As leaders we are focused on yielding higher returns, seeking distinctions, recourse and resource. We need effectiveness and efficiencies. We want growth and more time. And well, we want it all!

But what about you? As business leaders you can often be pulled from pillar to post. People want to drain your energy because you are the strong one. You are the resourceful one. You have all the solutions and make all the decisions!

When was the last time you considered investing the most valuable asset you have, your time, into you and you alone? When was the last time you took yourself over to the park, took off your shoes and socks and strolled though the lush green grass like Richard Geer did in the movie Pretty Woman? You may not have seen the movie but the lesson in that scene was powerful.

As leaders it’s ok to take time out and smell the roses. In fact it is necessary. We can only really give to others if we give to ourselves in the first instance. For you to be the best you can be you need to invest time into you and care for you. No one else can really do this on your behalf. Only you can. There is only one of you and you need to look after you.

Like the new BUPA advertising, what would you do if you could meet a better version of you? My question is, how do you create a better version of you in this hectic version of life that confronts us every day?

My answer is, invest time into you, especially at this time of year. Invest into you so you can be the best possible version of you. Here are 7 tips to get you started:

1. Say No. Not an easy one to start with but hey. More than likely you will find the person that puts the most pressure on you is you! If you are tired, if you don’t want to spend time with people, if you need time out for you, just say no. You don’t have to explain yourself. You may feel as though you have to, fact is, you don’t.
2. Read That Book. Pick up that book that has gathered dust on your bedside table, brush it off, open it and start reading. Even if it is only 10 minutes a day. Start reading. Reading is food for the soul and the mind.
3. Block Time Out For You. In your diary where you have all your meetings, deadlines, coaching sessions, networking events and the rest, block out some time for you every week. Use it as reflection time, take yourself out for coffee, but use it just for you. Just an hour a week will do the trick.
4. Book Your Next Holiday Now. Now this is something that should get you excited. Research has shown that not taking annual leave, and a good block of leave, contributes to burn out. No one operates at an optimum level when they are burnt out and dragging themselves around. Commit to going on a holiday and then plan around your trip. Accrued annual leave has increased significantly in Australia over the last couple of years. Your holiday doesn’t have to be extravagant, just get away. The world will survive while you are gone!
5. Make A Time To Catch Up With Your Friend You Haven’t Seen In A Long Time. Pick up the phone and call the friend that you continue to say “Oh, I must ring X”. Because every week you say it when something triggers a memory. Do it now and lock in a date and enjoy the time you have with them.
6. Get A Massage. We carry so much stress and tension particularly in the upper part of our body. Spoil yourself and get a massage. It can be as quick as 30 minutes but the benefits can be significant. It could be a good way to spend the time you have blocked out for yourself in Tip No 3.
7. Do Nothing. Did you do a double take? Yes, I said do nothing. Sit and breathe. Notice what is going on around you. Sit in the park, take off your shoes and socks and feel the grass in between your toes. But that is it. Just sit and notice. Notice the simple things in life. They are around us but we miss them every day.

Great leaders will walk in the grass. Great leaders will take time out to smell the roses and take notice of the simple things in life. We simply can’t sustain the hectic lifestyle we are living and have lived over the past couple of years in particular.

A leader of mine had a funny saying “You are not a brain surgeon Julie. Life doesn’t depend on you.” True! So for those of you who are not surgeons and whom others life does not depend on, you can take yourself away, just for a little bit and reap the rewards.

Look forward to meeting a better version of you in 2012 and enjoy walking bare foot in the grass.

Yes it’s 13 sleeps until Christmas and all in business are focused on how busy they are….or should be! Some businesses are frantic with this period being the busiest sales period and others are winding down.

Regardless of where you are at, December and January is the prime time to plan for the next year. Any good business reflects and learns from the results created during the current year so they can plan and implement a robust success strategy for the next year.

Many businesses are seeking year on year improvements, others are happy to break even and some desperately need 2012 to be better than 2011.

Here are 5 tips to assist you in planning for a fantastic 2012.

1. The Mirror. Reflect on 2011 and be totally honest with yourself. What went well? What could be improved? What do you need to change? And what should you just simply stop doing? You will now be able to draw a line in the sand and focus on next year armed with these learnings.
2. Think BIG! Write out a list of what you would like to achieve for 2012. Don’t limit yourself.  What are the goals at the end  2012  that will make you incredibly proud to have achieved?
3. Time. Assess how you have really used your time this year and decide on how you will use your time next year. Do you need to spend more time ‘on’ your business and less time ‘in’ your business? Where can you improve efficiencies and productivity?
4. Activity. What are they key activities that you need to do consistently to improve your results and make you more money? What activities will lead to an improvement in cash flow? What do you need to do to increase referral business? How can you improve relationships?
5. Ask questions! Ask your clients, your referral partners, your staff and your associates how you can betters serve them next year? As Ken Blanchard says, “Feedback is the breakfast for champions”. If you are brave enough, because it takes courage, seek as much feedback as you can and integrate into your reflection learnings (step 1) to enable you to plan for a ripper 2012.

And don’t forget we are here to help. Our Business Accelerator System gets you focused on what you need to be doing in your business on a consistent basis to get the best results.

We presented to a group of business owners at a networking group meeting last week on ‘The Busy Trap’ and how business owners need to find a way to break free if they are going to grow their business.

The message resonated loudly.

These business owners desperately want 2012 to be a better year for them, but how?

They are consumed by busy but don’t seem to be getting things done. They are completely reactive in their business. The systems and processes they have in place don’t seem to be working, their team is not doing what they are supposed to and they feel like they are caught on a treadmill they can’t get off.

I mean picture this – you are stuck on a treadmill that is going at a fast pace, you are running to keep up but you are effectively staying in the same position. You are out of breath and do not get any traction to move forward with. You stay in the same place!

That is how many business owners are feeling right now. You may be one of them. And you may be one who knows that by being caught in this trap, you are not doing what you need to be doing in your business. Many of the key business activities that mitigate risk and grow your business suffer because you just never seem to get the time to do them because you are so caught up in the business.

Thirteen things that can suffer from being in the busy trap:

1. Your Cash flow
2. Your Profits
3. Your Staff
4. Your Culture
5. Communication
6. Planning for Future Success – Working ‘on’ the business
7. Performance Management placing the business under enormous risk
8. Marketing – You are not top of mind with your clients
9. Networking
10. Client Service & Delivering on Promises
11. Building Relationships With Your Team And Clients
12. Your Passion For Your Business and Motivation Levels
13. Systems and Process

And these are just thirteen things. There are many more that have a significant impact on your business.

If you are sick and tired by being caught in the busy trap and would like to find a way out, then register for our special webinar – “How to Turn A Reactive Business Into A Proactive One And Grow Your Business By 113%”.

On this webinar I will show you how The Business Accelerator System has assisted my clients to achieve business growth of 113% and in fact win awards for my clients.

Register Here and be part of this webinar and I will show you the blueprint to grow your business by as much as 113% also.

Register for the Webinar here 

I look forward to you joining us and assisting you to covert your business from reactive to a proactive enterprise.

To your success,

Julie Hyde

I was at a VECCI briefing last week about Adverse Action and Unfair Dismissal. Given this is a potential outcome of Performance Management and Leadership and is a key area that I assist my clients with, I like to keep on top of what is going on.

The Fair Work Act and Work Place Relations Act changed significantly in 2009 and since then there has been an increase in claims at the respective tribunals. The clear messages for me out of this briefing was for employers to ensure they are on top of their Performance Management, communication processes and ensure they cover their risk.

For small business in particular, this is a significant area of risk, as many do not have a robust or even any sort of Performance Management Framework in place. And that’s not a problem (well not really) until something goes wrong. Then you can be faced with significant concern, both from a financial point of view and also time impact in your business.

I can’t reinforce enough the importance of having a sound Performance Management Framework, that is clearly defined, transparent, actioned consistently and part of everyday business. It contributes positively to culture, performance, engagement and the communication levels within the business.

My background is big business that was unionised. I managed over 130 staff and certainly know first hand the importance of being able to demonstrate how, when and why the performance of employees is managed. Particularly when things go pear shaped. And it happens when you are dealing with people!

When people think of performance management, they often think of end of year performance conversations that will determine a bonus payment or salary increase. This should be the final step in the process for the year – not the process itself.

Performance Management should include the measurement of results but also the measurement of behaviours. Clearly defining what success looks like for an individual both in result outcomes (revenue, sales) and how they are expected to behave in the workplace is imperative. This not only provides clarity for the employee around what is expected of them, it also provides them with the opportunity to meet those expectations and seek assistance where they are falling short. It also enables the leader to manage and reinforce these expectations. It removes the ‘grey areas’ that can exist when managing an employee’s behaviour.

Over December and January many businesses are quieter which is the prime time to be reviewing and implementing your performance framework. If you do not know how or where to start, seek assistance. Distinctive Leadership is only too happy to help you get this in place. But get help from somewhere if you don’t know where to start or do not have the time.

So what should you be considering as part of your Performance Management Framework?

Here are 5 tips to get you thinking:

1. Develop your Performance Management Framework for results. What do your employees need to achieve and how will it be measured? What do they need to do to achieve these results in terms of activities to get their outcomes? I suggest having performance conversations at least monthly (as a minimum) with your staff, which rolls up to quarterly conversations leading to the end of year conversations. This will ensure you are having at least 12 conversations with your staff, eliminate any ‘surprises’ at years end around performance reducing conflict and allowing employees the opportunity to improve throughout the year.
2. Ensure this process is transparent and easy to understand. There should be no confusion around this and all parties involved should have a very clear understanding of what is expected.
3. Develop or reinforce your policy for behavioural expectations in the workplace. How are your employees expected to conduct themselves while in the workplace and when they are representing your business in your marketplace? This should now include a social media policy. Ensure these are spoken to and reinforced at team meetings so this stays top of mind with all people within the business. They should also form part of your performance conversations. It may be a great idea to get your team involved in defining these expectations to increase ‘ownership’.
4. Take a step away from your business and ask yourself this key question “If I was looking at this for another company or if I was looking at purchasing this company, would I be satisfied there was a transparent process in place to manage performance? Do I understand what the process is?’
5. Document all conversations held with employees on a performance management issue and have a complete workflow of how performance is managed. You do need to have a paper trail for this process. If you were taken to Fair Work as an example, you will be expected to demonstrate a fair and equitable process. The big question for you at this point in time is can you? If you have people leaders reporting to you, can they also?

There is so much involved under this topic that we can’t cover it all here. The above is a high level generic starting point for what to consider as part of the framework for your business.

If you take anything away from this, please review or start to implement your Performance Management Framework and everything else that comes with that. If you do not know how, contact us here for assistance or there are other organisations that can help you too. Once you have the process in place, it’s done. You then need to execute it consistently and keep it up to date but most of the hard work is done. You won’t regret it. It will minimize your risk and give you peace of mind if something ever happened in your workplace.

Business has faced into some unprecedented challenges over the last year. A strained and nervous economy has not helped with people and business tightening their hip pockets and really thinking about where they spend their money.

This in turn of course makes business leaders very nervous. I’ve spoken with many who have cut staff, reduced their hours, stopped training and marketing activities and generally battened down the hatches.

A good strategy maybe for the short term but as one of my associates found out, things can turn again very quickly. When a major project came through they were under resourced because they had let key staff go due to short-term thinking. They then faced into a range of different problems and were at risk of damaging their brand, as they may not be able to fulfil the obligations of the project to expectations.

Uncertainty, fear, challenge and pressure can force people into short-term thinking. How do we survive now? How do we ride this storm now?

The key during uncertainty and challenge is to keep true to your vision, revisit your plan. Look for how you may be able to do things differently to create better results. And think for the long term also.

Have contingencies in place. Never ever rely on one plan; always have a plan b and even a plan c & d! If you did your planning and goal setting effectively, you will have these in place. If you don’t have these plans, now is a great time to get these established.

Short-term thinking did not save the day for my associate. It created many more significant problems for them that could have been avoided if they had thought for the long term also.

Well it's right here for you in this report!

By reading this report, you will learn about

"The Business Accelerator System".

You will read about how you can accelerate your business growth, focus on all of the right activities that make you money and free yourself from the ‘Busy Trap’ – the trap most business owners are in.

Sound interesting??

Well if that is not enough, it will also show you how, in 3 easy steps you can enjoy your business again and take back control of your business…and your life.

Don't wait another second. It could be costing you money!

Download your report here.

PS. Watch out for your special invitation at the end! It's where the money is!

A friend sent this little story to me a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was worth sharing with you, particularly at this time of year.

“A new family in the neighborhood overslept and the six-year old daughter missed her school bus. The neighbour, though late for work, agreed to drive her if she'd direct him.

They rode several blocks before she told him to turn the first time, several more before she indicated another turn. This went on for 20 minutes — yet when they finally reached the school, it proved to be only a short distance from their home.



Asked why she'd led the neighbour over such a circuitous route, the child explained,

"That's the way the school bus goes, and it's the only way I know."


And isn't that the way it is with so many people? They only know one way, even though it may not be the best way.

It’s so important to take stock occasionally and ask yourself the question, “How can I do what I am doing differently so I can get better results?” We get so caught up in life and in what we are doing, we are oblivious to a better way. This may be in your work, sport, life, leadership, parenting or friendships. The way you are doing things may not be the best way, be open to others suggestions, opinions and be grateful in being challenged. It means people care.

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies".
 ~ Author Unknown



What your clients say about you on social media can have a real impact on your sales. Mediums such as facebook and twitter allow people the opportunity to communicate good and bad experiences about products and service so it makes sense for business to be on top of this.

I have noticed an increasing number of retailers with a social media presence encouraging consumers to provide feedback, communicate special offers and basically stay top of mind with their clients. Good strategy!

Social media is a growing influence for consumers, with almost one in four (24%) having made a purchase because of a social web discussion they had seen, says a report by customer relationship management technology company RightNow. And this is only going to grow further.

With people finding their voice on line and being more courageous in their communication, especially about an injustice, more people are going to have their opinions swayed by others. This is a big risk for business IF they are not doing the right thing or IF one of their people has provided bad service. It only takes one thing to happen to ruin a brand reputation. Harsh but true.  Social media is basically stripping business bare and putting them out for all to be seen, the good the bad and the ugly!

What would people be saying about your business?

I believe this is a good thing for business and will, or certainly should, make business owners a lot more attentive to their customer service proposition. They need to now more than ever, pride themselves on delivering strong client service and wowing their clients so they will sing their praises on social media and to their networks.

Here are 5 things for you to be considering in your business?

1. Stay on top of social media such as Facebook and twitter and hear what people are saying about your business.
2. Invite people to interact with your business online.
3. If there has been negative feedback provided about your business, do your best to turn that into a positive one (I have seen the retailer Witchery do this really well on Facebook).
4. Measure your client satisfaction on a regular basis.
5. Make client service a priority in your business and ensure all of your team understand and execute your core principles consistently.

  Will social media improve client service? My call on that is yes, for smart business.

The people pleaser pleases no one in the end. It sounds like a tongue twister from the schoolyard doesn’t it? But it’s true.

The people pleaser in a leadership role does not create any real joy at all. It is a real distinction for a leader to understand the value of respect versus like. Let’s face it, in business; the only people we should be out to please are our clients. As Peter Drucker said “The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer.” You should be about pleasing them only.

But in reality, people like to be liked. They like people to speak favourably of them. They don’t want to upset people or get them off side. They may be fearful of confrontation and negative vibes in the office. So they try to please as many people as possible.

What are the consequences for the people pleaser?

• Decision-making is a lengthy and difficult process
• They become boring
• They are not going to please everyone
• They lose focus and lose clarity in their direction
• They become unhappy and lose sight of their values and beliefs
• They are controlled by others emotions
• They lose the ability to communicate with power

Don’t get me wrong, I like to be liked too, however, I know in reality I am not going to be everytime or by everyone. In all of my leadership roles, my preference has been to be respected. Thankfully, this is something I learnt early on in my journey. I have seen the people pleaser leader struggle through and ultimately, in many cases, fail.

Choosing to be respected isn’t about not pleasing people either. However, it is about standing up to be a true leader and being decisive. It is about being confident of your values and your organizations values and living true to these. It’s about communicating with confidence because you have clarity in your direction and strategy, inspiring people along the way.

Leaders do have the choice to be a pleaser or to be a leader that demands and earns the respect of others. It’s a mindset choice and a very important distinction that will determine your success in the long term.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that ‘busy’ is one of the most commonly used words in the English language. Well in business anyway!

Busy is one of the key things that most business owners want but dread at the same time. Let’s face it, we all want and need to be busy in business otherwise we will have significant concerns! It’s a catch 22.

The key distinction is, the longevity and profitability of your business will depend on what you are busy doing. If you are just simply busy being reactive to the events and circumstances that are happening to your business rather than taking a proactive and balanced approach to your business, then your results will suffer.

Below is a checklist of 45 things that may provide you a hint if you are busy being reactive in your business.

1.     You are answering every phone call

2.     You attend to every email as it comes in. You know it’s arrived because you have your email alert tone on

3.     You are making hasty, poorly thought through decisions

4.     You are coming to work and reacting to what happens throughout the day. You do not have a structure in place for your day/week/month

5.     You are constantly interrupted by your staff

6.     You are constantly working in the business

7.     You rarely work on the business

8.     Business Development activities are limited

9.     You do not have clarity in your direction

10.  You fit in with everyone else’s schedule

11.  You ensure your inbox is cleared out daily

12.  You are constantly putting out fires

13.  You keep forgetting things. They fall through the cracks

14.  Your staff are the problem finders and you are the problem solver

15.  You do not have KPI’s in place for your business (targets)

16.  You are fielding client complaints

17.  Clients only want to see you

18.  You have a constant turnover of staff

19.  You have meetings on a needs basis only when something goes wrong

20.  Your team are not consistently communicating to you

21.  You are not consistently communicating to your team

22.  You are not coaching your team

23.  You do not have time to network

24.  You are doing extremely long hours

25.  You are not exercising or eating well

26.  You do not see the light of day

27.  You do not have clarity about what is happening in your business next month or in the next 90 days

28.  You do not have goals in place or plans to achieve them

29.  Your vision is a distant memory

30.  You can not staying top of mind with your clients

31.  You can not leave your business for a period of time without fielding phone calls from your staff

32.  You are over promising and under delivering

33.  You are not getting feedback from your team about what is working and what is not working in your business

34.  You are feeling stressed and anxious

35.  You don’t want to review your finances because you know your results are not where you want them to be

36.  You do not have systems in place to manage your team and do not have a good understanding of how they are performing

37.  You can not describe your business culture

38.  You are constantly telling people what to do

39.  You are not marketing and staying top of mind with your clients

40.  You do not know who your top, middle and bottom third clients are

41.  You do not know your lead conversion rate

42.  You are not spending time building relationships

43.  Your referral business is minimal

44.  You do not have time to keep on top of trends within your industry

45.  You are not enjoying your business.

How did you go? Did you find yourself nodding to some of these? If you did, you may find that you are busy being reactive in your business.

The great thing is, once you have identified that you are in fact reactive and busy being busy, you can then change it. If you are constantly doing any number of the above things, you need to stop doing them and start doing the polar opposite. This will be proactive business growth activity so you are spending your time on activities that will make a positive impact on your business outcomes. You can still be busy, but you will be busy doing the right things.

It’s all about how you manage and use your time. Now that you are more aware of what you are doing, sit down, take stock and decide what you will do to turn things around. Turn off the phone, close the door and focus on what you can do to become a proactive business owner.

Keep your eye open for the announcement of The Business Accelerator System that has helped business owners turn reactive into proactive and improve their business growth by as much as 113%.