Smart companies, big and small, sometimes struggle using knowledge in everyday work. A small service tech company I worked with had paid for a complete software application to track their inventory and vehicle maintenance schedule. The software was $12,000 and came with a one year service plan that was going to expire in 8 weeks. The software, easy to use, did require the drivers of the service vans to report back to the shop what they used on a service run and when the techs should get their van serviced. Consequently, there had been 25 days of vans not being operational and the estimate of getting to the job site without the proper inventory in the van was listed at 200 lost hours of work. So the $12,000 software had an additional cost of:
Van downtime - $1000 average lost revenue per day $25,000
Driving back to get supply $100/hour lost billing $ 2,000
Someone in this company KNEW that the software could save time, but the process of DOING was never completed. The knowing-Doing Gap is a documented growth factor for successful businesses. According to Jeffry Pffeffer of Harvard, statically, businesses that DO will surpass those that KNOW and fail to implement. In a Lean Culture, we often say:
DO SOMETHING because you can always do something else if the first DOING doesn't get the results you want.
What do you KNOW about your business that you are not DOING? Related articles.
Copyright 2011 Linda Lucas Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/ 419-897-0528
linda@changinglanes.biz
Five Steps for Overcoming Procrastination
Overcoming procrastination will bring you joy and increase your bottom line. If procrastination in your life leaves you feeling bad about yourself, then it's time to implement a process for overcoming procrastination. Following the five step Conscious Transformation Process will make overcoming procrastination easier for you. The five steps are:
Announce - analyze your procrastination to gain clarity about why, when and how you procrastinate. Just don't make overcoming procrastination a procrastination technique that keeps you from doing important work! Download the Transformations Breakthrough Process to work through your own process. Once you've analyzed your procrastination patterns, determine how you will BE when procrastination is no longer part of your life. You may want to be productive, energetic, joyful, timely, relaxed, etc. Use this free tool Contrast Brings Clearness to help you gain clarity about your state of being as a non-procrastinator.
Align - adopt techniques that help you get back into balance when you notice that you are procrastinating. For example, you might use affirmations, visualization or journaling to return to the state of being you identified in the Announce step.
Act - create a plan of action based upon inspiration, incorporating activities that resonate with you. Some example actions that help with overcoming procrastination include:
- Start each day with a plan and goals. Decide one thing that you are going to do to be productive that day and be specific. For example, make 10 calls to set up one-on-one sales appointments between 9 am and 10 am.
- Create a productive environment. Go someplace where you aren't distracted, turn off your Internet, or close your office door. Do whatever makes sense for you so that you can be productive.
- Set a time limit. If you are working on a large project, decide to just work for one or two hours each day until the project is completed. Or maybe you just need 15 minutes a day. Choose the amount of time that seems right for you to complete your project on time.
Allow - in order to succeed in overcoming procrastination, you must believe in yourself, detach from the outcome and be grateful throughout the process.
Be gentle with yourself and when you notice self-critical thoughts, stop those in their tracks and don't forget to reward yourself for making progress. Be grateful along the way.
There's no quick fix for overcoming procrastination, but if you follow these five steps, you will notice a slow but sure transformation from procrastination to productivity.
Copyright 2011 About the author. Pat Altvater partners with solo entrepreneurs to implement a sales and marketing process and plan that brings them joy and increases their bottom line. She is the author of Choose Success - Ignite the Power Within and President of Transformations Institute. Learn more about perfectionism and procrastination at her blog Patti Perfect's Perfectionism Blog http://pattiperfectsperfectionismblog.com/ and her Facebook fan page Patti Perfect Says http://www.facebook.com/pattiperfectsays.
