As a certified human resources and productivity expert, I have had the opportunity to train and meet with business leaders from all over the world. If there is one thing I have noticed; the most successful leaders have daily habits or rituals. This post will identify and list 5 habits of highly successful leaders and what you can do to adopt and make these habits apart of your daily ritual. To begin, what is a habit or ritual? According toPsychologytoday.com, a habit is a behavior that becomes automatic. “If you instinctively reach for a cigarette the moment you wake up in the morning, you have a habit. By the same token, if you feel inclined to lace up your running shoes and hit the streets as soon as you get home, you’ve acquired a habit.” The fact is, “old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form.” So, the new question becomes, why even try?
To answer this question, we need to understand that habits or behavioral patterns repeated over time become “literally etched into our neural pathways.” The great news, however, is that, new habits can be formed, maintained and sustained through repetition. Now that we understand what is meant by the term habit, let’s also look at the term ritual. Similar to a habit, a ritual is “something that is always done in a particular situation and in the same way each time” according to Merriam Webster Dictionary.
When I work with leaders from across the country and the world, I have noticed a remarkable pattern – they all believe that the #1 strategy to building a successful business and life for that matter is the ability to “Say no!” In other words, they are very clear about the direction and path they are heading; when confronted with opportunities and deals that would detract from their path, they have the courage and discipline to say, “No!”
I, like many have been approached by well-intentional companies and individuals about doing JVs (joint ventures) on a number of different things from weight loss supplements to social media webinars, and while some of these have peaked my interests, I have turned them down because they did not fit within my scope and long-term vision. In my opinion, by turning down the wrong opportunities, you are saying yes to the right ones. Remember, the power of focus will explode your business if you are focused on the right things or habits. So here are the Top 5 Habits of Highly Successful Leaders that will explode your business growth:
Habit #1: Know what you want as an outcome
Too many start-up business leaders may think they know what they want, but they have not taken the time to see if this is something their customers want and are willing to pay for. By doing a simple survey, you can find out if customers will pay for your products and services. It is also a good idea to see how much they will pay.
Habit #2: Focus on Your Message
Successful business leaders make it a habit to know their message inside and out. They will practice and refine their message until if flows. For example, the message of Getfocustoday.com is “We work with small business leaders to remove distractions, increase productivity and add profits to their bottom line.” Our message is clear, concise and compelling.
Habit #3: Focus on Your Market
Make it a habit to get to know who your avatar (perfect market segment) is. Are you trying to appeal to everyone? Do you know your market and why they would buy from you and not a competitor? In answering these two questions, take the time to write out what you offer and why a customer would buy this product or service from you. I use a Lean Six Sigma process known as the 5 Whys to accomplish this goal. In short, when you write a statement, ask the question, ‘Why would they buy this from me and not the competition? Do this five times. Successful Leaders are always looking at ways to connect their message to their preferred market segment.
Habit#4: Focus on Your Media Sources
This is perhaps the biggest issue with a lot of small business leaders, they don’t know or have focused on the right media sources to promote their business. Too often, people will look to the newest trend or social media gadget and jump on that band wagon until something else comes along. While it is tempting to try new gadgets and aps, it is better to determine what is best for your business structure? I have a business associate that does over 5 million dollars a year running a home-based business and does not have a fancy website or uses social media. She built her business using a telephone and going to networking events.
In fact, she became such a networking queen that 90 percent of business is from telephone and email referrals. Now, in here case, the majority of her customers prefer face to face and telephone communication. Do you know the preferred way to connect to your market? This is not to say social media is not a great tool, it is and I use social media a lot, especially LinkedIn where I am rated quite high for productivity coaching.
Habit #5: Focus on Adding Massive Value
While this is listed as # 5, it is without saying, very successful business leaders are focused on how they can add massive value to their customers. They make it a habit to engage and build a fan base, not just any type of fan based, but to create raving fans that are loyal and serve as ambassadors by telling others about the work you do. One of my clients, Winter in Atlanta, GA is the #1 Real Estate broker and she has been featured on HGTV and CNN and a host of other media outlets because she adds tremendous value to her customers. Another client, Christopher Reid is a relationship expert and he makes sure that he exceeds his coaching client’s expectations by over delivering and adding a plus 10% to everything he does. In other words, his goal to exceed you expectation by 10% and in reality, it actually 30 to 50% based on client testimonials that he has shared with me.
Let’s Recap and My Final Thoughts
When ever you find yourself struggling to be productive or to focus on the things that matter (one at a time), follow these steps:
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Do I know what I want and have I written it down?
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Do I know what I need to say (Message) to reach my preferred target audience?
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Do I know how to reach my audience?
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What is their preferred way to be contacted?
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Why are my customers loyal and why have my customers not been loyal?
Lastly, understand that its’ never too late to start making changes and implementing these 5 habits of highly successful business leaders. Love this article? To read some other great articles on productivity, check out Sean Kim. Please share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter. Also, every Monday at 5:30 AM EST, I will send out a personal subscribers only message to all those who have subscribed to our blog. These messages contain great life and business tips life this one, to help you remove distractions, increase your productivity, and add profits to your bottom line. It free, No Spam and your privacy is respected 100%. I hope you have enjoyed reading this Top 5 Habits of Successful Leaders blog. We would love to hear from you. Click to join today.
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