4. Use Your Levers Do little things that make biggest difference. Aim for maximum impact with minimum effort. Focus will help but there are other forms of leverage too. Here are just two.

OPT - Other People's Time. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You don't have to do it all yourself. Use your network. Ask and you shall receive. Give and you shall get.

Recycle - Learn to recognise value in everything you do. Turn your ezine into a book and sell it. Write your words of wisdom down and share them.

5. Don't Be Busy - Be Effective Don't waste your hours simply being "busy". Being busy does not cause you to be wealthy. So don't be busy - be effective. Remember 80:20 rule. Typically 20 per cent of things you do will be responsible for 80 per cent of results you get. So focus on 20 per cent that gets result. 6. Always Look For The Easy Route If there's an easy way to do something and a hard way - take easy way first. I call this "inspired laziness"

7. Measure Progress By What You Reap The only truth is result. Doing lots of things is not same as achieving lots of things. Measure progress by your outcomes not your inputs.

Letters should be signed personally. It looks unprofessional, cold and somewhat lazy if a letter is left unsigned. However, having a secretary or PA sign on your behalf is not considered a breach of business etiquette.

Humour

Humour can be used in business letters but only when writer is completely positive recipient will understand joke or pun. From a business etiquette perspective it may be wise to avoid humour. This is because firstly, letter may be read during a crisis, after receiving bad news or on a sombre occasion. Any other time humour may have been appreciated but under these circumstances it may dramatically backfire. Secondly, written word is open to misinterpretation. Your sarcastic or ironic remark may be taken wrong way. Thirdly, it is possible that letter may be read by a third party who may deem humour inappropriate and pursue a complaint of some sort.

Responding

Good business letter etiquette calls for letters to be responded to promptly or within certain guidelines. This may normally be considered as 5 working days. If this is not possible then some sort of acknowledgement should be sent either by letter, fax, phone or e-mail.

Always use reference numbers or clearly state purpose of letter at top, for example, ‘Re: Business Letter Etiquette Enquiry’. This allows receiver to trace correspondence and immediately set your letter within a context.

When replying to points or questions proper etiquette is to respond in same order as they were asked.

Managing Conflict

Letters are often an arena for conflicts or disputes. Even in these circumstances there are rules of business letter etiquette that should be adhered to.

If you initiate dispute then, 1) Explain and set out your case simply and clearly to most appropriate person, 2) Offer information that may be required by other party to help answer questions, 3) Indicate a time scale by which you expect a reply or matter to be resolved.

If you are receiving dispute then 1) inform senior colleagues who may be affected or who may be able to offer assistance, 2) Submit all replies in draft form for a senior colleague to check, 3) Stick to facts and merits of case and do not allow emotions to become involved, 4) Be polite, patient and courteous.

Using business etiquette in all matters and especially in business letters will ensure you communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings and maximise your business potential.