4 Leadership Questions

Be a leader, not a business owner!

Leadership I believe is one of the critical links to business success, yet often as small business owners we can struggle to see ourselves as a leader. We see ourselves as a business owner, as a doer in our business, as a motivator of staff (if we have any). It is something that needs to be focused on. Leadership is about developing a vision, about developing your personal vision of success for you both professionally and personally.

I want to share with you four questions that I have used frequently over the past 10 years with my clients. These are very simple questions that I heard from a keynote speaker at a conference I attended years ago. These questions will help you to build your personal framework around being a leader.

1. How do you see yourself as a leader?

Ask yourself: What is your leadership point of view?
How would you describe your leadership style?
What matters to you in terms of your leadership?
Do you see yourself as a leader?

2. How do others see you?

Ask yourself: Do you know?
Do you care?
Are you right? (i.e. is your information accurate?)
How do you assess this every day of the week?

Note: Some of the best leaders are extremely conscious of how people see them. They ask for feedback frequently and evaluate it. They think about it daily and ask themselves:
“Is what I mean being perceived the way I intended”? “ If not, how do I need to change my message?”

3. How do you want to be seen?

This involves needs and values. If we don’t know the needs and values we are driven by, they can wreak havoc in our environment. The best leaders are in pursuit of respect first and popularity second.

4. How must and should you be seen to be effective?

If you don’t know this, then working with a mentor can help you look at the gaps and help you to see what you need to do tomorrow to be seen as more effective.

(c) DebPilgrim.com 2009

Are you ready to let go?

When working with entrepreneurs’ one area that many seem to get stuck on is the area of delegation. It can be the hardest job an entrepreneur learns, in fact some never do. They insist on handling the work themselves, running themselves ragged in the meantime. Others think they are delegating but in fact are only paying lip service to the word! So to help you let go, here are some steps you can put into place that will allow you to be more effective at delegating.

1. Decide what needs to be delegated.
Whether you can delegate it to a staff member or outsource it - ask yourself:
~What am I doing that does not need to be done at all?
~What am I doing that could be done by somebody else?
~What am I doing that only I can do?

2. Select the individual

How far you can delegate projects will depend on the skill, experience and reliability of your staff or vendor. When you decide on the right person – think about your reasons for delegating to this person? Do they have the right capabilities for performing this task? What are you both going to get out of this?

3. Delegate the complete project

It is much more rewarding to work on a single project than on many fragments of the project. It you delegate a complete project to a capable staff member; you are also more likely to receive a smarter, tightly integrated result.

4. Explain the reasons for the project

When you delegate a task, you must explain why this task or responsibility is being delegated. Why you are delegating it to this person? How does it fit into the overall picture of what you are trying to achieve.

5. What results are expected?

Ensure you communicate effectively:
Ø the results that must be achieved
Ø the importance of the task
Ø the constraints within which it needs to be carried out
Ø the deadlines for completion (as well as any consequences of not meeting the deadline)
Ø reporting dates, when and how you want information on the progress of the project

6. Then let go!

Once you have decided to delegate a task, let them get on with it. Follow up and review on the agreed reporting dates, but don’t constantly look over their shoulders. Recognise that they, may have a different (and or better) way of doing this task than you do. Remember to accept mistakes that can be fixed and ask what can be learned from this.

7. Support and coach when requested

It is important to provide support when they are having difficulties, but do not do the job for them. If you do, they will not develop the confidence and capabilities to do the task themselves.

8. Accept only finished work

You have delegated a task to reduce your workload. If you accept only partially completed work back, then you will have to invest time in completing the task yourself and they will not receive the experience they need in completing projects.

9. Feedback on results

It is important that you let the person know how they are doing, and whether they have achieved the desired results. If not, you need to review with them what did not go to plan, how could it have been completed differently to achieve the results and deal with any problems that arise. You need to absorb the consequences of failure and pass on the credit for success.

10. Give credit when a project has been successfully completed!

Finally, when working with clients, one thing that I will always mention is that the more work you do up front with an individual, the less you need do at the end.

(c) DebPilgrim.com 2009

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? I would be honoured if you did, just be sure to use it in full and include the following information: Deb Pilgrim, the Entrepreneurs Business Mentor, works with entrepreneurs to explode their business, increase profits and in the process allowing them more freedom. Sign up for her FREE weekly newsletter at www.debpilgrim.com For more information about Deb and her programs, email her at deb@debpilgrim.com or phone her on 0419 246 850

How to Identify your Target and Increase your Profits

Defining your target market is one of the most important steps you can do to build your marketing plan and increase your bottom line. So when asked, who is your target market – please – don’t say everyone!

I made this mistake when I first started out many, many years ago. I was so excited about my products and services that I believed everyone would want to work with me. Now who wouldn’t! The problem was that my message wasn’t clear. I was attracting clients who were either not a good match or they couldn’t afford to pay for the service. So I took a step back, worked with my mentor at the time and identified my ideal clients and from this developed a strong marketing message. I still use the same process I've described below every time I feel that something is changing or shifting in my business. So here are the steps I take to become clear.

1. Make a list of all of your clients and note down some things about them. What they do, how much they spend with you, what you like about them. Are they all from a certain industry or profession? Are you passionate about their issues or challenges?

2. From this list, look for what pattern is occurring and who is sitting in say the top 20% – is it professional woman who run their own small businesses; male engineers; contracts with government agencies; new mums; start ups etc.

3. Focus your efforts on this top 20%. Research this group and find out more about what they need, what issues they are facing, where do they hang out, are they willing to spend money on services and products?

4. Now armed with this information – how can you reach them? What can you do to be visible to this market? Once you research your market, develop your message and are clear on what you do to solve their challenges. You can begin to write articles, speak at their industry conferences etc, and become the go-to person for these people.

Your challenge is to spend your time focusing and working with this top 20%, let go of the other 80% and watch what happens to your bottom line and to your own passion and excitement. You will find that your message is clearer and your clients understand better about what you do and how you can support them.

Let me know what happens.

(c) DebPilgrim.com 2009
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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? I would be honoured if you did, just be sure to use it in full and include the following information:
Deb Pilgrim, works with entrepreneurs to explode their business, increase profits and in the process allowing them more freedom. Sign up for her FREE weekly newsletter at www.debpilgrim.com

For more information about Deb and her programs, email her at deb@debpilgrim.com or phone her on 0419 246 850.

It is starting to take shape

This has been a very big and exciting week for me. Changing the focus and structure of what I do and how I do it is finally coming together. I was able to release the first of the Biz Booster Newsletters as well as adding more content to the website. Sooo, the website is not perfect yet but it is getting there and hopefully within the next few weeks it will be completed.

I've had some lovely feedback around the two memberships that are available and everyone seems to like the structure of both. For the Silver Membership - I am really excited about how it is all coming together and have some great teleseminars planned that will be both practical as well as informative.

The Gold Membership is really for those of you who want to Step Up and drive your business forward. I've started the 1/2 day 1 on 1 initial workshops with my Gold Members and feedback so far is around how powerful they are finding this time together. Not only are they getting clearer on their businesses, they are also beginning to set really strong goals that are going to launch them into 2010.

If you haven't already signed up for my newsletter, you can subscribe at www.debpilgrim.com

As the weekend is now here, my focus is moving towards how the girls and I will spoil "Daddy"on Sunday, which is Fathers Day here in Australia.

Enjoy YOUR weekend.

3 Steps to Explode your Business Forward

Well, I am going to get straight into the topic of this article today, there is no beating around the bush. These are the 3 things you need to STOP doing if you want to move your business to the next level.

1. STOP doing everything yourself and being a lone ranger.
2. STOP doing the things that don’t generate you an income.
3. STOP thinking that because you are brilliant at what you do, your business will be

successful.

Now that I’ve told you what you need to STOP doing, why don’t we have a look at what you need to START doing.

1. Surround yourself with successful, positive, honest, can-do individuals.

As Mark Twain said.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that. The really great make you feel that you too can become great.”

Now let’s be honest here, this is NOT a new concept and every successful person I have spoken with or read about always speaks about their mentors/teachers. Even I use a mentor and have done throughout my life. These are the people who support you, are honest with you and can help skyrocket your business FASTER than before.

Ways to do this could include identifying those within your industry that you admire, are successful and express values that are important to you. Contact them and ask them if they provide mentoring to others. Over the years, I have found that many successful individuals are happy to mentor you, as long as you are committed and respect their time.

The other way is to join a mastermind group. This is one of the reasons I have launched my own Gold Membership program. I am able to bring a group of 15 serious entrepreneurs who meet on a regular basis with the sole focus of propelling themselves and their business to the next level. They are supported not only by me, but by the other members of the group.

2. Identify the profit making areas of your business and focus on these.

Often we spend more time working in our business rather than on it. With this step, it is time for you to step back and look at your business as a whole. This is most important when you find yourself stuck at a certain level of revenue and things don’t seem to being moving forward. Be honest with yourself, have you become the speed bump in your business? When this happens it is time to start thinking, “Am I the person that really needs to XYZ?” [xyz being the many things you spend your time on each day that aren’t profit making].

For example, working recently with a my members of my Gold Membership, we spent the day together going through her business; pulling it apart and re-grouping all of her wonderful ideas and products. As we were putting together her new plan, she suddenly felt overwhelmed by all the exciting projects. It wasn’t until I asked, “Who in your team can you delegate some of the non-profit making activities too?” that she got her ‘ahh’ moment and realised that by stepping aside and delegating these activities, she could focus on her passion and really move her business to the next level.

3. Remember, You are in the business of MARKETING!

Controversial I know, but if there is one thing that will make a difference to your bottom line it is when you realise that your business is that of MARKETING! I have worked with some amazingly talented, educated, brilliant people over the years, who have fabulous reputations and only mediocre businesses. I have worked with and watch other individuals who are good in everything they do and their businesses keep growing. What stands out is those in the second group GET that they are in the business of marketing, they know that by focusing on their message and marketing to their target audience, they will close their sales. However, the first group often get stuck with working in their businesses and not getting the importance of MARKETING until it is too late.

So what are you in?

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? I would be honoured if you did, just be sure to use it in full and include the following information: Deb Pilgrim, works with entrepreneurs who are ready to step up and grow their business, increase profits and in the process allowing themselves more freedom. Sign up for her FREE weekly newsletter at www.debpilgrim.com

Top Ten - Your Time is Valuable

1. Shift from Not Valuing to Valuing your Time.
This is an important change to make and when it happens you will never waste another minute! In a dollar sense - this means you are comfortable charging for your lifetime of knowledge and experience - don't allow clients to take this for granted. You have invested a lot of time and energy. In life, we only get one chance with our time - we cannot go back and use the last 10 seconds!
2. Get the most out of your day.

Every now and then ask yourself: Am I making the best use of my time? If not, stop what you are doing and begin working on a project that will allow you better use of your time. If you are 'bogged down' with a specific situation, get up and go for a walk and then come back and tackle it.

3. Work with goals in mind.

It’s amazing how differently we work when you have goals to work towards. If you don't know what your goals are, spend sometime working out what they may be. Use them as a road map! Examples may be professional (project deadline, sales quotas,career advancement, etc) and personal (health, fitness, family relationship, financial, etc).

4. Handle every piece of paper or e-mail only once.

With paper use the '3 D' rule of Do it, Dump it or Delegate it. Never handle a piece of paper twice. Don't even think of placing it in your 'to get to' pile - Handle it NOW! As for e-mails the same rule can apply so you either action it, delete it or forward it to some one else. If you print a copy then use the '3 D' rule.

5. Ask some one who is efficient - What their secret is?

Ask the most efficient person you know what their secret is and how did they develop these habits. Then see if it will work for you.

6. Don't allow anyone to take your time from you.

Set up boundaries around your time. If you are stopped in the hall for a conversation, ask for this person to arrange a meeting with you (if appropriate); don't allow co-workers to infringe on your home time; if someone is late for an appointment and haven't contacted you - give them 15 minutes past the appointed time and then move on. It is up to you as to how you allow other people to use your time!

7. Build family and personal time into your day.

We all need to have the support of our family or friends - so make sure you build them into your daily habits. You don't want to finish your career and realise that youmissed out on the closeness and development of your family.

8. Your health is important - isn't it!

Maintain your health and fitness because this is what will help you through in the long run. There are three things that I feel are valuable to us all- they are time [which we are talking about]; knowledge and energy. Take care of your energy and its levels. At the end of the day being overworked and stressed is only going to hamper your health. So take extra care of this - go for a walk, have a massage, spend time with your family, stop and smell the roses or book in for your yearly medical check up.

9. Dry clean the clutter from your office and home.

Take some time to remove the clutter from your life. The more you simplifier your office or life the more time you will have. Clutter zaps your energy and allows you towaste time on non-valuable tasks. So plug the holes today.

10. Work in your peak performance times.

Schedule demanding tasks to the part of the day that you work best, where your energy levels are at their highest. It maybe first thing in the morning or earlyafternoon - work out when it is and then see yourself moving ahead.

It begins today!

I'm sitting here excited about so many things that are happening at the moment. The biggest one being the re-creation of DebPilgrim.com . What is it you ask? Well it is going to be my new site that entrepreneurs can visit and then begin to work with me. By working with me you become accountable for greater success.

After years of working with large corporations, I've decided to do what I love doing and that is supporting these amazing entrepreneurs as they grow and develop their businesses and their lives. So I moved from working with organisations such as Fosters; QANTAS; Merck, Sharp & Dohme; IGT and Fairfax to working with businesses such as Floating on Clouds Hair & Beauty; Just go Write and Core Essence Healing. Amazing people with amazing businesses.

Stay tuned for more and if in the meantime you would like to receive my FREE weekly ezine which is published every Thursday, visit http://www.debpilgrim.com/

Take care
Deb
Be who you are.