This week’s thought was inspired by a friend and colleague of mine – Robyn Gray. Thank you Robyn.

Robyn and I were catching up this week. Robyn lives in Victoria so that means we either What’s App or call each other.

This week she shared a video with me that she had prepared for one of her clients.

I loved the message so much, I want to share it with you.

Robyn is an amazing coach, helping businesses with their sales strategies and conversation scripting etc. as well as coaching people to success by focusing on improving their mindset.

In the video she mentioned to her client that there are only two currencies you need, to succeed in business:

1. Relationships

2. Results

BOOM!

It got me thinking and I want you to think about your business or organisation. What are your relationships like?  When we say relationships we’re not only talking about relationships with customers, but also suppliers, other stakeholders and of course your team.

The better the relationships, the happier and more productive your people and customers are and the more your suppliers will do for you.

I’ll give you an example. I was sitting in the waiting room of the doctor’s surgery while Ross was getting some skin cancers cut off his back. An elderly patient came in demanding to see a doctor. He didn’t have an appointment. The receptionist did what she could but there were no doctors available. He abused her. It was painful to watch. She handled it well and I couldn’t help think that most people would shutdown when abused and not be that helpful. Rather, they may be tempted to be unhelpful. 

So currency number one – Relationships. The better you treat people, the better relationships, the more success you’ll have.

The second currency – Results. If you’re in business, your success depends on the results you are able to provide for your customers.  The skin doctor is measured by his ability to stop cancers growing. The coach is measured by her ability to help clients get what they want.  The retailer is measured by being able to supply what customers want.

This week, do a little stocktake.  Are you enjoying the success you’d like and if not, perhaps look to increasing the value of your two currencies.

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I would be one of the first people to say “I love ChatGPT” and all the other AI apps that can help us improve what we do and be more efficient.

What I don’t love is how little attention people pay to removing the tell-tale signs that you’ve used ChatGPT or Co-Pilot or other.

Here’s what I mean – I received an email this week that was very nicely written.

It brought a smile to my face as I read the words, until I got to the end.

There was a line underneath the last paragraph and words along the lines of “If you like, I can add more emotion to make it sound more appealing?”

I’d been “chatted”.

The moment I read those AI words I felt disappointed. I wasn’t special after-all.

If you’re going to use AI and I do encourage it, please pay attention to the detail.

Just one little slip like that can cost you your credibility.

And here’s a little tip, you can actually request ChatGPT to remove the lines between sections of text so you can format it however you wish.

It’s the little things that make a big difference.

I’m curious, would you have noticed?

If you did, would you have reacted or just ignored it?

I might be a little sensitive because one of my goals is to be known for my writing.

When I visualise my future, I see myself being quoted at the beginning of chapters like other well-known writers.

You know the ones, the ones that are quoted, like this one in Rhonda Byrne’s book, “The Magic” at the start of Day 6:

“If you take any activity, any art, any discipline, any skill – take it and push it as far as it will go, push it beyond where it has ever been before, push it to the wildest edges of edges, then you force it into the realm of magic.” TOM ROBBINS (B.1936) WRITER.

What is it that you want?

What are you willing to push as far as it will go?

Reply and let me know. You know I’m in your corner.

And if you get AI to reply, please remove the tell-tale signs.

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The past few weeks we’ve been focusing on improving systems and streamlining operations.

Yesterday we ran the 1 day workshop “Get it Done” and we did.

Participants received a 34 page manual so they could work on their business operations and complete the activities.

At the end of the day they walked away with not only knowledge about what to do and how to do it, they also got it done.

They worked on mapping the processes of their business, determining the roles they need, developing Key Performance Indicators and Key Behaviour Indicators for the roles and of course, documented some procedures – including how to make tea. (Yes, that’s a thing. Not every young receptionist knows how to meet and greet customers and offer them a beverage, let alone make it.)

I particularly like this acronym for SYSTEMS:

Save

Your

Self

Time

Energy

Money

Stress

At the end of the day, one of the participants commented that one of her biggest ahas’ for the day was the realisation that she is the one getting in her way.  Because she has not trained her team, she finds herself doing their tasks.

With this new freedom and knowledge she is excited to be able to finally delegate and have trust and confidence that her team are capable of doing the work.

Woohoo! Here comes the freedom.

What does all this mean for you?

Perhaps it’s time for you to look at your systems.

Perhaps it’s time for you to reflect on the reasons your team may be “incompetent”.

Having clearly defined KPI’s and KBI’s is the first step.

Your team want to know what they have to do to what standard to succeed in the role.

Your job is to be clear with what the expectations are and the standard or measure for success.

You are also responsible for training the team.

They can’t do the work if you haven’t shown them how and the excuse, “it’s common sense” doesn’t cut it.  What might be easy for you or what you think is common sense, is not the same for your team.

Invest the time to get clear, train your team and all of you will have the confidence that the work is getting done to the required standard and you’ll all feel a sense of achievement.

Remember, SYSTEMS save you time, energy, money and stress.

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On Wednesday this week, we celebrated 19 years in business. Woohoo!

Reflecting back over the years, I recalled my first goal was to still be in business after 1 year.

When I made it to one year, the next goal was to make it to 5 years.

Sadly, achieving this goal was against the odds.

When 5 years came, I set the goal for 10, then 15 and now at 19 years, my goal is to make 20 years.

It all started by working with a friend to help her document her procedures, a bonus was her getting an extra day a month in time.

I was hooked.

I loved learning about what other people do in their businesses and how clever they are.

I love solving problems and so 3 weeks after asking my boss for part-time, I found myself in business with no plan, no capital and no idea.

When you jump in the deep end you have two choices, sink or swim.

It’s been a wild ride and I’ve met some wonderful people along the way. My beautiful clients, many of whom have become great friends and my fellow business colleagues.

My heart is filled with gratitude.

Gratitude for all the people. Gratitude for all the lessons. Gratitude for Ross’ support and gratitude for the person I have had to become.

We talk about property development in terms of improving the property so it becomes more valuable, well it’s the same with personal development.

Being in business is the biggest personal development course you’ll ever undertake.

Investing in your own personal development is the quickest way for you to become more valuable.

How are you going to invest in yourself?

Click on the image above to join in the celebration with this 2 minute video.

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