Some time back I attended a conference held for the promotional products industry’s movers and shakers…and me. This was a multi-day event, during which I made some wonderful new connections while also catching up with some people I’d not seen in a while. I felt that being there, with these leaders, was time well spent. How they felt about being with me is another story.
During this conference I was approached by someone who was in the midst of running for the Board of Directors of our trade association. My reputation must have preceded me (and yet I was approached anyway), as this person knew of my years of industry involvement…not only as an active participant but also as someone with a grasp of the political side of the business. Knowing that I’d run for the Board a few times myself (those of you who have heard me speak about this subject can feel free to say the following aloud with me: “But I’m not bitter”) this person wanted to know if I had any advice to offer for the campaign.
I flatter myself to think that this particular person actually reads my column but, if so, I can be backed up about the sage advice I’d shared. I believe my words were something to the effect of “don’t follow my advice”, as I wasn’t exactly the poster child for successful campaigns. Nevertheless, my advice (or lack thereof) must have been heeded, as this person was ultimately elected to the Board.
Aside from the politics of promo, I have had a fairly good career, marked with both highs and lows. Who of us hasn’t? You know…sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. Life is like that.
In that I often pretend that I have spare time, during some recent downtime (ha!) I’d started to compile some thoughts and ideas about achieving and maintaining success. One area of success of which I am most proud has been getting this column in on time, which is why I’d started keeping notes for this one. More to the point, this may be a compilation of what not to do. Again: many are the people who have quite successfully not followed my advice!
As the saying goes: we all do dumb things. The trick is to not let them define us. Poor decision making is something that can hold you back from succeeding in both your life and your work. Read on, please. You can take my advice or not…doing so obviously has mixed results.
1. Indecisiveness
Or not…I’m not sure. Okay…we all know that there are times when making a decision is difficult because of all of the factors and layers of complexity. Still and all, something has to be done! Weigh your options. Reach out to your brain-trust…get some outside input. Doing so will make it easier to see which way to go. Ponder those pros and cons, then act.
2. Laziness
It’s one thing to have down time…even allowing oneself to take mental health days (muy importante, by the way). It’s another to be flat out lazy. This can appear in several ways. The guilty parties may fail to check facts, confirm assumptions, take initiative, or simply do a half-assed job. People who perform this way can be perceived as sloppy and unwilling to put in greater effort. Instead, they rely on their past experience to produce the same results. I bet we all know people who spend too much time reading their own press releases.
3. Lack of communication
I know I’ve gone on (and on…) about this before, but to me poor communication is one of the greatest sins committed in business. I’ve told this story before, but for some of you newer readers…
I used to work with someone to whom email wasn’t exactly a strength. Now I admit it: I can be wordy. Why give simple, straight answers when you can tell a story? Nevertheless…I would send him elaborate, detailed, flowing emails…asking for very specific answers or info on this, that, and occasionally the other. He would write back something akin to “Yes”, Blue”, or “Okay”. These answers didn’t come close to addressing everything in my original email. Made.Me.Crazy. Okay…crazier.
And here’s why: even a good decision can go south if proper communication is not made to all parties. Not everyone involved may understand the decision or even know about it. The most successful people know how to communicate with others and leave little to no doubt.
4. Unpreparedness
What’s the expression? “Failing to plan means planning to fail”…or something like that. As established in the last section: I’m wordy. I’m also anal-retentive, with a dash of OCD thrown in for good measure. Ducks in a row and all that. Things do happen at the last minute, and one’s ability to zig when you’d planned to zag is testament to one’s skillset. However, flat-out not planning is just an open invitation to disaster. Someone that can prepare…plan for the unexpected…will be successful because of their ability to problem solve.
5. Over-dependence
If there’s one thing I’ve learned (and there are times when I wonder if I’ve only learned one thing) it’s that you can rely on no one but yourself. Often times we fail to make a decision because we are waiting for another link in the chain to make a decision and that person is waiting on someone else…ad infinitum and ad nauseam. Don’t allow yourself to be dragged down by other partners in the process who can’t get off the proverbial pot.
6. Isolation
This one hits home…so to speak…as I’ve worked from home since before it was the cool thing to do. All well and good, but sometimes you need that team to work through things. Decision making should not be done alone. Other partners can bring you more information, different insight, expertise, and experience…all of which will help you find the right solution to the problem. It’s remarkable what doors can be opened by simply involving others in the process.
7. Focused on the past
Yeah…this is one of those classic “But we’ve always done it that way before” moments. Remind me again, please…how did that work out for you? Sometimes we make decisions because our methods might have worked in the past or they’re just habit…or it’s the easiest way to get something completed. Granted: this might actually work on occasion but remember: the situation may change, requiring a new solution or a whole new mindset. Relying on an old process does not lead to success, it leads to redundancy.
8. No strategic connection
I’m reminded of another expression: we may be lost, but we’re making excellent time. Bad decisions can be the result of failing to connect the actual problem with the overall goal. Lacking a clear plan will only make it harder for solutions to make sense. When you have a clear, thought-through strategy, solutions can magically appear.
I’m certain that there are other (and probably) better tips to attaining success. There must be, as I know many other people who are far more successful than I (again…but I’m not bitter). These are just a few random thoughts on the subject which I’ve been collecting for a moment just like this. Have you some others to share? What’s the secret of your success? Or lack thereof?
Mike Schenker, MAS, is “all that” at Mike Schenker, Consulting, where he assists businesses entering the promotional products industry, mentors professionals, and offers association management. He is a promotional industry veteran and member of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) Hall of Fame. He can be reached at mike@mikeschenker.com.