Never Sanction Incompetence

As a leader, you must hold your people accountable for competent work. That is basic to everything you do as a leader, manager, or supervisor. Your number one job as a manager is to help your people succeed. If your people are failing, then you are responsible to do something about it! If you allow incompetence in your ranks, everyone loses. If you are faced with incompetence in your ranks, you must take action!

The Letter π (pi)

When ever you are conducting research and development in any capacity remember that everything takes more time and costs more than you expected. Even with your best educated guess you simply don't know what you don't know. Experienced project leaders and venture capitalists agree on the rule of thumb to multiply time estimates with π (pi~3,142) and divide projected profit with the same constant. If your business case can withstand the π-test your business is likely to be sustainable and robust.

Serving Customers Profitably

When you are preparing offers for your customers think about these strategic options: It is your unique way to provide value that makes customers buy and it is what you choose not to provide that makes you profit. You can not be all things, to all people, all the time. The way to having happy customers is to think about what new elements you need to integrate into your offers and what to do more of. The way to a profitable business is to figure out what you should do less of or stop providing altogether.

Confront Your Challenges

Most people have a natural tendency to shy away from conflicts and problems. We simply don't like the stress and the tension. The quickest way to grow as a professional and a person is to confront your challenges and don't run away from them. It is said that successful people do what less successful people don't like to do. Successful people confront their challenges and solve their problems. Behind the obstacles you too find your success.

Hang Out With The Right Crowd

Our level of accomplishment has a lot to do with the peer group we tend to associate with. You become similar to the people you spend most of your time with. During our life we hang with different crowds. We start a new job, and suddenly we hang out with a different crowd. How successful are the other people you associate with? Are they as ambitious, focused and energetic like you? If not it may be time for you to find new associates.

Learn Something New

I find it fascinating that so many motivational speakers, business coaches and sales trainers focus such an emphasis on continuous learning. It is probably because they associate learning with success and I think they are right. There is no steady state. We are either growing or decline is setting in. Stay inquisitive, curious and open minded. How much time are you spending each day learning something new? Fifteen minutes is better than naught.

Ignorance Or Uncertainty?

As things around us change quickly and fundamental value drives sometimes change as a result, it is much harder to predict future business scenarios these days. When ever you don't know, ask yourself if you are unsure because of ignorance or uncertainty. You cannot control uncertainty but ignorance you can do something about. Read, listen to audio, go to class, ask the experts. Do what you can to make sure your knowledge stays current.