All, Business Education

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

With another hectic week coming to a close and the excitement of the weekend just hours away, it’s no wonder why Fridays are less than practically productive. In some business environments, it’s the unofficial slack-off day, one comprised of mundane tasks, a bit of cleanup, and perhaps, some tying of loose ends. Plans for the weekend take away attention from the inbox, and minds wander. Fridays, by-and-large, are informal work days, and that’s a shame, because these could serve as launch pad for serious Monday productivity.

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

Ironically, Mondays aren’t much better, as these are the days returning from the weekends dreamed about on Fridays. The first day of the work week is one that’s often dreaded, in-part because of what wasn’t done on Friday. Talk about a dichotomy, this one scores high on the list. What’s worse, is that your team members aren’t alone in this experience, because you too, are right alongside them, especially on Friday afternoon, after lunch.

Monday mornings are the most critical time of the workweek — they set the stage for the day and week ahead. Most successful people are keenly aware of the typical Monday-morning workplace dynamic of unanticipated events, overflow of communications, and general chaos. —Business Insider

Even with all your entrepreneurial drive, you too, are ready to enjoy the downtime the weekend delivers, and it’s important because it lets you let go, at least enough to refresh. This dynamic doesn’t have to bedevil your company, or more particularly, you. There are some things you can do to make a more productive Monday on Friday:

Plan in advance for the following week. Monday is often treated with disdain precisely because of what it holds in-store. Ironically, it’s what wasn’t done on Friday that makes this a reality. Mondays don’t have to be a scramble to catch-up, they can be a productive day, if you prepare on Friday. So, prime your sales pipeline, get organized, and plan out the week. You’ll do yourself a huge favor, and you’ll avoid that nagging feeling that you forgot something.
Identify one or more things to get done today. Instead of counting down the clock to the end of the day, look at the time available to use for a task or two that’s yet to be completed. When you tackle a project, even if it’s small, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, and not guilty about taking time for yourself over the weekend.
Reach out to customers early in the day. Because Friday is a lackadaisical day in so many offices, you can use this phenomenon to your advantage. Reach out to customers you haven’t connected with in awhile, and double down by following-up with deals in-the-works.
Leave a small reward to enjoy on Monday. One reason Mondays seem so bland is because they lack reward. Whatever it is that perks you up, and not just a cup of coffee, like a favorite snack, put it aside for next week. You can even set a reminder to make it all the more special.
Begin the week with thoughtful recognition. There is probably at least one person who helped you out this week, perhaps two or three. Show your appreciation by picking something up for them over the weekend and surprising them on Monday. It will keep you eager to get back Monday morning, and will create a sense of appreciation and excitement to the recipient(s).

Another thing you can do on Friday to make Monday more productive is to get that one pain point out of the way. It will make the weekend all the more enjoyable and sweet, plus, it won’t daunt you next week. I started doing this in the form of a game or competition. How many pain point, or high priority projects, phone calls or tasks could I accomplish before I leave on Friday? How many projects or priorities do I have on Monday that I could complete on Friday to make Monday an easy start? And it is working for me with higher productivity, growth and more free time. Make your Friday count so that Monday is a breeze!

[shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Like this article?

My Best Salesperson Keeps using a Company Credit Card for Personal Expenses – How can I Handle this Situation?

July 6, 2022 No Comments

Make no mistake about it, this is a very serious situation, no matter the dollar amount. Regardless of what was spent and for which items, this is theft. It is essentially stealing company funds for personal use. Now, if this sounds way too stringent, that’s because you’re probably not thinking of it in a more dire manner (you likely have a very good relationship with this employee). However, if you strip all that aside and look at it in pure dollars and cents, along with personality traits like integrity, this ought to infuriate you. So, let’s take a look at what to do if an employee is using a company credit card for personal use. Common Company Credit Card Risks Obviously, putting company credit cards in the hands of employees assumes a certain level of risk. While you may have strict policies regarding their proper use, it’s still ultimately up to the individual to obey those rules. Of course, every employee with a company credit card must be trusted to a large extent. And even though he or she may have acted responsibly in the past, that certainly doesn’t guarantee he or she will continue to do so in the future. Corporate credit cards are an important tool for many companies. Using the company credit card is often the ideal way to manage individual expenses like entertaining clients and business travel. However, company credit cards are also one of the most notorious leaks of company funds to bad employee decisions. From simple bad budgeting decisions to outright fraud and theft, these cards create undue opportunity and temptation for employees to misuse company funds. Fortunately, you can keep these incidents to a minimum… —Business.com Company credit cards are given out as a matter of convenience, but they do not come without a substantial risk factor. For instance, an employee could get into a personal pinch and use the card for emergency situations at home and you’ll only find out about it after the fact. Then, there are a few incidental mistakes. It’s entirely possible that your employee has a similar-looking card and accidentally makes a purchase with the wrong one, using the company credit card rather than their own. In the latter example, it’s entirely understandable, but if he or she does not take a proactive attempt to reimburse you or simply says nothing and hopes it will slide by, you have a problem on your hands. How to Deal with an Employee Who uses a Company Credit Card for Personal Expenses There are really two different scenarios that could play out. Someone who uses a company credit card for small, inexpensive items and someone who routinely misuses the card for personal expenses. Here are some suggestions for how to deal with an employee who uses a company card for personal use: Know exactly what the purchases were. Before you say anything to this employee, be sure to go through the monthly statement line by line to identify the purchases and their amounts. It would also be wise to go back through the last few months’ worth of previous statements to see if this is a pattern or not. You might just discover this has been going on for quite a long time. Know the laws in your state. This is where it gets serious. Even if the card was used for small purchases over a long period, that could add up to a substantial amount of money. Depending on the laws in your state, this could constitute a criminal act. At the very least, if it isn’t considered criminal, it is certainly a fireable offense. Obviously, if the charges were extraordinarily large, you’ll probably want to recoup that money and possibly prosecute the offender. Speak with HR and/or an attorney. Here again, the amount spent and the timeline will be extremely pertinent. If these are large expenses, they could mean something like grand larceny or another crime. Conversely, if the amount spent was small, you might just ask the employee to reimburse the company, what you need to know is if this is severe enough, and what legal options you have, including the possibility of withholding part of their pay. If you do discover an employee has been using a company credit card for their personal expenses, it is very important to take action, regardless of how much was spent or on what and/or over what period of time. If you don’t deal with the situation directly, the behavior will likely continue to happen to the detriment of the company. Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Network Event Do’s and Don’ts

May 16, 2017 No Comments

Some people have an innate ability to walk into a room full of strangers and start connecting and uncovering business contacts galore. They seem to glide through the room, smiling, freely introducing themselves, while holding conversation. These people know how to read a room and individuals naturally. Then, there are people who move through events quickly, collecting an astounding number of business cards while shaking hand after hand. The difference between the two personalities couldn’t be more stark. One is making new contacts, the other is doing little more than trying to bag new clients. It’s obvious which one will benefit and which one won’t. The purpose of networking events is to do just that: meet new people and have conversations. It’s how you go about it that makes all the difference. Connecting with people is an art form, and, is learned over time. Before there’s any real connection, though, you’ve got to be prepared to meet new people. Network Event Do’s and Don’ts There’s a huge difference between meeting new people and connecting with them. Meeting a group of new people is even more of a challenge than meeting a single person or a very small group. Attending a networking event is something that stirs excitement and anxiety. These events tend to be noisy, where it’s not easy to hold a conversation. What’s more, you’re expected to participate and interact with several people. We network because we don’t work and live in a silo. Due to human nature, we tend to trust doing business with people we know or who are referred to us. People often think of the need to network whenever their jobs are in jeopardy, or whenever they’re in search of new business. —Career Builder When you go to a networking event, you do so to open new doors. There won’t be time to establish a relationship and connect with others, but there will be plenty of opportunity to introduce yourself and hold brief, casual conversations. To accomplish this simple, yet challenging feat, you ought to know the do’s and don’ts of event networking. Network Event Do’s Go prepared. You ought to have a brief list of topics to discuss and/or experiences to share. It’s okay to go over these out loud and practice introducing yourself. Just don’t practice too much, or, it will sound rehearsed and artificial. Keep one hand free at all times. Keep your dominant hand free of snacks, drinks, and other objects. You’ll be able to freely shake hands without having an awkward moment to find a place to temporarily set something down. Know who to approach. Just because someone is standing alone doesn’t mean you ought to rush over to approach. Take a moment to read his or her face and body language. When you do make eye contact, confidently approach and introduce yourself. Look for opportunities to offer help. One of the most powerful and likable gestures is to ask questions and offer your assistance. Only offer to help when it’s realistic and be sure to follow-up. Don’t make the mistake of over-promising or over-extending. Network Event Don’ts Believe collecting business cards is a measure of success. Remember, the purpose of attending these events is to meet people — not just to collect business cards. If that’s all you accomplish, the whole exercise is for naught. Be on the lookout for someone else while speaking with another. If you do have the misfortune of getting into a boring conversation, find a gracious and courteous way to excuse yourself. What you should avoid is awkwardly scanning the room for someone else to speak with to break away. Try to impress others with jargon or facts. Using big words, insider jargon, or trying to impress with a barrage of facts is a turn off. It’s pretentious and tells others you lack self confidence. What’s more, it keeps you from having a genuine conversation. Speak over or interrupt others. This sounds obvious, but, it’s something that can be unintentional when you’re nervous. When you do approach someone else and introduce yourself, be courteous, ask polite questions, and listen. Yes, the purpose of attending Network Events is ultimately to acquire new business. However, do not go to a Network Event if that is your initial purpose. Your priority for attending a Network Event is to develop Relationships which you can foster over time into a business opportunity with that connection or with someone they introduce to you. Minimize your agenda, and spend time listening and asking the other person questions about themselves and their business. Show them genuine interest and watch how your relationship moves to trust even during the Network Event. Isn’t it more rewarding to leave a Network Event with 3 or 4 really good, meaningful connections where both of you developed a relationship and can follow up after the event to further explore opportunities together? When is the last time you attended a Network Event and made some meaningful connections that turned into real business? [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Want to Make the New Year a Success? Avoid these People

December 30, 2017 No Comments

The New Year will soon be upon us. And, the majority will make different resolutions. Usually, these are about personal goals — going on a diet, getting in shape, and spending more quality time with family and friends. But many of us will also include a few business goals on our lists. And, there certainly isn’t anything wrong with this. Of course, this comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest, is avoiding toxic personalities. Why Avoiding Toxic Personalities is So Difficult Okay, that’s great and it’s also all-too obvious. Who really seeks out toxic personalities? Well, no one does — at least not consciously. But, isn’t it strange how we all seem to attract crazy? Or at the very least, difficult. So, what is so difficult about avoiding bad personalities? The answer is complex. Boil it down to logistics and it becomes more clear. We simply do not have control over who comes into our lives. Unfortunately, not everyone pushes us to be better. Some people stop us from following our dreams or talk us out of taking a risk, and we don’t always realize that it’s happening. So it’s important to be aware and consciously choose who we spend time with, to limit spending time with toxic people —Success.com To an extent, we can avoid known bad personalities. But, even this becomes difficult in the workplace. Sometimes, there is no real choice. You must accept the situation and make the most of it. However that doesn’t mean you don’t have any options at your disposal. Personality Types to Avoid in Order to Succeed The fact of the matter is, you become a product of the company you keep. It is a long-proven phenomenon. That’s precisely why there’s so much advice about surrounding yourself with good people. They’ll have a positive impact on you. As a result, you’ll achieve more and adopt a better outlook on life. As Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” But, this means there are personality types you need to avoid, like the following: Micromanagers. This personality tops the list because it’s the type no one can stand. Sure, management is a good thing. But, when it’s repeatedly taken to a granular level, it becomes counterproductive. Worse yet, it causes others to become resentful and unmotivated. Learning to solve problems independently is far more valuable. Short-term thinkers. There is nothing wrong with having a short-term game plan to reach a goal. But, it should fit into a larger scheme toward an ultimate goal. Short-term thinking is good for the near future but it’s an obstacle to long-term success. Pessimists. Pessimism isn’t always a bad trait. In fact, when it’s useful we call it pragmatism. That’s a good thing because it helps us to avoid unnecessary risk. But a pessimist doesn’t see anything but downside. When this happens, it’s very hard to move forward confidently or at all. Big spenders. Spendthrifts are also a bad influence. They don’t take financial responsibility. And, the results are often bad. Of course, there are times when it’s okay to spend but constantly splurging is just a recipe for ruin. Which other personalities do you avoid? Which personalities are a real asset to entrepreneurs? Please, share your thoughts and experiences by commenting and joining the discussion! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

Like this article?

Related Posts

My Best Salesperson Keeps using a Company Credit Card for Personal Expenses – How can I Handle this Situation?

Network Event Do’s and Don’ts

Want to Make the New Year a Success? Avoid these People

Imagine Selling Your Business…

How Would Your Life Change?

Thank you for your interest in learning what your business is worth. We will be in touch shortly.