James Metcalfe
The world of work is a brutal and unforgiving one. The most successful individuals in this world are the ones who know and embrace the fact that there’s always something to learn. Knowledge is the most valuable tool any of us have, and these lessons from the world of business, all contributed by leading business experts, will help you go a long way in securing a far more successful venture than just blind hope.
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#1 Value Your Relationships
In the hustle and bustle of work, it's easy to ignore how valuable people are. Things don't happen on their own; people get things done. And when the work is done, people are who you really have left. So always build meaningful relationships with your colleagues. You may not become friends but at least don’t be enemies.
Contributor: Winston C Ikekeonwu from alignacademy.com
#2 Learn To Say ‘No’
Learn to say ‘no’ without regrets. Saying ‘yes’ seems like a good idea, but it will draw away from your focus. Don’t be afraid of missing out. If you miss one boat (or two or three), a new boat is leaving the docks soon that could bring you closer to your destination.
Contributor: Jeremy Pope, owner and CEO from theclosingengine.com
#3 Learn To Do What You Love
Learn to do the things well that you love and are good at. It is so tempting to learn how to do something that you don't know how to do, or don't like doing. But, resist the temptation!
This really helped me decide which things are critical to my business, and I need to spend time on because I love doing them and am good at doing them. Additionally, I was able to identify things that I should outsource to a professional, and possibly even pay a premium for someone to just handle it.
Contributor: Scott Fish from 32digital.com
#4 Play It Cool
This particularly applies in sales situations. Business is war. Warriors smell fear. Conveying a strong sense of confidence and not letting your prospect/opponent know that their decision materially impacts you will land you more deals, promotions, team support etc. I convinced a Fortune 500 CEO to invest in my prior company. I was terrified but played it cool. It's extremely important, particularly for a man.
Contributor: Nicholas Fiorentino, CEO from crediready.com
#5 Globalisation
Average is a failing formula. With globalization and more power being in the hands of consumers a business can no longer just be average to be successful. In whatever business you start you must operate with integrity, do what you’ll say you’ll do and provide a genuine customer experience.
Contributor: Mills Menser from diamond-banc.com
#6 Embrace Technology
It is important to embrace technology. Every company today is now a tech company, you can’t be successful without being knowledgeable and embracing what’s going on online. Even if you are a beekeeper who sells honey in Vermont, you could be missing out on potential sales if you aren’t looking into online avenues like Etsy or social media. To be successful in business it requires more energy, dedication, and persistence than you could initially imagine.
Contributor: Mills Menser from diamond-banc.com
#7 Hone The Presentation Skills
The more powerful you become, the more captivating you probably think you are. I mean, people have to listen to you, right? But just because they have to, doesn't mean that they're engaged.
A quick tip to give engaging presentations is to know the main objective you want your audience to walk away with, and keep relating everything back to that. This way, at the very least, they'll be able to reiterate what your talk was about. Another tip is to pause during your talk and ask the audience questions. Give them something to think about.
Contributor: Maryna Shkvorets from marynashkvorets.com
#8 Assumptions And Adding Up
When things do not add up, something is missing. Too often, business people try to guess what is missing instead of asking. Hunches need to be verified. Assumptions need to be confirmed. Numbers have to make sense. Even if you are not in doubt, ask, clarify, and confirm.
Contributor: Nancy Cramer from NancyCramer.com
#9 Emotional Flexibility
How you see the world determines how you respond. Many people have what I call 'emotional arthritis'. They respond with anger, jealousy, and resentment first. They get involved in conversations that they should not be having in the situation. This is not a successful strategy for business success. Having emotional flexibility and negotiating prowess requires seeing other's point of view and leading conversations in the right direction. If negotiations are not going well, see things from their perspective.
Contributor: Nancy Cramer from NancyCramer.com
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The advice is wonderful, perceptive and powerful. If applied faithfully could save many businesses. Prof. Clara Ikekeonwu.