The Organised Times Vol 9.5 - March 2005

In this issue:

• 10 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Business Owners and Managers
• Readers’ Questions Answered… What is the most effective way to delegate work to my staff?
• Our Clients Say
• Product of the Month – Buy one get one FREE
• Upcoming Events, March
  - How to Have Less Mess, Less Stress and More Success
• Book Lorraine for 2005
• Free Articles For Your Publications
• What We Do

10 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Business Owners and Managers

Do you spend every waking minute at work? Do you find it difficult to take time out for you? Are you constantly working in a mess?

The Small Business Owner

These people tend to be involved in every aspect of their business from being the bookkeeper, marketer, human resources manager, mediator, customer liaison officer and cleaner.

The smaller the business the harder it is for the owner to delegate these functions because they dislike spending any money and, in fairness, the dollars can be much tighter. However, many fail to realize that if they invest their dollars wisely in accessing the right type of goods and services to grow their business and be more effective, they will see positive changes occur over time. They can become more productive and profitable. It takes time to build a good "business mindset" and to be an effective leader.

The Manager

Many of the managers I have coached suffer from similar challenges as the small business owner. The key difference of course is that the business owner is responsible for his business and cannot escape that responsibility. If the business is profitable or non-profitable it will impact on that person personally, particularly financially.

10 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Business Owners
Check out if you regularly practice these habits:

1. Don’t practice what you preach
   Tell other people what to do and don’t do it yourself. Set a poor example.
   
2. Do not invest any time and money into developing yourself and your people.
   Forget ongoing personal and professional development. The less you and they know the more time, money and energy you will waste. A surefire way to have an unmotivated and unproductive team…not to mention the loss of opportunities.
   
3. Avoid planning at all costs
   Continue to be reactive and do things on the spur of the moment. Don’t write a list of things to do each day and definitely do not use a diary to plan out what you will do. This will ensure you have no time and no life.
   
4. Eat whatever you want to and don’t exercise
   Being unfit and overweight will ensure you’ll feel tired and look awful. You’ll also be susceptible to sickness. A great way to ensure you won’t be able to cope with the pressures of your personal and professional life.
   
5. Spend most of your waking hours at work
   Start work early and stay late. This will sap you of energy and creativity. A surefire way to have unsatisfactory personal relationships. Next time you’re in a social situation outside of work you won’t have anything else to talk about except work, work, work. In fact people will avoid you because you’re boring!
   
6. Avoid looking after your clients/customers
   Ignore them unless they contact you. The fact that without them you wouldn’t be in business won’t matter. Do your utmost to not deliver on your promises, avoid following them up or returning their calls. After all you’re a multi-millionaire and it wouldn’t matter to you if there was no one to purchase your goods and services…you can retire whenever you like.
   
7. Procrastinate at all costs
   Avoid making decisions and taking action. This will frustrate your people and they’ll keep their ideas to help you and the business to themselves because they know you won’t take any action. A boss who procrastinates, affects everyone else around himn/her.
   
8. Be a Know-All
   Avoid asking your people for their feedback. Keep them out of the loop. Regular team meetings? The unsuccessful business owner or manager doesn’t see the need to talk with his/her team… it means they take time off and waste valuable company time. No need to listen to what they have to say…what would they know? If meetings are called it’s only when there’s (another) crisis.
   Never ask your clients/customers what they think about your products/services and the customer service (or is that disservice?) …you may be pleasantly surprised or horrified to find out the real truth. Better not to know then you don’t have to change.
   
9. Say ‘yes’ all day
   Let everyone interrupt you all day long. Keep your office door open so people can wander in and talk to you. You can guarantee that you won’t get much work done.  But that doesn’t matter, does it?
   
   You’ve been doing it for so long now, why do anything differently? You want to be liked by everyone, regardless of the cost to you personally. As long as everyone else gets their work done, who cares if you work late to catch up?
   
10. Avoid Delegation at all costs
    After all, no one is as good as you. Delegating or outsourcing means spending money if you run your own business. It’s better that you waste your time on secretarial tasks and doing the bookkeeping, because what else are you going to do with your time?

The Final Word

If you are a business owner or manager and you can truthfully say that the 10 habits mentioned don’t apply to you because you do the exact opposite …then congratulations, your business/department must be thriving. Keep up the great work…you deserve to succeed.

On the other hand, if you already have these habits firmly in place, then you are guaranteed not to succeed. You will leave work most days feeling stressed and unfulfilled. Is that what you really want? If so, then continue doing the same as you’ve always done. If not, then you must do something different. What are you prepared to do?

If you know where to go or what to do to make the changes, then go ahead and do it. If you’re unsure then call me but you better be serious about moving forward. I’m into making the most of my time and yours.

The choice is yours…continue doing the same things or change. As mentioned many times before, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result”.

Have a great week

Lorraine Pirihi

Readers' Comments.....
Your Questions Answered

Special Product Offer

Invest in “How to Survive and Thrive at Work” ( $59) our twelve week on-line program and receive “Get Organised-Get a LIFE!” e-book valued at $29 for FREE!

Offer ends 15th March.

How To Survive and Thrive at Work on-line program

Surviving at work can be hard enough but wouldn't it be great if you can thrive at work? This twelve week program is full of thought provoking & easy to implement ideas which will dramatically impact on your work life.

Includes:

• How to Create More Time at Work and in Your Life
• How to Have Productive Meetings
• How to Increase Workplace Performance
• How to Gain More Business Without Doing More Work
• Facts You Should Know About Delegating and Outsourcing
• How to Work Effectively With Your Personal Assistant
• How to Have a Successful Life! and much more!

Only $59

Make 2005 your most productive, successful, profit-producing year ever. If you’re a business owner, manager or office professional you’ll learn the tips, tools and tactics which will transform you into a powerhouse of productivity in your work and your life. Workshop 16th March 2005 9-1pm. The Buckingham Internatinal, Highett, Melbourne.

Book Lorraine for 2005

Book Lorraine Pirihi, Australia's Top Productivity Coach to ensure your next event is an outstanding success. Call today on (03) 9532 5497 or email your enquiry to lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

Topics include:

• Kickstart 2005 … How to Achieve Your Goals and Stay on Track
• How to Have Less Mess, Less Stress and More Success
• How to Successfully Grow Your Business…And Have A Life Too!

Lorraine has many articles available for reprint in your publication, company newsletter or ezine, etc. These articles may be reproduced providing they are published in their entirety, including the author's bio and all links.
See : http://www.office-organiser.com.au/freearticles.html

• Do you want to work less and have more time for you?
• Do you want your people to be more effective and more productive?
• Do you seriously want to achieve your goals this year?

We show businesspeople how to have less mess, less stress and more success in their personal and business lives!

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach. She specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life.

We specialise in:

• Business and life coaching for small business owners and professionals
• Powerpacked presentations
• Books, CD's, DVD's and on-line learning programs

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss your specific needs on (03) 9532 5497 or email lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

READ OTHER NEWSLETTERS

The Office Organiser, PO Box 2062, Hampton East, Victoria 3188, Australia
Phone: (613) 9532 5497, Fax: (613) 9532 3398
lorraine@office-organiser.com.au    www.office-organiser.com.au

This email is authorised by Lorraine Pirihi of The Office Organiser (613) 9532 5497.
We take SPAM seriously and our list has a functional opt-in and unsubscribe facility.
If you received this by email, you can subscribe or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2005 The Office Organiser | Maintained by ACS Web Services