ATTITUDES NEEDED TO GROW YOUR COMPANY

This week I thought it would be interesting to list some of those attitudes we need to grow our companies in this competitive, slow economy business environment. We can't ignore the changes that are happening, we must face reality and do what works.
Here are some ideas.

SPEED UP

+++Change won't wait on you
+++Hurry needs to become the normal style
+++Technology is advancing at a dead run
+++Get rid of "busy work" and bureaucratic practices
+++Don't resist change, create it

CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS

+++Nobody else is in charge of your attitude
+++Bad attitudes lose jobs
+++You can control how you react to change and the world around you

DON'T LET YOUR STRENGTHS BECOME WEAKNESSES

+++What you do best may not fit today
+++Keep learning
+++Adapt
+++Develop in new and exciting directions
+++Be willing to adjust
+++Don't use yesterdays solutions to today's problems

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

+++Blaming comes easy
+++There are already enough problems, the company needs SOLUTIONS
+++Pointing your finger to others for your mistakes loses jobs
+++Today's culture demands accountability from YOU


Change destroys organizations that don't adjust. Is your company adjusting to the needs of today's economy and competitive environment? Change won't wait on you. You simply don't have time to take time. In the weeks to come we will examine the key points above in greater detail maybe make some suggestions to those of you that feel you need to make a few changes.

You see, every company is made up of three types of people. There are the sponges, the spectators and the camels.

The sponges are the newer employees that want to learn everything they can about how to do there job better. They absorb everything they are told---good and bad. This group generally will make up about 30% of your work force.

The spectators make up about 65% of the work force and they are the ones who are looking around to see what is going on and who's doing what. They waste an enormous amount of time watching and not working. They are quick however to complain about everything that is wrong. They bring their lunch everyday in a lunch bucket. Actually it isn't their lunch in the bucket, it's binoculars so they can watch everybody everywhere instead of work. (Just kidding, not about the watching but about the binoculars).

Then there are the camels which make up the remaining 5% of a normal workforce. These are the people who get most of the work done. These are the ones you go to if a deadline has to be met or you know it has "to be done right".

Now, which one of these three are you? Hopefully you fall into the 5% and if you are a sponge in the 30% category, you will skip over the spectator group and jump into the camel category as soon as possible. These are the people who have the attitudes to grow the company and get ahead in life.

In keeping with the attitudes needed to grow a company, I want to close this session with several of my favorite quotes from a variety of sources. These have helped me in my business attitude growth and I hope they will help you as well.

From Tom Peters---If the other guy's getting better, then you'd better be getting better faster than the other guy's getting better---or you're getting worse.

From Clay Carr---To satisfy the customer, it means that everybody in the company has to understand that the total existence of a company depends upon the customer, so if the customer is not satisfied, he is not going to be a customer tomorrow, and if he's not a customer tomorrow, we don't have a business tomorrow.

From Service America---If you're not satisfying the customer, you'd better be satisfying someone who is.

From Bernard Berenson---I wish I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours.

From Dick Ollek---When you say, that's not my job, the one you have won't be for long.

From Zig Ziglar--Many people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job.

From Sherman Potter---Never make 7 people mad when all you are carrying is a 6 shooter.

From Al Batt--It is easy to sit up and take notice, what is difficult is to get up and take action.

So to follow up on Al Batt's quote, Will your organization just take notice or will you TAKE ACTION? You see, the decision is entirely up to you.

Till next time. Don't forget to listen to our free week pod cast at www.tripodcast.com.