If you do what you love:

• You will be good at it.
• You’ll be able to work for longer periods of time.
• You will be happy.
• You’ll get better results.

If you do what you’re not good at:

• You’ll do a poor job.
• You’ll get tired easily.

Good managers delegate to strength, not to weakness. Smart entrepreneurs do only what they’re good at and subcontract or delegate that which they don’t do well themselves. Adlai Stevenson said,

“It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.”

Likewise with Relationships

If you don’t like someone, your business with that person won’t go well. The relationship will be weak, flawed, and subject to communication blocks, misunderstandings, and stress. Games will be played and excuses made, respect lost and objectives sacrificed in the name of peace. Work ONLY with people whom you like, trust, and respect. Those strong relationships will carry you to your goals faster. Albert Einstein said,

“Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.”

Awareness Requires Introspection

In order to accomplish the above two objectives, doing only what you’re good at and working with people you like, trust, and respect, one has to do some introspection, some self-analysis, some gazing at a mirror and examining of the past.  What didn’t work in the past, and what did? When you objectively review your past performance, you will see the above two success criteria becoming blazingly obvious. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, and of whom you’re working with, and adjust your battle plan accordingly.

Time Reveals Ones’ True Nature

Also, realize that people change. They either reveal who they really are over time (the mask slips, and you realize that the jolly old friend is an evil old fiend) or they change their attitude and choices as their true nature starts finding a way out. One can only behave contrary to ones’ real self for a period of time; the act wears thin. Rika says,

“When someone shows you who he really is, believe him.”

When you see that people are not who you thought they were, or that they have changed, remove them from your life as soon as possible, or suffer the consequences. Replace losers with winners. Herbert Swope said,

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: which is: Try to please everybody.”

Your first responsibility is your objective, not making losers feel good.

Where Are You Headed?

With the above in mind, perhaps it’s time to look at what your business will be like in a few months’ time.

1. What do you love doing and do really well? That’s all you should be doing; the rest should be delegated, subcontracted, or removed from the picture.
2. Who do you really enjoy working with, people you like, trust, respect, and can rely on to do exactly what they promise, when they promise to do it, and much more? Who goes the extra mile, and doesn’t need constant motivation, managing, and manipulation? These people should be rewarded and protected from the underperformers. and parasites. High maintenance people become a real pain in the neck and slow your progress.
3. What is the ideal picture with the most benefits and profit, along with the least risk and frustration?

Good leaders constantly reevaluate and adjust their action plans and tactics in order to achieve their objectives. The know themselves, and they’re very realistic about their fellow soldiers. Study Churchill, Montgomery, and Patton, and you will see master strategists at work. They’re not addicted to their tactics, and they are strongly committed to their objectives. As the leader of your business, success is not an option; it’s a responsibility for the sake of yourself and your good people. Churchill told us, “The price of greatness is responsibility.”

Someone says, “I’ll get back to you.” You should immediately ask, “When, exactly, will you get back to me?” If they don’t get back to you on that day, follow up right away. Don’t sit around waiting for people.

Appointments

Someone shows up late for an appointment. If they don’t call to say they’ll be late, LEAVE after 15 minutes. If they do call, and they’re going to be more than twenty minutes late, cancel the appointment.

Returning Communication

Someone doesn’t return your e mails or phone calls promptly, but you have established that they did receive the voice mail, message or e mail. The longer you wait, the less control and respect you have.

Decision Making

Someone refuses to make a decision, makes you wait, puts you off. They are controlling and manipulating you, or they are simply too gutless and politically correct to say “No.” Walk away. If they do come back, renegotiate, increase your fee, and punish them for making you wait, in order to re-establish your authority and positioning.

Production

Someone doesn’t produce on time, on a regular basis. You find that you’re always waiting and listening to their lies an excuses. Find a replacement for them, or suffer as they repeat the pattern. Meanwhile, reduce contact, remove as much business and control from them as possible, and create negative consequences for non-performance.

Control your time, business, relationships, and choices carefully. Be in control, and spread your risk.

Sometimes, ego, laziness, and fear will interrupt and skew our reasoning when prioritizing our profits.

The reason we’re in business is to create the maximum amount of after tax profit in the shortest amount of time, with the least cost and risk.

While we all want to do what we enjoy and avoid conflict and work, we can use Joint Ventures, subcontracting, effective delegation, and leverage to create the results we want, if we set things up correctly.

#1 Strategize Objectively

Remaining objective and rational when prioritizing and planning our progress is essential. Clearly defining what will create the greatest return on investment, where the optimal back-end is to be found, and the real marginal net value of a customer or Joint Venture demands careful analysis and communication with your team and mentors. Like a jigsaw puzzle, we want all the pieces to fit seamlessly, so that the flow of business is smooth and natural, not forced and stop-start.

• Diversifying incomes streams and creating additional back ends with long-term potential is the result of Planning, not Panic.
• Compromise and quick fixes will undermine your progress, your reputation, and your balance sheet.
• Remember the 80/20 rules and fearlessly remove the 80% while conscientiously building the 20%. Getting rid of one rat in your organization guarantees that he will takes his rat friends with him.

#2 Reevaluate Regularly

Reevaluate, change your mind, terminate non-productive activities, Joint Ventures, and people, and constantly adjust. You’re in business to make a profit, not to accommodate parasites and create protected employment for losers. Play the “What If?” game, build in Plan B’s, and have contingency plans in place, including Key Man Insurance and alternative suppliers. Things change. See the Big Picture.

#3 Invest in Education

Invest heavily in training and education, but only if you use it.  Look for the return on investment. The greatest ROI I ever get is when I invest in training and education, but then I always apply what I learn.

#4 Optimize Your Time

If you only have 24 hours a day, it’s because you’re not leveraged or you’re not delegating. Paying someone $100 to make $1,000 is good business. Don’t do minimum wage tasks and only deal with winners who have a proven track record.

#5 Take an Honest Look

Finally, stand back and take a good, hard look at your business, your time, your profits, and the future of your business. If this was someone else’s business, what advice would you give them?

We watched an old 1966 movie last night, called OSCAR, in which the Maitre D’, a failed film star, tells the famous film-star just how precarious the film star’s position really is. It’s human nature to avoid reality, wear blinkers, and stick our heads in the sand, but facts are facts. Your eager replacement is waiting in the wings. If you don’t perform, you will be replaced fast, and the scary part is that you won’t even know it until it’s too late.

We all buy life insurance, houses, websites, holidays, cars, furniture, and many other things, and we are free to decide whom to purchase from. I had someone call me and ask me, “Why didn’t you buy from me?” My response was very simple: “You didn’t earn the right. You need to earn my business. You didn’t.” Last week I had someone ask me to recommend a realtor. I know a few realtors, but there was not one that I would recommend – they didn’t earn the right.

I am currently in the process or replacing one of my service providers, and he is blissfully unaware that his replacement is already waiting in the wings. Why? He has been unreliable, unprofessional, and unresponsive. So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight. When he wakes up and wipes his eyes he will realize he has lost a fortune in future business and referrals. Too late for tears.

Pride comes before the fall. Take people for granted, let your service slip, and before you know it, you’ve been replaced by a hungry competitor. In order to avoid this unhappy and costly predicament, here are a few pointers to allow you not only to keep the business you already have, but to add to it significantly:

1. Respond promptly to e-mails, calls, and letters. That means FAST.
2. Pay on time. If I have to remind you, I might suspect you never intended paying.
3. Go the extra mile – add unexpected value.
4. Communicate effectively, respectfully, and regularly.
5. Reciprocate with referrals, invitations, and recognition.
6. Constantly improve your service and products.
7. THANK people for the business they send you with money or other real value.

Your replacement is eagerly waiting in the wings. He wants to take your business, and he’s ready to earn it. DollarMakers specializes in showing people how to add massive value and differentiate themselves from the competition with no additional cost, through the use of Joint Ventures.

Many entrepreneurs and wanna-be entrepreneurs are terrified of competition, and this is evidenced by business networking groups who only allow one representative of each industry to attend their events.

The “Shrinking Pie” mentality posits that there is only so much to go around. This dis-empowering approach is built on a timid philosophy of scant resources and lack, and is usually manifested as aggression. (Fear often incarnates as aggression.) Someone with a Scarcity Mentality focuses on shortage, risk, what can go wrong, and insufficiency.

Whatever you focus on is guaranteed to grow.

Your mind is a magnet. When you are consumed by thoughts of poverty and privation, guess what kind of people you will attract into your life? This victim mindset is programmed for failure and disappointment. We seek evidence to prove our dominant beliefs, and those who mistakenly believe that everyone is out to rip them off and undermine their success will subconsciously sabotage themselves to prove themselves right.

We have to be congruent, and our circumstances will always bend to reflect our self-esteem and beliefs. For example, the person who is genuinely convinced that they can’t make money will show up late for appointments, and when successful people decide to no longer do business with them because of their tardiness, they will whine, “See, I told you!” The Self Fulfilling Prophecy Is not a figment of some author’s imagination.

When a penurious intellect is offered a lucrative business opportunity, its first reaction will be, “What’s the catch?” and it will immediately go on the defense and start making excuses to remain poor, mediocre and passively aggressive. They actively look for reasons why the opportunity is a scam and a hoax, while the winners eagerly grab the opportunity and rush off to make more money. Losers will seek reasons why they will fail. “It’s a holiday – there won’t be any people around to attend the seminar. It’s too expensive – nobody can afford that! (they’re projecting their own lack) I won’t make enough money! I’m being taken advantage of! What if I fail? (you’re already failing, buddy) What can go wrong?”

Drop Kick the Losers to the Curb – Fast!

These people will contaminate your business, undermine your success and bleed you dry. They will discourage you, dissuade you and depress you. And they’re unlikely to change. They are a cancer on capitalism and a danger to your success. They are poison to profits and they will subconsciously do their best to drag you down to their level of despondency. Worst of all, they will attack anyone who is more successful than they are; jealously is a very common attribute of this type of person. The only way to deal with them is to drop kick them to the curb. Fast and decisively. Squish them like cockroaches and replace them with an ambitious, determined and disciplined optimist.

It’s better to have no JV than a JV with a loser. And there are many great JV partners to be had. There is an abundance of money and opportunities out there, just waiting for you.

Look at nature – how many leaves on one tree? How much water in the ocean? How many trees and rocks? Focus on affluence, plentitude and abundance and you will attract it into our life. Self discipline, high standards and self-confidence will result in prosperity and luxury for you.

Expect to succeed in all you do. Associate with winners, not whiners. Set great goals and believe in your dreams. A life of plenty is easily available to you through Joint Ventures, as long as you have the right JV partners. Your generous Abundance Mentality is creating a life of power and prosperity for you, and a plethora of options. Freedom is the result of right thinking.

Your circumstances are a revelation of your thoughts and beliefs. Look at someone’s circumstances, listen to them talk, and decide whether or not they have what it takes to be your JV partner.

When entrepreneurs get emotionally involved in their businesses, they start seeing their business as an extension of their ego, and that’s when pride clashes with profitability. Remember the 3 Steps to Achieving Success as an Entrepreneur? None of them include ensuring that everyone knows it’s YOU doing it.

Men, especially, sabotage their own success when they become territorial, competitive, and pig-headed. My good friend and mentor, Marnus Roothman, the new DollarMakers Director for South Africa, used to ask me, “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be rich?” I’m not talking in the context of values – I’m talking about egotistical stubbornness. We’re in business to make a profit, and as long as you don’t step on your values, you can benefit a lot from being somewhat flexible and overlooking certain things in the interest of the big picture; losing a battle to win the war.

As a “black or white”, right or wrong, politically incorrect, A-Type personality myself, I know whereof I speak. There is a time to compromise and a time to insist, and there is also a time to understand
and forgive. Again, as long as your values remain intact, you will find yourself skirting detours and getting to your destination, while your old self is still attacking the detour with a battering ram and a small
canon.

There’s a difference between being smart and being soft.

If someone gets it right 98% of the time and messes up 2% of the time, perhaps it’s wise to focus on the 98% and reward good choices, instead of hammering on the bad ones. Maturity doesn’t have to mean passivity.  You don’t have to compromise your own standards. You do have to give in order to get, and when you are prepared to overlook a flaw in your business partner’s performance, the reciprocal favor can mean a lot to your bottom line. And it’s all about the bottom line, not your bottom lip.

You’re in business to make a profit, not to look good at your local Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Seasoned entrepreneurs understand that they should keep their egos on a tight leash, spend good time on objective, strategic planning, and maintain an eye on the big picture. They know How to Manage their time and also whom they spend it with. They also know the value of giving people enough rope to hang themselves – that’s the chess player at work. Hissy fits, tantrums, and throwing babies out with bathwater has it’s place - Indian organ grinders are said to discipline their pet monkeys by periodically killing a chicken in front of the monkey - but they should be the exception rather than the rule, and used only when entirely appropriate for the optimal results.

You’re in business to make a profit, not to make a statement – remember that.

Your time is your most valuable asset, and it is like priceless pearls to you. They are limited, as your days on earth are limited. Your time is that important.

Hilton Johnson has been in direct sales for over 40 years. He has been coaching and training salespeople, managers, professionals and business owners for over 30 years. This man knows what he’s talking about. He says,

“One thing that will burn you right out of this business, folks, is spending your time with the wrong people.”
- Howard Johnson

I cannot stress this strongly enough.

There is an idiomatic Japanese saying, “Gold coins to a cat.” Not only will you waste time that could have been put to better use with good people, but there is a serious danger attached. Read the following:

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
- Christian Bible

Note the scary last part: “And turn and render you” – that means rip you apart! Yes, they will turn on you when they can’t understand your opportunity and message! They will punish you for their own lack of understanding and discipline. By casting your pearls before swine, you bring them into your business, your circle, your family, where they can become dangerous traitors. Now here’s another shocking reality:

“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague.” ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

It’s not just dumb to spend time with the wrong people, it’s dangerous. Make people qualify for your time. Protect it carefully, steadfastly and seriously!

Yesterday, I received this encouraging note from a friend of mine who is a very successful entrepreneur:

“Hi Robin, I just read your Eagle Attitude article and you are right on. I always make asset vs. liability calls. Recently one of my staff did considerable damage to our main computer and database by going to inappropriate places on the internet. Certainly grounds for firing, not too mention suing for damages. Instead we are reworking his job description to take advantage of some obvious talents. There are some penalties he is working through, but there should be some substantial benefit to the company long term. Its nice to read that a risky decision is sometimes the best decision.”

That reminds me of the time I was a manager in a large, resort hotel and we learned that one of the staff members was secretly running his own little room service business inside the hotel. He diverted all the orders to his cousin’s café on the corner. The thing was that he gave excellent service and guests were delighted with the quality (that’s how we caught him – compliments from guests about dishes that weren’t on the room service menu!) So instead of firing him, we created a joint venture: we saved his salary, cut overhead substantially and continued to provide the service to our guest, while his own business flourished. Win/Win!

Successful Entrepreneurs Capitalize on the Strengths of their Staff

Savvy entrepreneurs look for ways to capitalize on the strengths and resources of their partners, associates, employees and vendors. They focus on what does work instead of what doesn’t work and, most importantly, keep their egos in check. Take the time to listen carefully and discover hidden assets like skills, connections, resources and information. Sometimes, opportunities take a little while to appear and options take time to become apparent. Patience and good communication skills, as well as being prepared to generously share the profits, are essential. Think outside the box and keep your eyes on your common goals. Be flexible and open to new ideas. Good people are hard to find.

The #1 Sales Tip

The better you know your salespeople, the better you can channel their energy, interests, skills and time. Don’t make the salesperson fit the job; rather, make the job fit the salesperson. Take time to listen to their opinions and suggestions, encourage sharing and reward innovation and risk.

The #1 Management Tip

By clearly defining the parameters of your employees’ jobs, you remove fear. Show them what they have to do to get fired, and you reduce any reticence to innovation. Fear stunts creativity and openness. People who feel secure will be more productive and honest with you. Spend more time developing relationship with your staff than you do with your customers.