Guest Post by Catherine Morgan
Most small business owners are very busy and commit to a lot of things. In fact, they frequently commit to too many things, and then stuff starts falling through the cracks.
A very easy differentiator for your business (and for you as a professional) is to create the habit of commitment and fulfilment.
It goes like this: Don’t commit to something that you can’t or won’t be able to do in the timeframe you said you could. Simple – but definitely not easy.
My mentor Michael Port drilled this into us until it became a habit during my year in his mentorship program. In fact, that is the primary takeaway I have from the program – and it has made a huge difference in my life.
When you miss deadlines, you cause yourself stress, and you potentially add stress for your clients, vendors, or employees. One missed deadline can set off an avalanche of missed deadlines for the small business owner if they are not careful!
This is actually preventable in most cases. Below are two suggestions for how you can create the habit of commitment and fulfilment in your business.
Add in a decision-making filter
Our immediate response to a client, especially if there is money involved, is to say, “Yes!” Often we blurt this out before thinking about: 1. the amount of time it will take to do what they are asking, and 2. what else we might have already scheduled in the future.
In this situation, I would like to advise you to have a two-second delay and think before you speak. It also is helpful to keep in mind what Michael Bungay-Stanier asks, “What will you say ‘no’ to so that you can say ‘yes’ to something else?”
As small business owners, our most valuable commodity is our time. It must be managed wisely, and respected as the precious commodity it is.
Add in a cushion of time
You, me, and pretty much everyone will underestimate the time it will take to complete a task or project.
If you are a consultant or do some other form of “brain renting,” this is definitely something to manage against. Know that however long you think it will take, it most likely will take more time – or will get delayed for some other reason.
Keep track of how much you go over for a few projects. Then start adding that into your estimates. My general rule is 10-20% for consultants and six weeks for developers.
Please remember that nobody will be angry with you for delivering a project early and under budget. And if you quoted a fixed fee – bonus!
The killer combo
Used together, these two techniques will make you a better professional – and may even carry over into your personal life, making you a better partner.
What I can absolutely promise is that your clients will love you for it.
Are you really stuck and need help thinking through whether you are continuing with your business, going back to corporate, or maybe starting a different kind of business? You will definitely want to check out my eBook Re-Launch You: Discovering Your Point B and Embracing Possibility. Thank you, Barry, for the fantastic review!
Catherine Morgan is an engaging speaker and the founder of Point A to Point B Transitions Inc., a virtual provider of coaching services to individuals who are in business or career transition. Catherine is the author of the eBook Re-Launch You: Discovering Your Point B and Embracing Possibility. Her productivity tips and career transition advice have been featured on WGN AM 720 and WIND AM 560 The Answer in Chicago, and on WCHE AM 1520 in the Philadelphia area. Catherine speaks frequently on topics related to productivity, career transition, small business, and entrepreneurship. She doesn’t take herself seriously, but takes her subject matter very seriously.
