How do you make it big? Michael Feuer, author of The Benevolent Dictator, offers five steps in this article on Social Tech Pop.
Want to be rich and successful one day? I know I do! All it takes is focus, discipline and follow-up. I learned a lot from author Michael Feuer of The Benevolent Dictator: Empower Your Employees, Build Your Business and Outwit the Competition. Here are five simple steps to making it big!
1. Take good notes: Taking notes in business is just as important as it was in your advanced economics class in college. I am one of those people that has notebooks full of notes. Your brain isn’t always as powerful as you think it is, and having a written record of your boss’s project analysis or your colleague’s sales strategy can save you from having “oh darn” moments, and can set you apart from the pack and put you on a straighter path to success.
2. Do what you say you will, period: Everyone hates excuses! Excuses will impress no one. In today’s environment, a person’s word isn’t always his or her bond. When you fail to follow through on promises and commitments, you imply that you lack discipline and perhaps shouldn’t be trusted with more important tasks and objectives.
3. Give homework assignments: A leader’s job is to make people think and discover alternatives. Make people use their brains! It’s a great way to determine who on your team you can rely on and who is capable of taking a project to the next level.
4. Scrap your iron-clad five-year plan: Being able to work with focus and discipline is generally a good thing, unless you’re focusing on things that won’t help you or propel you forward. To help prevent this, Feuer recommends developing a short-term plan with a six- to nine-month outlook. I love plans, they make everything easier. This plan will help you get through the year.
5. Use a rifle, not a shotgun: When you fire a shotgun, your shot hits a wider area, but it lacks focused precision. In business, a shotgun approach gets the job done but usually doesn’t yield outstanding results. Sure, you’ll hit something with a shotgun, but the price in doing so seldom provides the big payback.
