jimmathis.com
How long did the Coca-Cola Company wait to return Coke Classic while the world seemed to demand they bring it back? How many years did Microsoft hang on to Vista when they knew no one liked the operating system? What are you hanging on to that is holding you back or is unproductive?
They say if you let something you love go, it will return to you.
Let’s hope not.
In his new book “Reinvention 101,” Jim Mathis gives brief statements on how to reinvent yourself, career, your business and your life with a paragraph for each. It is an easy read and quick thoughts on how to turn your life around. A practical guide in almost a devotional format for anyone, anywhere to reassess, repurpose and reinvent themselves in a down economy (or anytime). Coming before Thanksgiving!
Stop making excuses for your poor production. There is typically a
recession every 5 to 7 years. If you don’t know that, you are to blame for why you weren’t prepared for this one. Maybe people don’t buy your product or services because you are a terrible sales person. Maybe you can’t make ends meet because your employees are costing you more than they are bringing in to your business. You know this and you aren’t doing anything about it. It’s not the economy’s fault; it’s yours.
http://www.jimmathis.com/media/JimMathisFinal2.wmv
Learn to market what your product does for your customers rather than what it is. No one buys a Coca-Cola; they buy the refreshing feeling they get when they drink a cold one on a hot summer’s day. People buy Oreo cookies for the experience of eating them (twist off the top, lick the inside first). No one buys a “theme park”; they buy a fun-filled day of excitement with family or friends.
What does your product DO for people?
Everyone equates change with loss. We think first about what we are going to lose. People are more prone to accept change when you sell the benefits to them. It helps them focus on “gain” rather than “loss.”
Think about basic changes you have been forced to make. If you didn’t initiate the changes you thought about first what you would miss? Your people will begin to focus on gains as well.
Everyone sitting in the room is your competitor. You want to get ahead in your industry: look outside of the norm; outside of past experience; outside of the industry to get ahead. Your best way to get ahead is get out and away from everyone else. History has shown they will follow your lead.
See Jim’s fourth interview on the Indisputable Truths for Business in 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsu8mAVVYso
The economy isn’t down; it’s different!
Do you want to build community and profits simultaneously? Then start rewarding achievement in every way possible. I have attended many achievement awards presentations and you can’t beat the smiles and group support you see as each individual strides to the platform to receive the public (yes, public) recognition. What gets rewarded gets done. It’s as simple as that. These are not contests, pitting team member against team member; they are performance achievement awards for a job done well. Awards are not given, they are earned. Hard work is rewarded on the stage, photos are on the big screen in front of everyone, plaques and certificates are presented. Jeffrey Gitomer says, “Make sure it’s on your blog, in your e-zine and posted on your website.” Reward in public, reprimand in private.
Achievement awards and incentives are stimulus packages at their best. In challenging economic times your sales and service will carry the company. Bailouts don’t stimulate anyone. When someone wins an award there is pride of accomplishment and the incentive to do the same if not better next time. Superstars love the awards and recognition, which only makes them better. People in the audience are inspired to win an award the next year. And by the way, have as many awards as your achievers earn. Don’t limit them to one per year.
General Motors received a hefty bailout from the United States Government, but Ford held out to succeed on their own. In 2009, it was Ford and Toyota who excelled in sales. How many of the GM bailout billions were teaching their dealers and sales people to excel in their endeavors? None. Bail someone out and they will learn that they don’t have to work to get rewarded and that you will do it again. Challenge them to excel and reward excellence and they will learn to do it better each time. You disrespect your people and your sales will lag far behind the competition and your goals. Respect your people and they will respect your company. Reward your people and they will reward you with sales and excellent service. By the way, Toyota learned how to build cars successfully by studying…the United States in the 1930s. Wonder what we changed?
Management would do well to invest in the people who do the work. “Are you giving your lowest-level employees the power to make crucial customer-relations decisions without supervision? If not, you’re making a huge mistake,” Mike Figliuolo, founder of Thought leaders, LLC writes. “When leaders trust their workers to do the right thing, employees are more likely to go the extra mile for a customer, because they’re not worried about upsetting their boss,” he notes. Here’s another thought: rather than reduce compensation plans and kill morale, you should boost performance and productivity through rewarding achievement. I’ve heard it said many times that you can’t “cut” your way to success or survival. I spoke to countless leaders in the winter of 2009 who decided to cut back on sales training and recognition to tighten their belts in the recession. Each was outperformed by their competitors.
How can you win the top achievement award? Have a positive attitude with every prospect or customer you come in contact with. Meet the challenge of each day with a “can-do” spirit. Do what you can to serve others well. Treat everyone like they are the most important person in the world and it will reward your efforts and your business. You should endeavor to work harder and smarter than you did on the last contact. Don’t compete with others. It will lead feelings of superiority or inadequacy. Compete with yourself. Decide to be the best YOU that you can be and go a little farther with each contact with the public.
Read more about Community at Work.
“A person who doesn’t care who gets the credit has obviously never gotten much credit.” -Jim Mathis
Sad But True
My daughter brought home a failing grade from a Chemistry project last week. When I asked her why she got an F, she said, “My lab partner won’t do any work and I was graded on her performance, too.” She isn’t responsible for her partner so she suffers the consequences of a bad match-up. This is a great lesson for life. The school system is actually teaching her that teamwork doesn’t always work. Teams are made up of individuals who are graded by the performance of everyone on the team. Although they are compensated individually, they are judged by their team production. Why would someone who does outstanding work want to work with a bunch of people who don’t care?
There was a television advertisement out several years ago featuring a superstar professional football receiver. He was surrounded by the press and one said the old sick saying, “There’s no I in TEAM.” His answer was, “There’s no WE either.” Teamwork doesn’t always work because there is usually someone on the team who won’t work. The hard workers (the superstars) resent the lack of productivity and the pay disparity they get for working with the “sludges” who won’t work.
But I say that there is an I in every team.
