I’ve found by starting and running eight successful businesses, in varied fields and arenas, that just being dependable and trying your best to keep regular hours, live up to your com- mitments in a timely fashion and being consistent; can give you a big head start on competition.

Dependability alone can separate your business from field!!

Attitude-Last but certainly not least is attitude. The longer we live, more we understand that our attitude is one and only thing that we have 100% control over! I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say about attitude in future issues, so just a couple of thoughts.

Your attitude determines not only your honesty and dependability but also all of your other actions. It ultimately will determine not only success of your business but of your entire life!

Put simply, your attitude is determined by your thoughts, and your thoughts are determined largely by what you allow yourself to focus or dwell on. Each and every day we have to be vigilant about what we choose to watch, read and listen to. Our attitude can also be influenced by those we choose to associate with. So choose wisely!

I certainly have times when my attitude gets sour. We all have bad days! I like analogy of garden, where our good thoughts, influences and associations are like fruits, vegetables and flowers. They need constant tending and attention to grow. Whereas, negative or self-defeating thoughts and influences are like weeds, they have to be pulled constantly. Unlike flowers, doing nothing favors weeds and they will take over garden.

So invest in tools that will help you understand how to build and maintain a positive, winning attitude. Your investment will pay dividends not only in your business but in your personal and spiritual life as well.

Your attitude will ultimately determine success of your business!! Do thing and you’ll have power!!

§Acknowledge “personalization” of work. No doubt you’ve heard saying, “Don’t take it personally. It’s just business.” The truth is that many people do take business personally. Managers and employees alike are often offended when their department faces budget cuts, or when their projects are tabled. However, for all negative connotations of “taking it personally,” it really can be beneficial. Encourage your people to take ownership of their work. And praise them for doing so. This is a form of showing commitment to team and organization as a whole. It is also an outlet for you to offer individual praise that will benefit both employee and team.

§People understand things differently. How often have you overheard (or be party to) a disagreement that ended with statement “Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t understand what you were saying”? Not everyone understands things same way. When only team praise is offered, many employees will misconstrue your actions. Many will think they hold no personal value to you or to business. The result? Hurt feelings come into play, and a lack of morale and productivity seep in. By adding a good dose of individual praise to your management mix, you can ensure that each person understands their individual value, and their value to team.

§People communicate differently. While some of your people will draw personal satisfaction from receiving team acknowledgement, others will feel undervalued. The reason? People communicate, and receive communication, differently. This fact is primary reason for offering both individual and team praise. Through group and individual communication, all your employees can receive encouragement they need to move forward and achieve new levels of productivity and team unity.

Does this approach sound time consuming? It really isn’t. In fact, you will most likely eliminate hours of unnecessary work in addressing negative performances and low performance levels. A quick comment, a short email, or a three sentence handwritten note all work equally well.

People need individual attention. By creating an environment where each person can thrive, and by offering assignments that allow them to gain individual and group praise, you foster a team culture where you and your employees benefit.