GET YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER

Masco Sweeping, February, 2003

Chart a clear course for success in the future-professionally and personally- and stick with it.

Many people start cleaning companies only to become overwhelmed as a result of a lack of planning and setting priorities.

All the good intentions can quickly become a noose that even money can't seem to loosen.

In working with more than 1,000 companies of various sizes and focuses, the one thing I'm always asked is, "how do you find time to do it all?" No one sets out to fail. Contractors hang on longer than anyone else I know.

They wind up working longer hours, letting the family, friends and their health go, to make it a success. But is that necessary?

In working with more than 1,000 companies of various sizes and focuses, the one thing I'm always asked is, "how do you find time to do it all?"

Ask yourself:

• How many hours are you working?
• What is the hourly rate you earn?

GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS

Some owners are working 80 to 90 hours a week and not even earning $20.00 an hour.

If your hourly rate is below $20.00 an hour, I recommend you get out of the business and go to work for someone else for $20.00 an hour. You won't have ownership problems.

Owners are the most optimistic people in the world because for them it is always "going to get better, never worse."

For those of you who stay anyway, consider these have some tips.

• Tip 1 - increase your hourly compensation to a minimum of $20.00 an hour. Contractors have money slipping through their hands. As a result, contractors work way too much, but have little money to show for it, not to mention that aging and bad planning are never kind.
• Tip 2 - if you don't like the business, get out of it; if you do, get your act together.

PRIORITIZE

Determine who you are, and your values and ethics. With those in mind, determine your priorities and in what sequence you want to achieve them. You can't make a plan without this vital information.

Include these in the self-search:

• Your soul
• Health
• Spouse
• Children
• Family
• The business

Once you have this information (tools) you will be eager to get started on a life/business plan.

By establishing who you are and setting your priorities, you can create a clearer vision for yourself and your business.

MORE TIPS THAT INCLUDE THESE LIFE-CHANGING HABITS

• Tip 3 - begin with the end in mind. Treat your company and your life as though it were a work project - think how you want it to come out.
  
• Tip 4 - decide for yourself how your day will go. Don't let an irate customer or ornery employee ruin your day.
• Tip 5 - planning is the engine that drives you, your company and your life. Keep a little flip-top notebook and write down those fleeting ingenious ideas you have.

You don't have to have an hour to mull it over. Thoughts will come to you. Capture them.

It is better to tackle the hardest, most dreaded job first. Once it is out of the way, the rest of the day will seem easier. You don't have to make every request an emergency.

BUILD A TEAM

Contractors are more like porcupines than most people; we can't seem to get along being bossed by another person and we have trouble trusting others.

We want people to stay with us to make things happen; yet we have a high turnover rate.

Think of your workers as a team. You have to trust them. Think win/win with employees and customers. Ask yourself, "What do they want from this experience with you?"

Whether it is a one-shot deal or an ongoing contract, whether it is the largest building in town managed by a major company or a small building managed by a new owner - employees and customers have to know what is in it for them and you have to know, too.

Give employees trust - the authority to do their job and freedom to make a mistake - and give them a pat on the back when they do well.

COMMUNICATION

Learn to communicate with family, employees and customers. One of the best conversation openers is to ask them a question about the most important thing in the world to them - themselves.

DON'T WAIVER

Make a choice and make it early. If you have a difficult decision to make, don't put it off.

If you decide not to do something, you've eliminated the problem. If you decide to do it, shift from worry to proactive planning with the end in mind. You don't have to do it alone. You don't have to wear all the hats.

You just have to figure out who you are and what you want, make a decision, set priorities and learn to trust others to get the help you need.
People just like you are succeeding every day and they don't do it alone either.

THINK WIN/WIN WITH EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS. ASK YOURSELF, "WHAT DO THEY WANT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU"

DON'T HIRE YOURSELF

A popular mistake owners make is to hire workers that mimic their own strengths. That leaves them with workers they can get along with, but who may not be able to cover their weaknesses.

It is nice to have a pleasant person around who sees things your way and agrees with you, but if you don't like record keeping and bookkeeping and they don't like it either, you will wind up doing the work to get it right. Instead hire to y our weakness. If you don't like bookkeeping or don't do it well, hire someone who loves figures and keeping records. It will stabilize your company.

NETWORKING TO SUCCESS

An important step in business building is to join industry organizations that guide you to answers when you need them.

The organization should also provide:

• Classes
• Instructional information
• Industry information and data

This should coincide with the formation of your own network of non-competing professionals you know or enrollment in a professional guided network.

This will allow you to get critical information from experienced people with companies just like yours.

Masco Sweepers