Many of us have observed and documented mistakes that are made constantly. Whether you are a novice or a veteran, you don’t want to fall into these traps. Here are seven tips to help you on your journey to a rewarding, successful career.
1. RETURN PHONE CALLS. The No. 1 complaint from all sides of any type of business is when a professional does not return a call promptly. This bad habit occurs in all industries. The difference between success and failure often comes from the sense of urgency to follow up and return calls promptly.
2. MAKE YOUR EXPECTATIONS KNOWN. As a professional, you must communicate expectations. This is true whether you are establishing a relationship with a client on your first meeting or providing marketing literature to promote a product or service to prospective clients. In establishing expectations, you define the rules of engagement. Most important, you start to build a solid foundation of trust. The most well defined service plan or best designed product never will have success without proper expectations stated and defined.
3. UPDATE EVERYONE. The fastest way professionals can fail is to avoid giving updates or keeping in communication with all parties involved. Communicate frequently so the feeling of abandonment does not develop.
4. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS. Despite the books, manuscripts and courses dedicated to this topic, many professionals either ignore ethics’ importance or consider it just one more thing they have to do because it’s a requirement for employment.
5. LISTEN. Early in my career, I heard a line that didn’t make sense at the time – “When the creator of the heaven and Earth made man, he gave him two ears and one mouth”. Now, I know it means we should listen more and speak less. Give your clients your undivided attention.
6. ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. This is a giant one. Instead of pointing the finger of blame, accept that mistakes are made and that is how we learn in the long run. Blaming others is never a way to win and only serves to hurt others.
7. REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE. Understand that clients are people and just like you, they have feelings, emotions and perhaps individual anxieties or nuances. That is why the wisdom of the ages dictates that time after time, “Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you”. By treating your clients with respect, you will reap untold success in your career. By helping others, it comes back to you two-fold. Your clients will keep you in mind for being so considerate.
