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During the course of a day, people are faced with dozens of decisions. Some decisions are simple and are normally easy to take on, while others can take a little more thinking and consideration. Regardless of the nature of the decision, being decisive is a key factor in being an excellent leader in your personal life and in your career.
Think about the number of times during a day that you are faced with a decision. Do you decide quickly and with confidence or do you look to others for guidance and then just follow along with what everyone else wants? Following others is not displaying good leadership skills, but that’s exactly what you are doing if you tend to be on the indecisive side.
There are some decisions which need more thinking through than others, but did you know that if you take a long time to make decisions that you are actually being indecisive? If you are coming up with a new marketing plan for example, taking a few days to come up with your idea is not unreasonable, but if it takes weeks or months, then you may need to re-evaluate your decision making skills. Being indecisive can also make those around you feel as though you are not sure of yourself or that you are not confident in your decisions.
How do you improve your decision making skills so that you will be seen a leader?
•    Start with the small decisions that you have to make every day. For example, if someone asks you what you would like for a meal, do you speak your answer right away or do you take the backseat and reply “whatever you feel like eating?” By starting small, you can easily build up your decision making confidence.
•    Use role playing. Many people have a hard time making decisions because they come nervous or they are worried that what they say won’t be respected by their peers. When you role play, have another person first ask you simple questions and then lead into harder questions to answer. By doing this, you are going to become more comfortable with answering questions and making decisions quickly and efficiently.
•    Practice your communication and public speaking skills. Some people are shy or want to avoid being embarrassed and therefore have a hard time speaking their answers or ideas. If you can feel confident in the way that you communicate and present yourself, you decisiveness will also improve.
Those are just a few simple ideas to get you started, but there are several more ways that you can improve your decision making ability. If you have a hard time being decisive, then your peers and coworkers may not feel confident in the ideas or answers that you come up with. Even if your answer is not the best in the world, you will still be seen as a leader if you can answer decisively and with confidence.

Check pou more articles like this at 'Changing Times' or for help with leadership issues go to our website 'Business Savant'.

Living on Australia’s Gold Coast the newspapers have been full of articles about poorly perceived customer service in restaurants. And unsurprisingly clients have also been talking about how to improve their customer service.

This article by Susan Oakes  (M4B Marketing) deals with the topic really well hence I have taken the liberty of posting it in full below:

We know customer service is important in marketing your small business. It is one of the key elements that can help you compete successfully against many larger businesses.

However, in certain circumstances it can be a big waste of your time and money.

Here is a story that shows how great customer service by itself can count for nothing in the end.

Within a few weeks of starting my business my computer decided to play up and I needed someone to fix it. I looked in the local paper and found a person who would come to your place of work. “John” turned up on time and fixed the problem quickly.

All in all I was very happy with the service, he appeared to know what he was doing and the customer service was very good.

Later more service was needed including transferring files etc to a new computer. Again the customer service was very good, however each service call took longer, the quality of the work was not always good and once he had to come back three times to sort out a simple problem.

He didn’t charge for all his time which was not good for his business and eventually shut his business down. Apparently others were experiencing the same service quality problems, which meant that he was not keeping his customers or gaining any referrals.

The point of this story is that we can sometimes neglect the very thing we are selling. It can be very tempting especially these days to overpromise on what we can really deliver to our customers to gain business.

To overcome this for products you could:

    * Actually “pull it apart” and see where you can improve the quality
    * See what the product is lacking versus competitors
    * Seek feedback and input from customers

This can be done gradually keeping in mind the costs that may be associated with any improvements.

To overcome this for services you could:

    * Drop those services that you are not great at and just specialise in the ones you doing extremely well
    * Update your skills as there are many courses available
    * Partner with another business to outsource those services where you skills and experience may be lacking

Again, don’t forget to check with your customers as they will provide feedback on what services are the most important.

Taking a moment to examine what you offer can lead to higher revenue, cash flow and happier customers, and your excellent customer service will not be in vain.

How do you improve your products or services?

 I simply had to share this post by Owen Joyce with you as it succinctly describes an issue so often faced with clients – its not me its you!

Last Friday I spoke with a client and something she said stuck in my mind. We were finishing a conversation about her recruitment practices and she said that she felt positive about her decision to work with us because, in her words, “I just realised that I had to change”.

There seem to be two different types of business owners that we come into contact with. There are those who are consistent learners who actively seek out ways to improve their skills, knowledge and attitudes. These business owners have the mentality that you need to ‘learn sustainable solutions’. Then, there are the business owners who don’t see learning as an important part of the process. These business owners have the mentality that you need to ‘find quick solutions’.

The question is; if you are having trouble pushing your business to the next level is it because of outside factors or problems that you cannot control or are these issues more likely to be connected to your own skills? Think of it this way. Imagine a business in your industry that is ten times the size of yours. If you were to take the managing director of this business and put him or her into your business, would they be able to take it to the next level?  If you think they could, what’s the difference between them and you? It’s unlikely they are more intelligent so it boils down to knowledge, experience and their attitudes towards things like marketing, money, relationships, staff, planning and so on.

There is no shame in admitting that you’re not a top notch marketer, sales person, accountant, capital raiser, planner, people manager etc. but when a deficiency is identified it’s important to do something about it. The wonderful thing is that these things can be learned. You can learn to have different attitudes towards money, you can learn to have different relationships with staff and you can learn new ways to promote your business. At the end of the day it’s about making a decision on whether uncontrollable external factors determine the fate of your business or you do.   

If your looking for resources to develop your skills in business check out  ‘yourbusinesssuccess’, which is Owen Joyce’s site. As a Coach and consultant I’m commited to assisting businesses to succeed so for more tools and tips to grow your business subscribe to ‘Changing Times’ or follow our ‘Twitter feed’.

I was reading an article by Megan Hills (click to read original) that resonated with me so I thought I’d share an extract of it below.

Even when business is going well there’s often a larger business vision we want to reach. But with day-to-day distractions, it’s easy to forget the bigger picture.

Some strange soloist friends of mine are completely happy with their businesses just as they are. According to them, there’s no need to think about the business vision they are working towards. They are already there. And somehow they manage to stay in that blissful place. I think these people belong under glass and should be gazed at by children on school excursions.

I am not one of those people, obviously. While my business is going very well, I remain in a constant state of pursuit. This can be fun and exciting, or see me moaning like a pint-sized Chewbacca.

But the main problem is this: while busy in pursuit, I can sometimes forget what I’m actually pursuing. This means I’ve gotten caught up with daily demands and a black hole begins to form in my soloist soul.

Strategic plans and action plans have been crafted carefully in order to get me to that big goal. But even then I can forget (drum roll) "The Vision". And when I forget (drum roll) "The Vision" things seem to go pear-shaped.

Business and life coaches often recommend imagining your business ‘vision’, or your big picture, just before you go to bed. This might involve imagining what it’s like having a Maserati as a ‘work vehicle’, owning a funky beach shack or creating enough profit to buy Afghanistan and fix it properly. Then you’re supposed to conjure this picture again in your mind as soon as you wake up the next morning.

But after a few days I forget to do it. So then I put a visual reminder next to my bed. But in a few days I stop seeing it. So then I make billboard-sized collage with images and words that relate to what I want. Then I stop seeing that.

Some people say that it’s okay not to see it any more. That the dream will manifest into reality because I’ve done the collage. Maybe it will. Still, I like being more actively involved in the process of creating what I want.

If you’re the same, here are some other ideas to remember "The Vision”:

    *
      Put an image on your computer desktop that relates to your business vision, but be sure to change the image regularly.
    *
      Insert a new line about your big picture at the top of your weekly to do list.
    *
      Every week, schedule a time to talk about the big picture with a friend, colleague, coach or mentor.
    *
      Create a short PowerPoint presentation with music that inspires, and play this little creation to yourself at the start of every working day (or buy the nifty software version of this called Mind Movies).

The key for me: whatever the strategy, I need to keep it fresh regularly.

How do you remember your big picture? Share it with us by commenting on this article.

Conrad Palmer is a freelance writer and Business Coach who enjoys helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Through his marketing & publicity nous, he can maximize the power of what you want to communicate to the people you want to reach. Follow our ‘Twitter Feed’ for updates.

Some simply call it "instinct" or "gut feeling," and it often defies reason and logic, but it can be your most critical business tool to point you in the right direction when all else fails.

Most CEOs know what intuition is and have experienced it. They agree that it is an invaluable tool for success in the modern world. But few know how it works, and fewer still know that there are things you can do to activate and accelerate it to work when you need it.

Everyone agrees that intuition works best off a solid foundation of knowledge and experience. General Colin Powell in an article referred to a formulae for intuition that resonated with me -“Use the formula P=40 to 70, in which P stands for the probability of success and the numbers indicate the percentage of information acquired.” Part II: “Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut.”

The dictionary defines intuition as "immediate cognition," which requires a paying of acute attention. Get into the habit of listening to your intuition — your "inner teacher" — and expecting it to guide you. When you expect something, you create an energetic vacuum that the Universe seeks to fill. A case in point is two guys driving into town: One expects to find a parking space; the other doesn’t. They both turn out right.

Here are 10 things you can do to activate your intuition:
1. Write down your professional goals. Intuition supports clear intentions. Keep your goals clearly posted and review them every day.
2. Visualize your success. Imagine exactly what you want to happen in your business. Intuition supports your vision. Sharpen your visualization skills by sharing your vision with others and observe if they can see your dreams as well as you.
3. Get enough sleep. Intuition shuts down when you are fatigued.
4. Keep a little notebook or tape recorder and record your gut feelings, aha moments, and bright ideas as they arise. Do not edit, censor, or dismiss anything. You will soon see it all counts.
5. Sound it out. Find sympathetic friends who will listen to your intuitive hunches. Sharing a gut feeling is the best way to validate your intuition and gain confidence in listening to your higher awareness.
6. Take time out for reflection. Intuition lies just beneath our conscious awareness and rises to the surface during quiet moments. Rushing through the day prevents your inner voice from speaking out. Schedule regular periods of five to 10 minutes throughout the week to do nothing but sit and ponder.
7. Leave the job at your desk. Sometimes the best way to activate your intuitive and creative muscles is to walk away from a problem and let the answers incubate on their own. Do something stimulating and fun on your evenings and weekends. Allowing this side of your brain to take over while giving your work side a rest brings new perspectives and ideas that can take you to a new level of solution.
8. Ask for help. Have the wisdom to be open to receiving help in all ways, and do not hesitate to seek guidance the minute you need it. Being open to guidance is the starting gun to an intuitive life and separates the ordinary from the extraordinary in today’s working world.
9. Keep your office clean and organized. Intuition thrives on order, not chaos. A clear desk leaves the clear mind needed for tuning in to your vibes.
10. Acknowledge your intuitive successes openly and comfortably. Share your vibes positively, regarding them as a natural asset designed to help you succeed and not as something to wrestle with or question. Recognize that they are a reflection of your higher abilities, and put them to use every day. The bottom line is if you want to succeed in a changing world of business and have a great time along the way, utilize and trust to the fullest your greatest natural business tool — your vibes.

Above all, have the courage to follow your intuition. Every great leader has been willing to play the fool. Disney was considered a nut. The Wright brothers were called daft. Edison was "eccentric," at best. Progressive thinkers have always challenged conventional wisdom as they blazed a trail to the top.

As a Business Coach and consultant I work to help CEO’s and executives connect with their intuition to achieve extraordinary goals – check out ‘Changing Times’ for more articles or follow our ‘Twitter Feed’.

It never ceases to amuse me when I engage with clients and find similar issues affecting more than one client. Recently I have been working with clients around their ‘Sacred Cows’.

Now for the uninitiated this is not the Hindu practice of worshipping ‘Sacred Cows’ but the corporate equivalent of creating and then following without question a procedure or policy as if it was written in stone!

Every business needs systems, procedures and policies if it is to produce consistent results. However there has to be someone who is prepared to challenge the status quo and champion change.

What may have seemed sensible, if not vitally important, at a time in the past can quickly become outdated and potentially ludicrous in today’s business climate?

I read recently of an experiment where scientists put 5 monkeys in a room and placed some bananas in a far corner. Obviously the monkeys wanted the banana’s but every time they went to get then just before they got to then a jet of cold water shot out and sprayed them!

The monkeys quickly learnt not to go near the Bananas and when the scientists replaced a monkey in the cage the old monkeys stopped the new one from getting the bananas and a potential drowning.

Within a week the scientists replaced all the monkeys but none went near the bananas. Even though they’d removed the water hose!
In effect the market conditions had changed but the team (monkeys) were unaware and maintained an inherited practice which had no practical purpose in their new conditions.

These ‘Sacred Cows’ likely exist throughout your business in your leadership, marketing and customer service practices. So what are your ‘Sacred Cows’? Are you prepared to look at your business and hunt these out?

Now I’m not proposing to massacre every ‘Sacred Cow’, merely that every business should be prepared to cull its herd occasionally.
How do you spot a ‘Sacred Cow’? Look for a policy or procedure that outdates the oldest employee and is slavishly followed without thought or question. Metaphorically these have a life of their own and had become a noun!

It is likely that the worship of ‘Sacred Cows’ is stopping many businesses from embracing the innovation at their disposal and improving their profitability and market position.

Take out sometime over the next 24 hours and start to question some of your ‘Sacred Cows’ – make sure you are running your business the most practical and effective way possible – not how it’s always been done because………..

For more articles like this check out ‘Changing Times’ or follow our updates on ‘Twitter’.