8 Reasons to Pursue Nonprofit Management

In a world saturated with businesses focused on generating profits, a distinct and impactful sector stands apart—nonprofit management organizations. These entities, guided by the altruistic purpose of advancing a particular social cause or advocating for a shared point of view, offer an intriguing career path: nonprofit management.

Let’s shed light on some compelling reasons why individuals should consider embarking on a journey into nonprofit management.

1. Making a Difference

The first and perhaps the most compelling reason to pursue nonprofit management is the opportunity it offers to make a tangible difference in the world. As a nonprofit manager, your role extends beyond the operational and managerial aspects of a traditional job. You are engaged in meaningful work that directly impacts lives and brings about positive change in society.

In a world where many professionals struggle to find purpose in their work, nonprofit management stands out as a career path that promises not only a paycheck but also a sense of achievement and fulfillment. Whether it’s through combating poverty, improving education, or protecting the environment, the work you do has a broader impact that extends far beyond the confines of an office building.

2. Career Stability

The nonprofit sector is commonly misunderstood as an unstable career choice when in fact, it consistently provides significant levels of job security. The continuity of this sector stems from the relentless societal and environmental challenges our world faces, ensuring a constant demand for the services nonprofits provide.

However, to truly secure a stable career and potentially land your dream role within this sector, acquiring relevant skills and knowledge is of paramount importance. One effective approach is to consider enrolling in one of the top nonprofit management graduate programs that are designed to give aspiring and experienced nonprofit professionals the knowledge and expertise needed to succeed in the complex world of nonprofit management.

3. The Opportunity for Leadership

Leadership opportunities abound in the world of nonprofit management. Unlike in many corporate settings where climbing the leadership ladder can be a slow and competitive process, nonprofits often provide accelerated paths to leadership roles. This is because nonprofits, driven by mission rather than profit, value passion, dedication, and impact over hierarchy and tenure.

Leading a nonprofit organization enables you to develop and apply a wide range of skills. You’ll engage in strategic planning, manage volunteers, oversee projects, and engage with media and public relations. As a leader, you’ll have the chance to guide the direction of the organization but also to influence the sector and the community your organization serves. This level of leadership can be both challenging and deeply rewarding.

4. The Growth of the Nonprofit Sector

Another compelling reason to consider a career in nonprofit management is the steady growth of the sector. Over the past decade, the nonprofit sector has seen consistent expansion, both in the number of organizations and in their overall economic impact. This growth has led to an increased demand for skilled and dedicated nonprofit managers.

As public awareness of various social, environmental, and cultural issues continues to rise, so does the need for organizations to address these challenges. Consequently, the demand for qualified managers to lead these organizations is also increasing. A career in nonprofit management, therefore, offers not only a chance to engage with meaningful work but also to enter a sector that promises continued growth and relevance.

5. Variety and Diversity in Work

The nonprofit sector is marked by incredible diversity. It encompasses organizations focusing on various causes such as health, education, environment, arts, culture, human rights, and more. This variety translates into a diverse and dynamic work environment in nonprofit management.

As a nonprofit manager, every day presents new challenges and opportunities. One day you might be crafting a strategic plan for the upcoming year, and the next, you could be coordinating with volunteers for a community outreach event. This variety keeps the work interesting and engaging. Moreover, the opportunity to work with a diverse group of individuals, from passionate volunteers to committed professionals, adds another layer of richness to the work experience.

6. Skills Development

Working in nonprofit management leads to substantial professional and personal growth. The unique challenges and responsibilities of running a nonprofit organization require a broad set of skills. These range from fundraising and resource management to leadership, strategic planning, and public relations.

Furthermore, nonprofit managers often wear multiple hats, especially in smaller organizations. This exposure to different aspects of organizational management can dramatically enhance your skillset, making you a more adaptable and versatile professional. This portfolio of skills not only benefits your work within the nonprofit sector but can also be highly transferable to other industries.

7. Networking Opportunities

The nonprofit sector is renowned for its sense of community and collaboration. As a nonprofit manager, you’ll have the opportunity to network extensively with other professionals in your field. This network can include other nonprofit leaders, donors, government officials, business leaders, and more.

These relationships can be incredibly beneficial, providing opportunities for collaboration, learning, and mutual support. Moreover, this broad network can open doors to new opportunities, whether in the form of partnerships, funding, or career advancements.

8. Personal Fulfillment

While all professions offer their rewards, few can match the level of personal fulfillment offered by nonprofit management. The knowledge that your work contributes directly to a cause you are passionate about can provide a sense of satisfaction that transcends the usual measures of professional success.

Working towards a mission that aligns with your values helps create a deep connection with your work, fostering a level of motivation and engagement that is hard to find in other fields. This sense of purpose and fulfillment is one of the most profound reasons why people choose and continue to work in nonprofit management.

Conclusion

Choosing a career path is a significant decision, one that shapes much of our lives. In considering nonprofit management, one encounters a career path that promises job stability, diverse work experiences, and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the world.

Nonprofit managers contribute significantly to shaping our world for the better. They provide direction and strategy to organizations that help address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. A career in nonprofit management places you among these change-makers, dedicating your professional life to creating a positive impact. It’s a path that promises not just a career, but a mission, a community, and a chance to change the world.

9 Ways Live Bet Uganda Can Increase Your Productivity

While online sports betting platforms like Live Bet Uganda are primarily known for providing entertainment and opportunities for winning, they can also have unexpected positive effects on productivity. When used responsibly and in moderation, Live Bet Uganda can be a source of motivation and enhanced focus. This article will explore nine ways Live Bet Uganda can potentially increase your productivity. By understanding and utilizing these strategies, you can harness the benefits of online sports betting to optimize your productivity levels and achieve your goals effectively.

1. Goal Setting and Time Management:

Live Bet Uganda can inspire you to set clear goals and manage your time effectively. As you strategize your bets, you can apply similar principles to other aspects of your life. By setting specific goals and allocating dedicated time slots to work on them, you develop a disciplined approach that can translate into increased productivity in various areas of your life.

2. Boosting Motivation and Focus:

Engaging in Live Bet Uganda can serve as a motivating factor to work more efficiently. By setting milestones and rewarding yourself with betting opportunities upon completion of tasks, you create a system that boosts your motivation and keeps you focused on accomplishing your objectives. Expecting upcoming bets can incentivize you to complete your work promptly and effectively.

3. Enhancing Decision-Making Skills:

Live Bet Uganda requires sound decision-making skills as you assess odds, analyze statistics, and make informed choices. These skills can extend beyond betting and be applied to various areas of your life. Engaging with Live Bet Uganda can sharpen your decision-making abilities, enabling you to make quicker and more effective choices in work-related situations.

4. Developing Research and Analytical Skills:

Successful betting on Live Bet Uganda relies on thorough research and analysis. This practice can translate into improved research and analytical skills in other areas of your life. By applying the same rigor to gather information, evaluate options, and make informed decisions, you enhance your ability to approach tasks and challenges with a well-rounded perspective.

5. Managing Emotions and Stress:

Emotional control and stress management are crucial to betting on Live Bet Uganda. You develop resilience and emotional stability by learning to manage your emotions during wins and losses. These skills can benefit the workplace, helping you maintain composure, navigate challenges, and make rational decisions under pressure.

6. Improving Strategic Thinking:

Live Bet Ugandaencourages strategic thinking as you consider different outcomes and plan your bets accordingly. This practice can enhance your strategic thinking abilities in other areas of life, enabling you to anticipate potential obstacles, evaluate options, and devise effective strategies to achieve your goals.

7. Enhancing Numerical and Statistical Literacy:

Engaging with Live Bet Uganda involves interpreting odds, understanding statistics, and calculating probabilities. This process can improve your numerical and statistical literacy, making you more adept at analyzing data and drawing meaningful insights. These skills are valuable in many professional settings, especially those that involve data-driven decision-making.

8. Developing Discipline and Self-Control:

Responsible betting on Live Bet Uganda requires discipline and self-control. Setting limits, managing your bankroll, and sticking to predetermined strategies can instill a sense of discipline beyond betting. These qualities contribute to improved self-control and help you stay focused and committed to your work and personal goals.

9. Encouraging Healthy Competition:

Live Bet Uganda offers opportunities to compete against other bettors, fostering a healthy sense of competition. This can stimulate your drive to perform better and achieve success in various areas of your life. Embracing competition positively can push you to excel, increasing your productivity and overall performance.

Conclusion:

While Live Bet Uganda is primarily a platform for sports betting entertainment, it can also provide unexpected benefits to your productivity. By leveraging goal setting, motivation, decision-making skills, research and analysis, emotional management, strategic thinking, numerical literacy, discipline, and healthy competition, you can optimize your productivity and succeed in various aspects of your life. However, it’s essential to remember that responsible and controlled usage of Live Bet Uganda is crucial. Ensure that you strike a healthy balance between betting activities and other important commitments to maintain productivity and overall well-being.

5 Things You’re Doing That Are Killing Your Culture

We were kind of crazy about culture at IBM. We knew that happy employees make happy customers make happy shareholders. Plus, it’s just a lot more fun to go to work when you enjoy the environment, your co-workers and the company’s mission. We make it a point to study great cultures—Disney, Zappos and NetFlix are on our list- and we’re huge followers of Jim Collins’ work regarding culture building. We even have a staff position dedicated to running the company’s culture.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that creating a great culture almost always boils down to the management-employee relationship. The natural wedges that typically drive apart management and employees must be attacked constantly.

The complete list of those wedges is massive, but I’ve found they all generally fall into one of five big categories. If you’re serious about creating a great corporate culture, here are the five areas in which you need to assess your company:

Hiding the numbers

Does everyone in your company know where the company stands financially? Along with the usual financial suspects – revenues, expenses, profit, cashflow – ensure that employees know the key drivers of performance metrics. And make sure they know how the company’s doing with them? The more you share, the more people can make a difference.

Hoarding the decision-making

It’s easy to keep decision-making authority restricted to one person or a small group. But by empowering front-line employees – regardless of their title – to solve problems, you allow them to grow. People generally live up to the decision-making power they’re granted.

Withholding praise

In Marcus Buckingham’s book, “First Break all the Rules,” he suggests people need specific positive feedback on their job performance AT LEAST every seven days. Are you doing this with your direct reports? If not, their fire may be dying.

Catch them doing something good. Some managers believe people shouldn’t be praised because they are paid to perform. Other managers know people perform better when they are praised. The former managers rarely create anything great, leaving a wake of resentful employees in their path.

Bottling up the strategy

Is your strategy plan clearly articulated, written out and shared with the company or stuck in the recesses of your mind? An un-articulated strategy is almost certain to fail… especially if you’ve got more than an employee or two.

Talking down to employees

Too many in the labor pool are made to feel like second class citizens. Intelligence and good ideas are hardly confined to owners and managers. At the heart of great cultures, you’ll find leaders who love working with others, leaders who want to “partner” with employees to create a great company.

Too many people say they want to create a great culture, but don’t want to overcome the one, fundamental barrier to culture building: Ego. If you’re not willing to see your employees as equals, stop saying you want to build a great culture, because it won’t happen.

Some Great Leadership Stories to Learn From

Everyone has a unique style, don’t they? That includes leadership stories also. Here we will show that the most effective leaders have the ability to discover unexpected opportunities, share ideas in a way that gets other people excited, and surround themselves with smart, passionate people. We will accomplish this by sharing some great leadership stories and examples.

Let’s get started:

Go for better conversations

A strong leader is a great communicator – someone who’s both an inquisitive conversationalist and an engaged, active listener. Everyone wants to be heard, and etiquette coach and entrepreneur Jacqueline Whitmore says you can start connecting better by asking more open-ended questions, such as “Tell me, what did you enjoy the most about the conference?”

9. Employers Benefit Most When Every Hiring Candidate Has a Good Experience
There’s no doubt about it, looking for a job is stressful, whether you’re the job seeker or the manager who wants to find the right person for their team. Maintaining office morale starts with the first interview, and keeping the lines of communication and honesty open (with updates and feedback in both directions) goes a long way toward making the hiring process constructive for everyone.

Andrew Carnegie
Leadership Lessons

1. The value of hard work

Andrew Carnegie proved to everyone the value of continual hard work in his life. His hard work caused him to be noticed by his superiors, who gave him promotions even at a young age.

In this world of instant everything, we need to fall back on the principle of continual hard work. Victory and success in life ONLY come through years after years of working hard. There are no shortcuts to success.

There are a lot of distractions nowadays with the advent of social media. Stories of people who seemingly become successful overnight can tempt anyone to succumb to the belief that lasting success can come instantly. You need to filter out these temptations and remind your team to work hard for their goals.

2. It’s not about what you know, but who you know

Andrew Carnegie understood the importance of this principle and he purposefully went all out to get to know people of prominence in his community whenever he had the chance. His connections ultimately brought him invaluable collaborations and partnerships for his business.

Your network is your net worth. While it is important to gain knowledge and skills for yourself, it’s even better if you can find somebody who already has all that and is willing to partner with you. Spend more time getting to know people within your industry and even without.

Connections will become an important resource for you either now or eventually.

3. Giving back

At age 33, Andrew Carnegie was already doing extremely well in his life, making USD$50,000 a year. However, he found emptiness in his life in his riches. It was then that he realized that a life lived for self was a very empty life.

As a leader, you need to understand that we live to become a blessing to the people around us. This includes the people you benefit through your organization. If you seek to succeed at the expense of others or seek to take and hoard, you’ll find yourself living a very empty life.

It is important, therefore, to live your life to give and to teach your team as well to live a life to give. With that attitude, you will succeed and become a leader of significance in your life.

8. Habits of the World’s Wealthiest People (Infographic)
There are more than 30 million millionaires on the planet. For those who want to join their ranks, it may be worth taking a peek at the activities they do regularly. Among them: exercise, eat healthily, read voraciously, and network, network, network.

7.9 Things Successful People Won’t Do
Feelings and emotions can affect our work in ways we don’t even realize. High-performing leaders understand that staying positive – not holding grudges, dwelling on problems, or spending time focusing on negative influences — is an integral part of setting and accomplishing their goals.

One of my favorite leadership-by-example stories is that of Mahatma Gandhi. How closely does what you say as a leader align with what you do? Read on… Here is another great story to share with other leaders. May we all be better leaders as we lead by example this coming year.

In the 1930’s there was a young boy who had become addicted to and obsessed with eating sugar. His mother decided to get help and took the long and hot journey with her son walking many miles and hours under the scorching sun.

She finally reached Gandhi and asked him to tell her son to stop eating sugar, it wasn’t good for his health. Gandhi replied, “I cannot tell him that. But you may bring him back in a few weeks and then I will talk to him.” The mother was confused and upset and took the boy home.

Two weeks later she came back. This time Gandhi looked directly at the boy and said “Boy, you should stop eating sugar. It is not good for your health.” The boy nodded his head and promised he wouldn’t. The boy’s mother was puzzled. She asked, “Why didn’t you tell him that two weeks ago when I brought him here to see you?”

Gandhi smiled and said, “Mother, two weeks ago I was eating a lot of sugar myself.”

Wow!

– See more at: http://www.teamworkandleadership.com/2011/01/my-favorite-leadership-by-example-story-ever-powerful.html#sthash.pVePBy0K.dpuf

6. Successful Entrepreneurs Do These 5 Things Daily
We have all experienced failure, but career consultant Meiko Patton says that there are ways you can learn from these obstacles and channel them into something even more fulfilling. Patton says that disciplined leaders who aren’t afraid to fail, and who take time to recharge and help others are well on their way to long-term success.

5. 50 Signs You Might Be an Entrepreneur
Are you hardworking, driven, competitive, collaborative, imaginative, a people person, or a problem-solver? Then you may just be an entrepreneur.

Steve Jobs
Leadership Lessons

Persistence is the key
Steve Jobs was a very persistent person and it was most exemplified through his exit from Apple. He would not give up but went on to start NeXT computers which would eventually be acquired by Apple Computers Inc.

If Jobs were like most people, he would have given up and spent the rest of his life being bitter about his loss. Instead, his success brought him back into the doors of Apple and eventually he led Apple to an unprecedented level of success.

As a leader, you have to be ready to face setbacks. Setbacks are a part of life and whether you become successful or not often depends on your ability not to give up. It is all the more important to display this attribute, especially if you want to build a never-say-die team.

2. Innovation brings leadership
Jobs saw the power of innovation in building his company. Till today, we can see the innovative power of Apple Computers Inc as it continues to take market leadership in the industry through the iPhone and iPad.

If you want to maintain your leadership in the industry, you have to be the one who’s constantly up with new ideas, and new initiatives, all in the spirit of moving your organizational mission forward. In whatever industry you’re in, your constant innovation in alignment with your mission will keep you ahead of the pack.

4. Is Your Brain Limiting Your Entrepreneurial Success?
It’s human nature to look for patterns – and to only see what we want or expect, from our past experience. But an innovative leader is always on the lookout for new opportunities and prospects and points of view, wherever they go.

Walt Disney
Leadership Lessons

1. Never stop dreaming

Walt Disney was a dreamer. He never stopped trying out new things, creating new cartoons no matter how successful he was already. He never became complacent that he stopped innovating.

You must also never stop innovating and dreaming about new possibilities; the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. The same desire for innovation is also the same desire to continually learn and grow to become better.

2. Keep on keeping on

Disney suffered many setbacks in his career. Most of us would like to believe that Walt Disney just thought of creating Mickey Mouse one day and became an overnight success, but a quick read of his biography will have you realize that Disney went through many discouraging moments before his success with Mickey Mouse, which happened about 10 years after his first attempt at a business.

You need to have a tenacity to keep on going. Every person will go through tough times, especially when he/she’s chasing after a huge dream or goal. But is your tenacity that will cause you to stand out from the rest and attract people to follow you.

3. You’ll Never Hear Successful People Say These 15 Phrases
If you’re building a new company, take phrases like “I don’t know what that is,” “I did everything on my own,” or “If our competitors don’t have it, then we don’t need it” out of your lexicon. Successful entrepreneur knows they can’t go it alone – and that there is always something new to learn.

2. The SEAL Teams Don’t Accept These 10 Phrases, and Neither Should You
To run a tight ship, you can’t go wrong by taking a page or two out of the SEAL Team playbook. Hold yourself and your team accountable and be decisive – which means you should avoid saying something like “Let’s hold off on this issue until the next meeting,” or “I can’t do that.”

1. Chart Goals to Create a Road Map to Your Success
Don’t be intimidated by the scope of your idea – create smaller checkpoints that build up to your bigger achievement. Resilient leaders push themselves to accomplish their goals but allow some room to change or improvise as they go.

What Best Buy Taught Me about Customer Service

I’d like to introduce you to Kyle. Kyle is an example of the things that are right in Best Buy’s customer service. It’s not that Kyle is the only example of great customer service at Best Buy, but I was so delighted with my new Samsung Behold II that I didn’t get a picture of Jeff, who signed me up but suffice it to say he looked like he just started to shave.

Here is how the story goes:

A customer walks into a store

A couple of weeks ago, I walked into my local Best Buy store to shop for a smartphone. What I wanted was to buy an Android phone that was not going to lock me into a particular service plan for two years and a plan that would give me unlimited phone minutes, data, and text for a price that I was happy with.

I certainly got that, but I also came out with an extraordinary impression of Best Buy. I’ve been thinking a lot about customer service myself as my agency works with its clients on this subject. Over the two weeks or so I’ve owned my new phone, Best Buy’s customer service has done nothing but reinforce my initial impression.

This may surprise you, but receiving actual extraordinary customer service is rare enough in my life that I find it difficult to find examples to learn from. So I thought I’d deconstruct Kyle’s and Best Buy’s customer service for what I could learn.

Lessons I’ve Learned

Be classy

When someone is switching to your services from working with another company, often they’ll explain to you what their reasons are for switching. I was pretty clear about what my reasons for switching were when I was buying my phone from Kyle. While he was always helpful, he never once took my whining as an excuse to pile on to the competitor. I’m not sure if this is something trained for Best Buy s employees or if it is just how Kyle is, but I was impressed with the class he used in handling the situation.

Be patient

I gave every Android phone there a thorough working over and asked lots of questions, and Kyle never once treated me as if he’d rather be “getting on with it.” Instead, he showed patience and understanding that this was a significant purchase that I’d be affected by for months, if not years, to come. My clients are spending a heck of a lot more money with me than I ever will with Best Buy, for design that is far more business-critical than my cell phone is to me. No matter what other projects I have going or even important tasks for that client’s project, I need to constantly remind myself to take whatever time I need to take to ensure the clients’ designs are the correct ones for them.

Be friendly

Kyle took a few moments out whenever a new customer came into the store to greet him or her. And it was a genuine, friendly greeting. I had the feeling that Kyle knew exactly how each person’s kids were doing in little league. While on one level, this was annoying, on another level I really appreciated knowing that existing customers were treated so well. And, of course, the implication was not lost on me that if I became a Best Buy customer, this is how I’d be treated.

Avoid paranoia

One of the things that Kyle said to me as he closed the sale was, “We want you to be with Best Buy because you want to be with Best Buy.” This was in stark contrast to my previous carrier. Even though I’d been with them for eight years, they refused to sell me a phone I’d be happy with at a reasonable price without locking me into a 2-year contract.

That particular company exacerbated the problem by associating themselves closely with the manufacturer of their most over-hyped phone, one that claims to deliver wonderful experiences by forcing you to have exactly the experience they want.

Shortly after I went into business, I had several clients not pay me, to the tune of enough money that it pretty well screwed my credit. So for a while, I was all about ensuring that my clients were locked down about as tight as I could get them. But you know what? If you do that for long enough and don’t ever extend any trust to your clients, sooner or later they’ll start counting the days until they are allowed to leave.

I don’t want my clients to think about me like that.

Don’t make clients feel bad

As I mentioned before, between having a couple of clients not pay early on and having my property hit by a major hurricane, my credit is not perfect. When Kyle ran my credit, Best Buy already had a plan in place that was perfect for where I am in the credit repair process. Everything went smoothly, and I didn’t have to stammer out any explanations about hurricanes and bad clients.

Once I had my phone, I had an issue where the flash would go on and off while I was trying to use the camera for QR code scanning. I called up the store with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. I was afraid I’d allowed myself to get stuck with a bum device, despite the fact that they’d explained I could return the phone within 14 days for a full refund.

“If I can’t get this resolved, I’m going to have to return it,” I proclaimed.

“OK,” said the voice on the other end of the phone.

Completely took the wind out of my sails. And when I took the phone into the shop, Kyle competently verified the problem, not remotely implying that I was stupid or insane to even have a problem. Amazingly, she even knew what to do to fix it, though we were both surprised that it worked.

How many times do we as designers feel the need to “prove” that a problem that the customer is having is because they’re doing something wrong? Even if they are, a better way to handle all around is just to tell them what the right procedure is, going to screen sharing if necessary.

If it really is your problem, you haven’t said something nasty to someone you then need to apologize for.

When I left with my new Behold II, I had something else as well–a business card from Best Buy with Kyle’s personal phone number on it, in case I had questions. I strongly doubt that Best Buy insists its employees do this, but it’s hard to beat having motivated employees who will take it upon themselves to extend this kind of personal touch.

What Have You Learned?

How about you? Do you have stories of people or companies that have completely “wowed” you with their customer service? Please share.

Business Lessons I Learned Before 30

Learning starts right from the moment we are born, even though we may not consciously remember every lesson we learned we still practice them every day because our subconscious is much more powerful than our conscious. I am a student of life, and I love to learn, be it a skill, sport, technology, philosophy, or anything for that matter and what I enjoy more is sharing what I learned. I believe in sharing because it helps you spread knowledge, helps others not make the same mistake as you did, and helps you learn and remember those business lessons even better.

Now, I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 14 when I started a comic book company and since then I’ve started many businesses like every other human being and entrepreneur, I’ve learned quite a few lessons along the way. This post is an attempt to document and share those lessons, in an attempt to help you not make the same mistakes as I did and revisit these lessons myself…

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. Action is what counts so, take action, even if it’s not very significant progress toward your business, this step would get the ball rolling. Do it.
Solving a problem or filling a gap is the only way to entrepreneurship. Be a good observer. Look at the current players and their services, interview a few customers, and identify a problem or issue with the current product and service. Then, solve it.
KISS – Keep it simple, stupid. No matter what you do, nothing beats simple, be it a business plan or an email communication, or anything in between. Staying simple would make you far more efficient and save a lot of time, headache, and money too.
Help comes where you expect it the least from. So, network. Talk to anyone and everyone, tell them about your business when they ask what you do, and soon you’ll master your business pitch and be connected to lots of people.
The “right time” is a delusion. Tell me about one thing you did at the perfect time…Perfect timing doesn’t exist. It’s either now or never. What’s your pick?
Don’t Try to do it all by yourself. No one can. So learn the art of delegation and outsourcing.
Don’t Fall in love with your idea. This one is the most important because you don’t want to blindfold yourselves to the feasibility part of the business. A business in order to be profitable has to be feasible and sustainable.
Not everyone is as excited about your business as you are. Yes, and that includes your friends and family. So, try to gauge the interest level of people before you ask them for partnership and/or any help.
For entrepreneurs, failure doesn’t exist; it is a mistake. Not everything you do is going to be a success so, learn to learn from mistakes and make the best use of that experience to turn it into a success next time. Remember, the only difference between losers and winners is that losers quit when they fail, and winners fail until they win.
Always have a plan B. Plan B, according to me is Plan B(est). Not everything you plan would work out the way you planned simply because there are way too many micro and macro elements in business and the market that are out of your control.
A business needs a plan to be successful. You don’t need to write a 100-page business plan to dust on your shelf, but you need to jot down a quick and actionable plan to guide you through the process. Yes, you need a business plan, even if you are not seeking loans or investments.
A business needs a system to be successful: A business without a system is merely a job you’ve bought for yourself. You’d still be trading hours for dollars and would stay in a rat race unless you build a system to scale your venture.
Learn to say ‘No’: Enough said!
Avoid business with your “friends”: Be very careful in setting up expectations if you’re working with friends. You don’t want to ruin a good relationship/ friendship for anything. So, make sure you keep the communication open and transparent, avoid polarization at any cost, appreciate (express that you do) the help, and most importantly try to manage and not boss around.
Partner with friends: Although contradicting to lesson#14 (above) Avoid business with your “friends”, a friend in need is a friend indeed. This is very important, friends who stood by me when I was in need, made me realize how fortunate I was to have them as my friends and I knew I could count on them. Make sure you do not put them on the test again and be there when they might need you.
Don’t fritter the earnings right away: Save for the rainy day, save for the shiny day… You have no idea how wildly your cash flow may fluctuate in a startup setting so, set aside some savings to fund those dry days or weeks.
Money matters: You are in it for money, so make sure you make money. Changing the world is great, and doing what you love is great, but check the financial viability or sustainability of the idea otherwise, you won’t be able to do it long enough for the first two reasons.
Money does NOT matter: May sound contradictory to the #17 above but it is not. If you’re in it ONLY for the money you’ll be outrun sooner than you could imagine, do something because it solves a problem, it fills a gap, it makes a difference, and not just for a quick buck.
Never Lie: It’s a small world, be truthful, because a lie has a very short life and it will not help you get far enough…
Luck favors the bold: As an entrepreneur, it is a practice to get out and make luck work for you and the only way to do it is through hard work and bold moves.
A big goal is only achieved when every little thing that you do every day, gets you closer to that goal…
There’s a big difference between giving up and changing directions. Be savvy and sensible enough to realize if something is not working you need to change the direction. And the fact that you’ve to change direction doesn’t mean you failed or that you’re giving up.
Ignore the naysayers: Oh these guys are idiots, in most cases these are the guys who never did anything themselves and they want to keep the rest of the world just like them. When you see a naysayer, just look at him and ask yourself, do you want to be like him? If yes, follow what he’s saying and if the answer was ‘no’, ignore the guy and stay away from him.
A coach is necessary. I once heard a wise man say “We are so immersed in doing what we are doing and what we think is right, that we miss the obvious”. And a coach helps you not miss the obvious and hence succeed.
Accept faults: Accepting a fault is the best way to deal with the situation. You can either keep wasting your time and brain arguing a fault or you can accept it and move on. I have gained more respect whenever I have said, “I stand corrected”.
Accept criticism and act on it: Listening is very important and especially to those who are thoughtful enough to give you constructive criticism. It is easy and pretty ego-inflating when everyone is telling you how awesome you are but make sure the constructive criticism never goes unheard.
Writing helps. Write your goals, reminders, tasks, dreams, and plans, and write everything. Writing helps your subconscious program your mind in much a better way than if you just keep thinking of those.
Dreams are always out of your comfort zone, so you need to step out of it.
Sow the seeds of opportunity. You know the old saying, do a good deed every day; I have a similar philosophy about opportunities. Make sure you seed at least one opportunity a day, it could be searching and connecting with a potential client or it could be connecting two people in your network who you think can benefit from each other’s connection, or anything these are seeds of opportunities, they’ll fruit in future.
Learning never stops. I love to learn and share what I learn. Please take a minute or two to share your lessons and help me learn more

Transform Your Law Firm with Powerful Digital Marketing Techniques

Introduction to digital marketing for law firms

The legal industry has traditionally relied on word of mouth and referrals to attract clients and transform your law firm. However, in today’s digital age, it is crucial for law firms to step up their marketing game and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the internet. Digital marketing for law firms provides a powerful way to grow your practice, engage with prospective clients, and ultimately increase your bottom line.

The online landscape has created a new set of challenges and opportunities for law firms. To stay competitive, it is essential to have a well-rounded digital marketing strategy that encompasses various tactics, including lead marketing strategies (LMS), local advertising, and multiple online channels. By investing in digital marketing, law firms can boost their visibility, establish themselves as thought leaders, and attract a wider audience.

Whether you are a small law firm or a large practice, digital marketing techniques can help you stay ahead of the competition and drive success in the modern legal landscape. In this article, we will discuss the various aspects of digital marketing for law firms, including lead marketing strategies, law firm marketing strategies for success, localizing your law firm promotion, lead generation for attorneys, and more.

Importance of lead marketing strategies (LMS) for law firms

Lead marketing strategies, or LMS, are an essential component of a successful digital marketing campaign for law firms. LMS focuses on generating and nurturing leads, ultimately turning them into clients. By implementing effective lead marketing strategies, law firms can not only increase their client base but also build long-lasting relationships with their clients.

One of the primary goals of LMS is to create a robust online presence, which includes optimizing your website for search engines (SEO), engaging in content marketing, and leveraging social media channels. By doing so, law firms can attract potential clients who are actively searching for legal services and advice.

Another crucial aspect of LMS is lead nurturing, which involves communicating with leads and providing them with valuable information and resources. By regularly engaging with leads and offering relevant content, law firms can showcase their expertise and build trust with prospective clients. This, in turn, makes it more likely that they will choose your firm when they require legal services.

Law firm marketing strategies for success

To achieve success in law firm digital marketing, law firms must develop a comprehensive and well-rounded strategy that addresses various aspects of online marketing. Here are some key law firm marketing strategies that can help you transform your practice and drive growth:

Content marketing: Creating high-quality, informative content is crucial for attracting and engaging potential clients. By sharing valuable insights and expertise, law firms can establish themselves as thought leaders in the industry and build trust with their audience.
Social media marketing: Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity for law firms to connect with their audience, share content, and drive traffic to their website. By engaging in attorney social media management, law firms can build brand awareness and foster relationships with potential clients.
Search engine optimization (SEO): SEO for lawyers involves optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results. By appearing at the top of search results, law firms can increase their visibility and attract more clients.
Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns: Lawyer PPC campaigns involve bidding on specific keywords to appear at the top of search results as sponsored ads. This can be an effective way to drive targeted traffic to your website and generate leads quickly.
Local SEO for law firms: Local SEO involves optimizing your online presence to appear in local search results. This is particularly important for law firms, as many clients search for legal services in their area.
Video marketing for attorneys: Video marketing can be a powerful tool for engaging with your audience and showcasing your expertise. By creating informative and compelling videos, law firms can reach a wider audience and build trust with potential clients.
Email marketing: Lawyer email marketing involves sending targeted emails to prospects and clients to nurture relationships and drive engagement. By sharing valuable content and updates, law firms can stay top-of-mind with their audience and foster loyalty.

These strategies, when used in conjunction with one another, can help law firms achieve success in the competitive digital landscape.

Localizing your law firm promotion: Long Island and New York legal marketing agency

For law firms operating in specific geographic areas, such as Long Island or New York City, it is essential to localize your marketing efforts. By targeting your audience based on their location, you can ensure that your marketing message resonates with potential clients in your area, ultimately driving more leads and conversions.

Localizing your law firm promotion can involve various strategies, including targeting local keywords in your SEO efforts, engaging in local advertising, and optimizing your website for local search results. By doing so, you can increase your visibility in your target market and attract clients who are actively searching for legal services in your area.

Working with a local legal marketing agency can be an effective way to localize your marketing efforts. These agencies have a deep understanding of the local market and can provide tailored solutions to help your law firm succeed. By leveraging their expertise, you can ensure that your marketing message reaches the right audience and drives results.

Lead generation for attorneys: techniques and tips

Lead generation is a crucial aspect of digital marketing for law firms, as it involves attracting potential clients and converting them into paying customers. To generate leads effectively, law firms must employ various techniques and strategies. Here are some tips for successful lead generation for attorneys:

Optimize your website: Your website is often the first point of contact between your law firm and potential clients. Ensure that your site is user-friendly, visually appealing, and contains relevant information about your services.
Leverage content marketing: By creating high-quality, informative content, law firms can attract potential clients and establish themselves as thought leaders in the industry. This can include blog posts, infographics, eBooks, and more.
Use landing pages: Landing pages are standalone web pages that are designed to convert visitors into leads. By creating targeted landing pages for specific services or offers, law firms can increase their chances of generating leads.
Engage in social media marketing: Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity for law firms to connect with their audience and generate leads. By engaging with potential clients and sharing valuable content, law firms can build relationships and drive leads.
Offer incentives: Offering incentives, such as free consultations or eBooks, can be an effective way to entice potential clients to provide their contact information and become leads.
Leverage PPC advertising: Pay-per-click advertising can be an effective way to generate leads quickly. By bidding on specific keywords, law firms can appear at the top of search results and drive targeted traffic to their website.

By employing these lead generation techniques and strategies, law firms can attract and convert more leads, ultimately driving growth and success.

Digital marketing essentials for law firms

In addition to lead marketing strategies and other marketing tactics, there are several digital marketing essentials that law firms should be aware of. These include:

a. SEO for lawyers

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results. For law firms, SEO is essential, as it can drive targeted traffic to your website and increase your visibility in search results.

To optimize your website for SEO, you should focus on keyword research, on-page optimization, and off-page optimization. This involves understanding the keywords that potential clients are searching for, optimizing your website content for those keywords, and building high-quality backlinks to your site.

b. Legal content marketing

Content marketing involves creating high-quality, informative content to attract and engage potential clients. For law firms, content marketing can be a powerful tool for establishing thought leadership, building trust with clients, and driving traffic to your website.

Legal content marketing can take many forms, including blog posts, eBooks, whitepapers, infographics, and more. By creating content that addresses common legal questions and concerns, law firms can attract and engage potential clients and position themselves as experts in the industry.

Social media platforms offer an excellent opportunity for law firms to connect with their audience, share content, and drive traffic to their website. However, social media management can be time-consuming and challenging, particularly for busy law firms.

By working with an experienced social media management agency, law firms can leverage the power of social media without having to invest significant time and resources. These agencies can handle all aspects of social media management, including content creation, scheduling, and analytics.

d. Law firm web design

Your website is often the first point of contact between your law firm and potential clients. Therefore, it is essential to have a website that is visually appealing, user-friendly, and optimized for search engines.

Working with a professional web design agency can help you create a website that is tailored to your law firm’s needs and goals. These agencies can handle everything from design and development to SEO and content creation, ensuring that your website is optimized for success.

e. Lawyer PPC campaigns

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising involves bidding on specific keywords to appear at the top of search results as sponsored ads. For law firms, PPC campaigns can be an effective way to generate leads quickly and drive targeted traffic to your website.

To run successful lawyer PPC campaigns, it is essential to understand how to bid on keywords effectively, write compelling ad copy, and optimize landing pages for conversions. Working with a PPC agency can help you navigate these complexities and generate results quickly.

f. Local SEO for law firms

Local SEO involves optimizing your online presence to appear in local search results. For law firms, local SEO is essential, as many clients search for legal services in their area.

To optimize your website for local SEO, you should focus on local keyword research, optimizing your Google My Business listing, and building local citations and backlinks. By doing so, you can increase your visibility in local search results and attract more clients in your area.

g. Video marketing for attorneys

Video marketing can be a powerful tool for engaging with your audience and showcasing your expertise. For law firms, video marketing can be particularly effective, as it allows you to convey complex legal information in an engaging and accessible format.

To create successful video marketing campaigns, you should focus on creating informative and compelling videos that address common legal questions and concerns. You should also optimize your videos for SEO and promote them through social media and other channels.

Legal marketing consultation: benefits and options

Working with a legal marketing consultant can be an effective way to develop a comprehensive and customized digital marketing strategy for your law firm. Legal marketing consultants can provide valuable insights and recommendations based on their experience and expertise, helping you achieve success in the competitive online landscape.

There are several options for legal marketing consultation, including working with a freelance consultant, hiring an agency, or attending a legal marketing workshop or seminar. Each option has its benefits and drawbacks, so it is essential to do your research and choose the option that best fits your needs and budget.

Law firm reputation management: maintaining a positive image

In today’s digital age, it is essential for law firms to maintain a positive online reputation. This involves monitoring your online presence, addressing negative reviews and comments, and actively engaging with your audience to build trust and loyalty.

Law firm reputation management can involve various tactics, including monitoring review sites and social media platforms, responding to negative reviews and comments promptly, and actively engaging with your audience through social media and other channels.

By maintaining a positive online reputation, law firms can establish themselves as trustworthy and reliable, ultimately driving more leads and conversions.

Lawyer email marketing: best practices and tips

Email marketing can be a powerful tool for nurturing relationships with potential and existing clients. For law firms, email marketing can be particularly effective, as it allows you to share valuable content and updates with your audience.

To run successful lawyer email marketing campaigns, you should focus on creating targeted email lists, segmenting your audience based on their interests and needs, and providing valuable content and resources. You should also optimize your emails for mobile devices and track your campaign’s performance regularly.

By following these best practices and tips, law firms can leverage the power of email marketing to nurture relationships with clients and drive growth.

Law firm advertising in New York: opportunities and regulations

Advertising for law firms in New York is subject to various rules and regulations. These regulations are designed to protect consumers and ensure that law firms advertise ethically and accurately.

Law firm advertising in New York can take many forms, including TV ads, billboards, online ads, and more. However, law firms must comply with the regulations set forth by the New York State Bar Association, such as avoiding false or misleading advertising claims and disclosing their fees and services.

By working with a legal marketing agency that understands New York’s advertising regulations, law firms can create effective and compliant advertising campaigns that drive results.

Conclusion and next steps for your law firm’s digital marketing journey with Lead Marketing Strategies

Digital marketing offers a powerful way for law firms to grow their practice, engage with potential clients, and establish themselves as thought leaders in the industry. By implementing effective lead marketing strategies, localizing their marketing efforts, and leveraging various online channels, law firms can drive growth and success in today’s digital age.

To get started on your law firm’s digital marketing journey, consider working with a trusted and experienced legal marketing agency like Lead Marketing Strategies. Our team of experts can help you develop a comprehensive and customized digital marketing strategy that addresses your unique needs and goals, ultimately driving growth and success for your practice.

Contact us today at lawfirmmarketingstrategies.com to learn more about how we can transform your law firm with powerful digital marketing techniques.

The Zen of Distinguishing Your Leadership Behaviors

A great quote can provide personal inspiration and can be used to educate others. We like to open most of our blogs with an enlightening quotation that relates to the topic. Distinguishing your leadership behaviors is one area of consistent interest to us.

I was raised to believe I could become whatever I bothered to learn. No single idea has served me better

Ever wondered how the best leaders handle distinguishing their leadership behaviors so effortlessly? The truth is, most highly successful people do stumble, worry, and doubt themselves, just like the rest of us. But they are very good at mastering the way they are perceived.

Zen teaches that the potential to achieve enlightenment is inherent in everyone but lies dormant because of ignorance. It is best awakened not by the study of scripture or the practice of good deeds, but by breaking through the boundaries of mundane logical thought. The ability to distinguish your leadership behaviors certainly breaks through these boundaries.

I have been in the military and business world for forty years and often get asked what I believe are the most important leadership behaviors. It takes time and practice to be a top-line leader. You are not borne with leadership behaviors. And you are never done developing them.

My experience leads me to this list of xx business leadership behaviors that most successful leaders all share. They rank as the most significant to success as a leader in my perspective.

If you want to be a better leader, work on continuously distinguishing this list of leadership behaviors:

Commitment

People believe in those leaders that stand strong through adversity.

Inspire and motivate

No matter how good you are, you will only be as successful as your team. So, getting the most from each team member is critical. We call this a multiplier leader. Multiplier leaders know the importance of bringing out the smarts and capabilities in everyone around them. Great leaders inspire motivation and learning. They create environments where learners feel empowered, impassioned, and engaged.

Clarity

People trust the clear and mistrust the ambiguous.

Connection

People like to be around people with whom they have relationships.

Boost team self-esteem

We have written about employee attitude and engagement on several occasions. Employee attitude is so critical that it can’t be overemphasized. It trickles down from employers. Your business can never be what it can be if you don’t focus on employee happiness.

Leaders should make employees feel good about themselves. It is something all people crave. Constantly criticizing and pointing out the flaws in an employee is a surefire way to decrease morale and performance.

Consistency

People love to see things done in a consistent way. They like to know what to expect.

Character

People take notice of those who do what is right over what is easy.

Vision

People need leaders who communicate a clear and compelling vision of the future.

Continuous learning

People always put more confidence in those who continually expand their skills and talents. Especially those who share their know-how in these new talents.

Results-oriented

People always respond to great results.

Patience

Many leaders are intolerant of others who might do things differently or at a pace the leader finds unacceptable. Action-oriented leaders may have a tendency to jump to conclusions before things are thought through. The lack of patience can manifest itself as anger or decisions that aren’t fully thought through. The most effective leadership behaviors reflect patience.

Live your strengths

Good leaders coach what makes you effective so you can tap into those skills at any time.

Guide talent

Coach your teams and develop their future paths. People respond favorably to leaders offering help.

Compassion

People put faith in those who care the most beyond themselves.

Guide teamwork

People love working as part of great teams. They appreciate leaders who coach teamwork and develop their future paths.

Sizzle

People appreciate a more magnetic and memorable communicator.

Inspire change

Many people don’t do well with change. They do favorably respond to leaders who explain the need for change.

Remove barriers

People are frustrated with obstacles and barriers. They appreciate leaders who continually focus on removing them.

Pay attention to the bottom line: the best leaders help their people succeed.

Some 30 Business Lessons I Learned Before I Was 40

Learning starts right from the moment we are born, even though we may not consciously remember the business lessons we learned we still practice them every day because our subconscious is much more powerful than our conscious.

I am a student of life, and I love to learn, be it a skill, sport, technology, philosophy, or anything for that matter and what I enjoy more is sharing what I learned. I believe in sharing because it helps you spread knowledge, helps others not make the same mistake as you did, and helps you learn and remember those lessons even better.

Now, I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 14 when I started a comic book rental company and since then I’ve started many businesses like every other human being and entrepreneur, I’ve learned quite a few lessons along the way.

This post documents and shares those lessons, in an attempt to help you not make the same mistakes as I did and revisit these lessons myself…

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. Action is what counts so, take action, even if it’s not very significant progress toward your business, this step would get the ball rolling. Do it.
Solving a problem or filling a gap is the only way to entrepreneurship. Be a good observer. Look at the current players and their services, interview a few customers, and identify a problem or issue with the current product and service. Then, solve it.
KISS – Keep it simple, stupid. No matter what you do, nothing beats simple, be it a business plan or an email communication, or anything in between. Staying simple would make you far more efficient and save a lot of time, headache, and money too.
Help comes where you expect it the least from. So, network. Talk to anyone and everyone, tell them about your business when they ask what you do, and soon you’ll master your business pitch and be connected to lots of people.
The “right time” is a delusion. Tell me about one thing you did at the perfect time…Perfect timing doesn’t exist. It’s either now or never. What’s your pick?
Don’t Try to do it all by yourself. No one can. So learn the art of delegation and outsourcing.
Don’t Fall in love with your idea. This one is the most important because you don’t want to blindfold yourselves to the feasibility part of the business. A business in order to be profitable has to be feasible and sustainable.
Not everyone is as excited about your business as you are. Yes, and that includes your friends and family. So, try to gauge the interest level of people before you ask them for partnership and/or any help.
For entrepreneurs, failure doesn’t exist; it is a mistake. Not everything you do is going to be a success so, learn to learn from mistakes and make the best use of that experience to turn it into a success next time. Remember, the only difference between losers and winners is that losers quit when they fail, and winners fail until they win.
Always have a plan B. Plan B, according to me is Plan B(est). Not everything you plan would work out the way you planned simply because there are way too many micro and macro elements in business and the market that are out of your control.
A business needs the plan to be successful. You don’t need to write a 100-page business plan to dust on your shelf, but you need to jot down a quick and actionable plan to guide you through the process. Yes, you need a business plan, even if you are not seeking loans or investments.
A business needs a system to be successful: A business without a system is merely a job you’ve bought for yourself. You’d still be trading hours for dollars and would stay in a rat race unless you build a system to scale your venture.
Learn to say ‘No’: Enough said!
Avoid business with your “friends”: Be very careful in setting up expectations if you’re working with friends. You don’t want to ruin a good relationship/ friendship for anything. So, make sure you keep the communication open and transparent, avoid polarization at any cost, appreciate (express that you do) the help, and most importantly try to manage and not boss around.
Partner with friends: Although contradicting lesson#14 (above) Avoid business with your “friends”, a friend in need is a friend indeed. This is very important, friends who stood by me when I was in need, made me realize how fortunate I was to have them as my friends and I knew I could count on them. Make sure you do not put them on the test again and be there when they might need you.
Don’t fritter the earnings right away: Save for the rainy day, save for the shiny day… You have no idea how wildly your cash flow may fluctuate in a startup setting so, set aside some savings to fund those dry days or weeks.
Money matters: You are in it for money, so make sure you make money. Changing the world is great, and doing what you love is great, but check the financial viability or sustainability of the idea otherwise, you won’t be able to do it long enough for the first two reasons.
Money does NOT matter: May sound contradictory to the #17 above but it is not. If you’re in it ONLY for the money you’ll be outrun sooner than you could imagine, do something because it solves a problem, it fills a gap, it makes a difference, and not just for a quick buck.
Never Lie: It’s a small world, be truthful, because a lie has a very short life and it will not help you get far enough…
Luck favors the bold: As an entrepreneur, it is a practice to get out and make luck work for you and the only way to do it is through hard work and bold moves.
A big goal is only achieved when every little thing that you do every day, gets you closer to that goal…
There’s a big difference between giving up and changing directions. Be savvy and sensible enough to realize if something is not working you need to change the direction. And the fact that you’ve to change direction doesn’t mean you failed or that you’re giving up.
Ignore the naysayers: Oh these guys are idiots, in most cases, these are the guys who never did anything themselves and they want to keep the rest of the world just like them. When you see a naysayer, just look at him and ask yourself, do you want to be like him? If yes, follow what he’s saying and if the answer was ‘no’, ignore the guy and stay away from him.
A coach is necessary. I once heard a wise man say “we are so immersed in doing what we are doing and what we think is right, that we miss the obvious”. And a coach helps you not miss the obvious and hence succeed.
Accept faults: Accepting a fault is the best way to deal with the situation. You can either keep wasting your time and brain arguing about a fault or you can accept it and move on. I have gained more respect whenever I have said, “I stand corrected”.
Accept criticism and act on it: Listening is very important and especially to those who are thoughtful enough to give you constructive criticism. It is easy and pretty ego-inflating when everyone is telling you how awesome you are but make sure the constructive criticism never goes unheard.
Writing helps. Write your goals, reminders, tasks, dreams, and plans, and write everything. Writing helps your subconscious program your mind in much a better way than if you just keep thinking of those.
Dreams are always out of your comfort zone, so you need to step out of them.
Sow the seeds of opportunity. You know the old saying, do a good deed every day; I have a similar philosophy about opportunities. Make sure you seed at least one opportunity a day, it could be searching and connecting with a potential client or it could be connecting two people in your network who you think can benefit from each other’s connection, or anything these are seeds of opportunities, they’ll fruit in future.
Learning never stops. I love to learn and share what I learn. Please take a minute or two to share your lessons and help me learn more

Build These Work Habits to Increase Business Success

It really is never too late for reinventing yourself, is it? Or looking for ways to improve work habits. If you believe otherwise, you may want to consider hanging it up. Knowing yourself is the key to increase business success lessons, isn’t it?

Are you aware of the impact of awesome habits for success and positive thinking on your personal development? But how to best build these habits and this positive attitude is another matter, isn’t it?

How have you ever used checklists to improve your productivity … or perhaps your positive mental thinking? How well did they work for you?

We often use checklists to achieve our goal to refresh and reinforce habits and attitudes critical to our success and ability to see opportunity in every difficulty.

Related: 10 Life Lessons You Need to Learn Early

After college, I spent almost 2 years training as a naval aviator. An important element of that training was the use of checklists in the learning and refresher process. Checklist utilization remains an important part of my business life. It is always a good idea to have a helpful checklist for reminders of improvements for your business or your personal life.

You will perhaps have heard this very old story illustrating the difference between positive and negative thinking:

Many years ago two salesmen were sent by a British shoe manufacturer to Africa to investigate and report back on market potential.

The first salesman reported back, “There is no potential here – nobody wears shoes.”

The second salesman reported back, “There is massive potential here – nobody wears shoes.”

This simple short story provides one of the best examples of how a single situation may be viewed in two quite different ways – negatively or positively. And it is not difficult to see which one you want, eh?

I keep a stack of 10 or so checklists that I rotate and update occasionally. I pull out one checklist to read and contemplate for 5-10 minutes as a way to start each day. I find it puts my thinking in the right frame of mind.

Here is one checklist example of simple reminders to improve the odds of success in any task that I or my team may be doing:

Arrive early

Always come in early (at least 15 minutes). Getting organized for your day’s priorities will help your performance as well as your reputation.

Speak up

Listen well, but always be thinking of adding your opinions and value to the team.

Single task

Select 1 major project to focus on each day. Keep other smaller efforts to a minimum.

Play to strengths

Select tasks that play to your strengths as much as you can. Delegate tasks related to your weaknesses to someone with strengths in those areas.

Networking

Never be done with your networking efforts, and it takes lots of effort and persistence. To build relationships, keep in touch with friends in meaningful ways.

Attention

Pay attention to things like stress which impact your attention and concentration. Avoid multitasking and take short breaks every hour to two hours.

Take a real lunch

Make time for a real lunch, where you should avoid business topics. Go to lunch with different people, preferably ones with whom you are building relationships.

Find things to make you laugh

Don’t take things too seriously … find time for smiles and a little laughter. Learn to laugh at your own mistakes.

Your estimates

Pay attention to your estimates and avoid being aggressive at all costs. Estimate with success in mind. This is a hard one to learn as it will usually not be in your total control.

Note accomplishments

Always pay attention to how well you are doing against your goals and accomplishments. Take note of accomplishments at the end of each day.

Key takeaways

As I examine these lessons at the tail end of my career, it is easy to recognize how little I thought about most of them through at least the mid-career timeframe. And, of course, I wish I had. From my personal perspective, I was most vulnerable to the lessons of networking, attention, laughter, and estimating. I should have spent a lot more time on these lessons.

5. 50 Signs You Might Be an EntrepreneurAre you hardworking, driven, competitive, collaborative, imaginative, a people person, or a problem-solver? Then you may just be an entrepreneur. Steve JobsLeadership Lessons