This topic really speaks volumes to me. It is really the big differential between business professionals who want to grow in their careers and those who do not.
In my experience, I have worked in a number of very different cultures and in each circumstance I worked hard to gain people’s confidence and trust. Let me give you some examples:
High School Teacher – I taught Math and Business classes and coached basketball and tennis. It was a great experience and it taught me quite quickly that I needed to have a firm understanding of the content I taught or the students would see right through me. On those occasions, where I stumbled or was not sure of myself, I quickly made a mental note to myself and told myself I needed to be more prepared next time. On those days where I was prepared, I found myself making substantial progress in the area of getting my point across and it later showed with respect to the students’ performance on exams.
College Instructor – Adjunct – Here, I quickly learned that textbooks are out of date the day they are published. My goal was to give each student of mine something they could take with them in their perspective jobs. Most of my students had full-time jobs and were taking courses at night. I saw the value of reading and staying current on business trends and information. People are generally more interested in today’s news and not news from five years ago.
Business Professional – Wherever I was at in the corporate world, my goal was to be informed of company happenings and make sure the work that was performed in my department was adding value to others in our company and ultimately our clients. I became a strong advocate of performing work that had value. If the work I was doing did not offer value, I needed to document this information and show how the process could be changed.
Consultant – This opportunity gave me experience in trust and dedication. A company was investing their resources in my ability to assist their people in improving their processes. I had homework every day and I worked extra hours to earn the trust of my work clients and promote a strong relationship with our consulting company. I also quickly learned you are either a great consultant or a bad consultant. There is no in between.
Marketing Director – This position showed me the value of client service at all levels. A strong client service team is a must for any marketing campaign to be effective. Clients need information face-to-face, over the phone and online. It is critical to have a strong presence in all three areas. In addition, great service and products are a must when working with clients. Document client feedback and quickly learn from mistakes.
Executive – In this position I continue to learn how to better meet client needs. Without clients, a company is dead. Without great employees a company is dead. It is critical to not waste people’s time. Employees need to be focused and informed of what is happening in their companies and how their clients are impacted. The pace of change is much faster than ever. It is critical to be on top of my game and come prepared every day to serve the employees and clients. Accountability and trust are premiums today.
Summary – In today’s world there are many distractions. Today, I continue to make it a priority to learn more and serve more. I don’t want to waste people’s time. Time is too valuable these days. Planning, implementing, managing and leading. Each area brings with it a whole new set of plays. My goal in 2016 is to win the game by not wasting people’s time and providing them with a value-added experience. A huge part of this process is staying connected with current clients, vendors and other business professionals. In addition, I have found a lot of value by connecting with others online through my Linkedin Connections. It is critical to continue to work at these relationships and stay connected to great people. I look forward to a great 2016 and I will work to add value to people’s lives and hopefully reduce and work to effectively “Stop Wasting People’s Time”.
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