I recently hired an assistant for my information technology director. I asked, "by the way, can you install ACT on that laptop?" He said, "I'll work on it." That is everyone's answer these days - "I'll work on it."
No, you must get it done. There is no substitute for effective action that brings about the results that you determined must be accomplished to move your business forward.
Effective action is what you must demand, not just action.
My rebuttal to him: You are fired. I've got enough people working for me that "work on things." I don't need another one.
I need someone to understand that the job of installing ACT on that laptop is not completed until the salesperson is bringing in money. Stop letting employees or anyone else use that excuse. No, don't work on it, don't try. Get it done! This must be your new motto for 2010.
Effective action demands determination. You must first determine what needs to be done, learn everything you need to know about the problem and potential solutions, spend the appropriate amount of time for planning and then execute.
While all processes include "working on it," that mentality has become the new word for completed. Effective action does not accept this failed mentality.
On the contrary, the effective action mentality demands that the process is not completed until the project (the thing you are working on) is adding to the bottom line of the organization.
Even if you prefer to outsource everything, you must remain vigilant.
I personally like the idea that a professional is going to do the work so that I can benefit from the contractors years of experience. I think it is an integral part of business these days.
But, you can't ask a plumber for instance to "go plumb that house" without providing him with a set of plans, specifications, and selections. And you can't develop your set of plans, specifications and selections without sufficient time spent learning what you need to know about the correct design for this type house, what other individuals demand in a bath these days, and what fixtures are the most popular in your price range. Successfully outsourcing takes more effort than doing it yourself because you must completely plan the process before you issue a request for proposal much less hire the contractor. If you don't, you will spend more time, more money and you will experience more excuses of "well I'm working on it" than you thought possible.
The bottom line? You are the bottom line. I have determined, from speaking with one man operations to multinational companies, success takes a lot of effort and since most people are not willing to do it, it leaves more for those of us that are determined, will spend the necessary informed time planning, and then refuse to accept the bull being dished out by most people these days and work until the process is making money and is replicable. While everyone else is satisfied with "working on it" let's get it done.
Only then do you have a business.
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