Work at Home Community

1. You are separate from your business. Very often entrepreneurs, professional practitioners and small business owners are so absorbed by their work that they are unable to differentiate between their job and themselves, between their work and their lives. Remember that your business is the means to achieving the goals in your life; it is not your life.

2. The ‘whole’ person goes to work every
day. Have you ever tried to leave your right arm at home
when you go to work in the morning? It’s a ridiculous suggestion..
Yet that is exactly what we expect of ourselves and those who work
for us. This is not about allowing personal issues to interfere with
productivity. It’s about acknowledging that your whole self shows
up. We tend to work a lot harder when we feel heard and acknowledged.
Instead of interfering with productivity, it will generally boost
productivity.

3. You can demand dignity, but you have to
earn respect. There are basic common courtesies that everyone
is entitled to. The rest you have to earn. If you think about the
people that you respect, you will soon realize that you respect them
because of who they are and what they do, not because of ‘what’ they
are. They may come to your notice because of their role, but it is
their actions that command respect.

4. Your actions speak louder than your words.
Specifically, what you reward speaks louder than words. Many business
initiatives have failed because management didn’t reward the behavior
it espoused. And what gets rewarded gets repeated. What doesn’t get
‘punished’ is also important in this regard.

5. You can make wise business decisions and
treat people with respect at the same time. Sometimes it
is necessary to make some very difficult bottom-line decisions. Most
people, when given the opportunity, can stand back and say ‘that makes
sense’ or even ‘that makes the most sense’. People are capable of
doing this even when their jobs are impacted. What some businesses
don’t understand is that HOW you implement the decision is often more
important than WHAT decision you make. Ultimately, people don’t talk
about the fact that they lost their job, they talk about how they
were treated in the process of losing their job. It’s an important
distinction that affects the reputation of the company involved.

6. Lead your associates; Manage your systems.
The businesses that are most successful are those that understand
the difference between people and systems. Systems operate at maximum
effectiveness when they are managed tightly; people operate at maximum
effectiveness when they are led and inspired.

7. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.
Letting your associates, customers, vendors, backers, family know
‘What, When, Where, How and Why’. Communicating fully - even when
it’s about why you changed your mind - creates trust.

8. Have a compelling vision. Everybody,
including you, needs a good reason to go to work every day. Get crystal
clear about your vision and then share it with everyone. Help them
understand and buy into it. This is often overlooked and considered
as taking time away from the business. If you are the leader, this
is your most important role. In addition to giving your associates
a clear sense of purpose, it ends up saving you time as others make
better choices (that is, choices in line with your direction and vision)
on a daily basis.

9. Say ‘Thank You’ Often. You are
not the only one that likes to be acknowledged. The more often you
say ‘thank you’ - to individuals up, down and across the organization
- the more you will enhance your relationships and your reputation.
The strongest leaders say ‘thank you’ often.

10. Learn, Stretch, Grow. Become
committed to life-long learning. This applies to what you do for a
living (technical abilities), how you do it (innovative systems and
structures), how you implement it (behavioral competencies), and stuff
you just want to know (personal development, arts, whatever). This
will keep you current in your present position and prepare you better
for any changes down the road.

Louise Morganti Kaelin. Louise is a Life Success Coach who partners
with individuals who are READY (to live their best life), WILLING
(to explore all options) and ABLE (to accept total support). Find
many free resources to assist you in living the life of your dreams
at
http://www.touchpointcoaching.com/

For her free newsletter of insightful, practical
suggestions for creating your best
life, email mailto:on-536@ezezine.com