8 Success Principles That Will Dramatically Improve Your Business Part I

By Howard Partridge,

What makes one business person more successful than the next? Why are some entrepreneurs wildly successful and other’s aren’t? It has been said that the difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is the fact that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do. Not that they can’t, just that they won’t.
Over the last 22 years I have identified many important success principles that are key to building a phenomenally successful business life. These aren’t in any particular order, and they deal with business success which do not necessarily address spiritual success principles. Personal success is knowing God, loving your family, living in community friends. After the September 11 tragedy, country singer Naomi Judd said that success is FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS, and FREEDOM. Aside from these great personal success truths, there are important principles that will help you build a phenomenally successful business. As we review these principles, let’s keep in mind that anytime your business robs your personal success, it’s not really true success.
Success Principle #1: Understand Your Life Goals

In almost every seminar that I present, I lead off with the idea that our business exists for one reason and one reason only: As a vehicle to help us achieve our life goals. When I say “life goal”, I mean what it is that we are really after in our personal lives. Achieving our life goal may mean that we are financially independent. It may mean that we have more free time, or it may mean that we are able to be involved in ministry or family activities. It may mean owning our own home or being able to develop a gift such as art or photography. Everyone has different life goals. If our business is keeping us from achieving our life goals, then our business really isn’t working for us, we are working for it.

Many people go into business for “work for themselves” or “to have more free time”. Some go into business to remove the income ceiling and to have a chance at the big bucks. Whatever the reason, most entrepreneurs quickly realize that they have created a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week job for themselves. The ideal of having more free time is out the window, there is no time for family and friends, and after all of the expenses, there’s not much money left over either. By remembering what it was that you were really after in life gives you the motivation to make the changes in your business that are required to enhance your life.

Success Principle # 2: Build Your Network

You have heard it said “It’s not what you know, but it’s who you know”. In his powerful audio book “How To Build A Network of Power Relationships”, best selling author and master networker, Harvey Mackay pointed out: “It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know, but it’s what you know about who you know!” He also declares that you will be changed most in life by the people you meet and the books that you read.

A big mistake entrepreneurs make is they don’t actively, aggressively, intentionally and methodically build their circle of influence. Effectively building your network brings you the best clients, the best employees, the best vendors, and the best associates. By broadening your base of relationships, you will always have people referring business to you. You will have a “contact” for practically anything you need. Potential employees and business partners will actually be coming to you rather than you trying to find them.

To get started building your network, join networking groups, Chamber of Commerce, Strategic Associations, and Community Groups. Gather cards at parties and trade shows. Harvey Mackay gets a card from every single person he has a significant conversation with (even if it is a 5 minute interaction at a seminar) and puts that person on a mailing list. Some are on the Christmas card list, others on a Prospect list. He has over 6000 Rolodex cards from casual conversations. When he needs something, he simply reaches for his Rolodex file.

Success Principle # 3: Don’t Expect To Find More Time

How many times have you said “If I had more time, I would…” No matter how long you live, you will never “find” more time. Regardless of the effort, you will never “get” more time. Since the world began, there are 24 hours in a day and that’s the way it will be until the end of time. You cannot “make” more time either. You can only use your God given, 24 hour a day allotment more effectively. I know this sounds simple, but many times the difference between success and failure is how you use your time. So instead of waiting to find more time, rearrange your commitments and priorities to achieve more. This may require a better personal organizational system. It may require you to re-prioritize your time. It may require you to say “No” to invitations that will cause you to stray from your goal. Whatever the case, you must find ways use your time more effectively.

Develop a system that keeps your paperwork and calls organized. Eliminate time looking for papers, or telephone numbers. The system you use should help you develop the most efficient flow of dealing with calls, faxes, e-mails, mail, and face to face interruptions.

Here are a few time saving tips:

· Plan your day ahead of time.
· Hire out some of your duties.
· Designate times when you will make and receive calls and meet with people.
· Designate uninterrupted writing, reading, or “paperwork” time.

Success Principle #4: Understand Yourself and Others

Every person on the face of the earth is “wired” a little different. Each one of us has our own set of strengths and weaknesses. By understanding your own personality and other’s (especially your employees and associates), you will be able to be much more productive. You discover why you struggle with certain things and why you excel in certain processes. If you have employees, you may discover that they don’t have the right gifts and talents for the job they are currently holding.

To discover your personality and the profiles of your employees, there are a number of personality profiling programs on the market. One is D.I.S.C. This process defines 4 personality types that are extremely different although completely effective in their own right. The model declares that some people are either OUTGOING or RESERVED, and they are either TASK ORIENTED or PEOPLE ORIENTED. The D personality is Outgoing, Task oriented and tends to be Dominant, Driven, Demanding. High D’s are often CEO’s and heads of companies. They get things going. The I type is Outgoing, and People oriented. They tend to be Inspirational and Influential. High I’s are true entertainers. They love people. They like people to like them. They are usually great communicators. The S type is Reserved, People Oriented and tends to be Stable, Steady, Supportive. High S’s are great office assistants and service people. They are people oriented and can be counted on to be consistent. The C type is Reserved, Task Oriented, and are Cautious, Calculating, and Critical. High C’s are great accountants, engineers, and bookkeepers.

Once you discover your personality as well as those around you, you will achieve greater success in your relationships.