Plan B's with Technology

Having a plan B when it comes to technology

     Planning around technology is like trying to predict the future of a two year old. No matter how hard you try, you cannot get them to obey orders and recognize why you know best. Alas, having a back up to your back up plan is important to alleviate the pain when your business is inevitably interrupted. Most things are beyond our control but we must plan for them like we have some semblance of what needs to be done.

     Outside third party issues are nerve racking, a blizzard in Minnesota knocks out a satellite dish and now you don’t have internet in Southern California. A fuse blows in Texas and your phone calls won’t go through to your neighbor down the street. Both actual reasons why your business can be affected and you can’t do anything about it. Understanding the problem is the first step to getting past the issue.

     How long will the satellite be out? How long until the fuse gets changed? Find out and be honest with your clients about the problem. And even though it may not be your fault, take responsibility for it and reach a mutual understanding with the clients and the delay in helping them. Most clients will completely understand and for the ones that don’t you may have done yourself a favor in letting them go because they may be more trouble down the road.

     Take the time to set up a backup plan and back up your data in either the Cloud or some other alternative. Keeping valuable information secure in multiple locations will help if your main office gets destroyed and/or catches on fire. Connect your cell phone to your office lines and know how to forward calls anonymously before something happens to your provider.

     Whatever you have to prepare for, make sure you do prepare ahead of time. It doesn’t matter if your business is two years old or twenty you need to have a Plan B and C in case A is interrupted. And remember, it may not be your fault but it is your problem so be prepared so you don’t take your eyes and goals off taking your business Up One Level.

Cut Your Losses

Cut your Losses,

    In life, there are times we must admit our mistakes. In our personal life it may be saying we our sorry and buying flowers. In business, it can mean the difference of lost money or a company’s reputation. Sometimes, it is best for a business owner to cut their losses, admit they were wrong and find another way to keep their business moving forward.

    

     Face it, not all programs and systems work for every company. Ford’s assembly line doesn’t work in a Senior Home, and McDonald’s timing system doesn’t translate into an artist’s creative genius. For small businesses, experimenting to find the correct way of doing business along with hiring a good mix of support staff can be difficult and may require changing course. And the first step is admitting you were wrong.

     Is a business relying solely on computers for tracking information? Is the company a services business with clients or does it have a product to sell? How important are employees to the welfare of the company and does it have a key person it cannot exist without? Getting into the basics of functionality will not only help with the identity of the company but it will show where money should be used to improve the business.

     Remember the old saying, “Work ON your business, not IN it.” Take a good look from the company as a whole, do you have the right people in place? Do you have reliable systems with back up plans in case a computer is lost? Do you have enough money going into research and development? Most importantly, is your company turning a viable profit and are you a reputable company people are giving positive thoughts?

     It is OK to admit your mistakes, cut your losses and find something else that works for your situation. Victory can make us weak because we settle on our laurels and we must learn from our mistakes. Take that leap, admit your mistakes, buy those flowers and always strive to take your business Up One Level.

Afraid of Success and What is Next?

Afraid of Success and what is next?

     Often times we work very hard to produce a desired result and achieve greatness. We plan, organize, act and then look at our progress to make sure we are still aimed at our goal; only to pull up short of the finish line. Are we afraid of what will happen after we hit our goals? Are we able to continue progressing if we do not have a direction or course to take in our lives?

     I’m reminded of the story about the Apollo space shuttle and the mission to reach the Moon. The entire country was wrapped around the possibility of touching the Moon’s surface and returning a man back to Earth. This was on the mind of the country and NASA got to work. Everyone at NASA talked about what was happening and everyone worked harder so the mission would be a victory.

     The janitor mopped harder because he was doing it to help the scientists and engineers do their job. The Engineers tirelessly worked to insure the safety of the astronauts who would share the glory. Everyone from top to bottom stepped up their game and put in more effort. We reached the Moon, and after everyone celebrated they wondered, what next? They had done something spectacular and did not have further direction for the future.

     Sometimes businesses set their goals too low. They plateau and stop growing because they don’t know what to do next. If you find yourself in this rut without direction, do some daydreaming. Brainstorm what it would be like if… what you would do if you had… how you would act if you could only do… And then start to plan, organize and act towards achieving your new accomplishment. Set the bar high and you may just surprise yourself. With this, always continue to take your business Up 1 Level.

Reinvention

Reinvention.

 

     There are jobs and there are careers, a job is something you do and a career is something you think you will do for the rest of your life. You think this way until you do not think that way anymore and your forever plans turn into…

     The excitement builds as you train and throw your heart into the business you want to succeed in. You can think of nothing else because you are sure 30 years from now you will be doing the same great thing, only better because you will be an expert. Then the word reinvention comes to mind when what you wanted to do is not what you thought or something else comes along in life.

     At this point, do you leave the comfort of what you have been doing? Is it going well for you and what you thought it would be? Is the grass really greener on the other side? The answers can be scary as you move towards self-doubt and begin to wonder what it would be like to take a Left instead of the faithful Right.

     Today’s world is vastly different from 25 years ago, unrecognizable from 50 years ago. Times when a person worked in one place until retirement, left with a gold watch and a pension to go home and rest are long gone. The trend now is to find something you are passionate about and chase the dream only to sell the dream back to someone else at a later date.

     If you do not have a Golden Parachute you have to rescue yourself from the sudden stop at the bottom. Reinvention can be the wind current to change your sails and push you towards safety. Do not be afraid of the winds and be available to change course. Just know and understand, whatever you do, be prepared to learn and continue growing your knowledge. Besides, there is still time to earn the gold watch and still follow your dream as you take your life Up One Level.

Being Perfect?!

     I’ve been accused of worse, but when someone accuses me of being a perfectionist, should I be offended? The issue I see is everyone knows they are not perfect, and I don’t ask someone to be perfect but I expect perfection. Let me explain.

     Seems in today’s world, everyone thinks they are an island. With access to the internet and every answer imaginable only fingertips away, people forget to ask for help. Excellence can be easily obtained with teamwork but only if a person learns to ask. If you utilize another person’s strengths while admitting your weaknesses you may find perfection in your work.

     Speed is a lousy excuse for not achieving perfection. Cutting corners, skipping steps and generally not caring about a person’s work is becoming all too common. My thirteen year old son rushes to get his homework done so he can play video games. Then I took away his video games and he did not have a reason to hurry but still did because his mindset is he “just needs to get by” and that is enough to pass.

     ‘Just getting by’ will never lead a person to perfection. Some people quit before even trying to aim for perfection because they have decided to already fail. Then, the next best thing is to tear down someone who is doing more than getting by and actually aiming for perfection. So they call that person a Perfectionist in a bad way as though it is an insult.

     So go ahead, aim for perfection and make someone try to tear you down. We all know with help you can hit perfection if you really try and take your time. People commonly ask me what I know about the subject and I always tell them I talk to myself often about it. Because even I need to consult an expert once in a while and why not someone who is already perfect! (hope you are laughing) Up One Level!

 

Brian Walker

Finding a person's potential

Finding a person’s potential:

 

     Motivation leads individuals to greatness and gives them the ability to accomplish laughable goals and unbelievable accomplishments. The trick is finding out what type of motivation is needed to get someone to believe in themselves. Everyone learns and listens differently, match the needs and style and you can have monumental success.

     Over the years, I’ve hired many people; some were good, some were not so good but all had some motivation other than the primary needs of food and shelter. Most did want money but the successful ones strived for a higher form of pay then their check. Filling a sense of belonging, having a partnership and flexibility within the job kept most coming back to work on Monday.

     What do you offer your Employees? What have you asked your Employer for? We would love to hear your ideas and past experiences. Find us and comment on Facebook at facebook.com/RilynnCompany or add comments below this post. By sharing ideas and practices, we can make businesses employee friendly and hire the best and the brightest to give them what they want to succeed. In this way, we can all take our business Up 1 Level.

 

Brian Walker

The power of a Good Feeling

The power of a Good Feeling

 

Workdays can carry a natural routine if you let them; we get up, get ready and go to ‘work,’ sometimes without thinking. Sure, some of us stop by the local coffee shop or slam an energy drink to get a jumpstart but end up in the same place. We have time off with holidays while begging for that week of vacation that never seems to come and goes by too fast.

     Does the above sound like you and your situation or are you loving your job and getting up early to be at work? If you are early, you may have the power of a good feeling. Some say attitude, some say outlook, but when you walk into work, are people happy to see you or do they look away? Kinda scary to think about…are you worried now?

     Your situation is yours; own it as you own your most valued possession. Do what you will but you cannot get away from it so it may as well be positive for you. If you are still reading this, chances are you are already a Good Feeling person full of life possessing a drive to succeed in being happy. I’m speaking to you at this moment.

     Starting tomorrow, go out of your way to spread your good feelings with someone you care about or someone needing to be lifted. They are not hard to find. Share with them a new joke, a short story or famous inspirational quote to help them through their day. The change in them will change you and the proverbial ball will continue to roll as you move about your day. When the alarm clock sounds tomorrow, choose that opportunity to take your good feeling Up One Level.

 

Brian Walker