Let’s face it, one of, if not the biggest expense in business is paying for a team. Whether it’s traditional payroll or fees for contractors, a question I get asked all the time is,” how do I justify paying out big bucks for a team - even if it feels like I need it?” There is actually a better question to ask: “how do I make sure that I am getting the most out of the team members I bring on board?”

The most successful companies have a secret weapon; they regularly talk to each other. It seems simple, but lack of effective, regular communication is the root cause of most business problems. You’ll recognize many of these problems. Consider these familiar phrases: “that’s not what I wanted”, “no one is getting anything done,” “she already did that”, “they messed up again,” “but I needed that yesterday,” “they’re all blaming each other”.

This month’s Outrageously Effective System shows you how to immediately implement a team communication system so you can enjoy more freedom and better profit margins.

Not a member of the club? Join now at www.processprodigy.com/oes. Try it out for 90 days. If you don’t like send it back and we’ll give you a full refund. Sound fair?

By Beth Schneider

Can I ask you a silly question? Have you ever felt so swamped that you just couldn’t get anything done? I remember a time not so long ago, I was preparing to go out of town for a seminar, I had a product to finish writing, holiday gifts to buy, 3 projects to review and a dozen phone calls to return. My head was swimming with deadlines and details so much so that I found it hard to get anything done. I really just wanted to sit on the couch and whine. Ever been there?

One of the biggest sources of stress and fear is that dreaded to-do list. You know the one, you probably have one yourself, right? It’s really easy to get overwhelmed when there is so much to get done in a short period of time. I think it’s safe to say, we’ve all been in that place. I think is also safe to say that curling up in a ball and whining is never the answer. It’s how you handle the deadlines and details that will make all difference. The key to getting organized and reclaiming your sanity is to replace the spinning with a simple system that will get you on a path to getting everything done.

Here is a simple step-by-step formula to use during those times you find yourself saying, “I am just swamped!”

Create a list of things that HAVE to get done .
Prioritize the list so that the most important/time sensitive items are at the top of the list.
Take the first item from the list and decide what the end result should be.
Create a plan of action. Break the list item into pieces/tasks or steps that need to be accomplished in order to reach your end result.
Decide who on your team should handle each piece/task/step.
Set a due date for each piece/task/step.
Assign the piece/task/step to the appropriate person. Have a conversation with them to make sure they fully understand what they need to do and what their deadline is.
Check in with each person either by phone or email to make sure they are on track.
Repeat steps 1-8 for the other items on your list.

And now the best step of all . . .
Take a day off when you see that everything has been accomplished!
When you have too much to do the idea is to stop and organize so you can move ahead quickly.

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© 2009 Beth Schneider, Process Prodigy, Inc.

Want to reprint this article? Feel free as long as you include the following:

Beth Schneider, President of Process Prodigy Inc., www.processprodigy.com, along with her team of highly sought after operations consultants, reveal the insider secrets billion-dollar corporations pay thousands of dollars for. Specializing in process creation, Process Prodigy tools and techniques have helped entrepreneurs increase productivity by as much as 600%, and revenues by as much as 250%. Visit www.processprodigy.com/ezine and grab your FREE systems starter kit valued at $297.00

By Beth Schneider

Regardless of what kind of business you are in, there is typically some kind of communication that takes place with your potential clients before they decide to sign on the bottom line and do business with you. There are plenty of names for these sessions; free coaching session, an introductory analysis, a get to know you meeting, etc.

Whatever name applies to your business the key is to make sure the dots are connected so that both you and your potential clients get the most out of your time together. Simple changes can make big differences. One of our clients made one scheduling change and saved himself several hours every week. A clear and simple follow-up system after the session will help you close more business.

Here are 4 steps from one of my Outrageously Effective System modules that show you how to connect the dots to help you save time and make more money.

1. Create a list of 4-8 “introductory questions” that will reveal the back ground information needed prior to the session. Often there are things you may want to know before you get on the phone or meet face-to-face. For example: How did you learn about our company? How long have you been in business? How many hours of assistance are you looking for? What’s the goal you are trying to reach? Have you worked with professional like us in the past? What has your experience been? Do you have an idea of how much (how many hours) assistance you want?

2. Create an agenda template so that each meeting is essentially the same and can, at some point, be repeated by other members of the organization. Create a standard meeting agenda with items such as:
a. Questions you want to asked of the potential client during the meeting.
b. Specific points to be made in the course of the meeting.
c. Any specific information you need from a Potential Client to help you do your job better.

3. Based on your agenda, determine how long the meeting should be. For example, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 90 minutes. Also decide if you will be taking these meetings over the phone or if they are in- person. If they are in-person, do you prefer to travel to their location or should they plan on traveling to you? Decide all of these preferences and details before you start booking meetings.

4. Decide how many introductory sessions you want to complete in one week. For example, one of our Outrageously Effective System members limits the number of meetings she will schedule to 5 per week. When those slots are booked, meetings are booked for the following week. The number of meetings you choose to schedule will really depend on the type of business you run. Choose specific, recurring blocks of time when these sessions will occur. Choose a day or days of the week and the time you will book those meetings.

Following these specific steps will get you saving time and get you closing more clients, faster.

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© 2009 Beth Schneider, Process Prodigy, Inc.

Want to reprint this article? Feel free as long as you include the following:

Beth Schneider, President of Process Prodigy Inc., www.processprodigy.com, along with her team of highly sought after operations consultants, reveal the insider secrets billion-dollar corporations pay thousands of dollars for. Specializing in process creation, Process Prodigy tools and techniques have helped entrepreneurs increase productivity by as much as 600%, and revenues by as much as 250%. Visit www.processprodigy.com/ezine and grab your FREE systems starter kit valued at $297.00

By Beth Schneider

If you have 2 or more people who regularly work with your company, you should be having team meetings. You will be surprised at the suggestions, points of view and great ideas that will arise out of spending regular time together. The time together will build bonds between team members, clarify priorities and get the team working -even when you aren’t!

One of, if not the biggest expense in business is paying for a team. Having regular, efficient team meetings is a key way to make sure you are getting the most out of your team members.

Many small business CEOs, like you know that team meetings are an essential for a growing company, but are unsure of how to make them effective and time efficient. Here’s a team meeting checklist to get you on the fast track.

Before the meeting:

Set a recurring date and time to meet with the core members of your team.
Choose a meeting host who is responsible for sending meeting invitations and taking notes during the meeting.
Create an agenda, cover things like marketing strategy, current client situations, problems that need solutions, brainstorm ideas, etc. Share the agenda with the meeting attendees. Have the meeting:
Start the meeting by choosing a time keeper who is responsible for watching the clock. This way your meetings won’t last for 12 hours. Go through the agenda items; share information, solve problems and create tasks/projects/action items as necessary.
For each task/project/assignment choose an “owner” (someone who will take the item to completion) and set a deadline. The meeting host (note taker) should create a list of the projects, owners and deadlines so there is a record of what you decided would get done.
As the leader, spend a few minutes acknowledging the members of your team for their efforts. It’s easy to forget to say thank you. Appreciation and “thanks yous” go a long way. After the meeting:
The meeting host sends out the meeting notes and assignment list to each meeting attendee.
I recommend meeting at least once a month for approximately 30-60 minutes. If you have frequent client projects, launches or complicated systems that involved multiple people, then consider meeting twice a month or once a week. Start out with once a month and then see if you need additional meetings.

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© 2009 Beth Schneider, Process Prodigy, Inc.

Want to reprint this article? Feel free as long as you include the following:

Beth Schneider, President of Process Prodigy Inc., www.processprodigy.com, along with her team of highly sought after operations consultants, reveal the insider secrets billion-dollar corporations pay thousands of dollars for. Specializing in process creation, Process Prodigy tools and techniques have helped entrepreneurs increase productivity by as much as 600%, and revenues by as much as 250%. Visit www.processprodigy.com/ezine and grab your FREE systems starter kit valued at $297.00

I used to have a recurring nightmare. I would find myself sitting in a high school classroom. I’d be chatting it up with friends I hadn’t seen in a while when suddenly the teacher would announce it was time to take the final exam. Suddenly I would remember that I hadn’t been in class all semester. My hands would start to sweat as I had no idea how to answer any of the questions and surely I was going to fail. I’d wake up in a panicky, nervous sweat because I didn’t know what to do.

Whether your team is made up of employees or independent contractors if you find yourself barking orders, giving partial instructions or simply ignoring them for long periods of time you are probably making them feel like I did from that nightmare.

But even if your team members aren’t breaking out in hives or taking mediation for stress control, there are some key things you can do to make sure everyone on your team performs like the superstar you know they are.

Focus on What Went Right For some reason it always seems easier to point out (and harp on) the things that went wrong. I’m not saying you should ignore mistakes, but you also need to remember the flip side. Point out the good stuff that happens. When someone does a good job, say thank you and tell them you are appreciative of a job well done. Let them know you’ve taken notice of the things they’ve done, especially when they go above and beyond. You like it when someone compliments your work right? So why wouldn’t your team be the same. Praise and acknowledge good work on a regular basis.

Have a “No Surprise” policy Keep everyone on the same page by having regular team meetings. Share the current goals, the projects in the works and the high priorities with everyone at the same time. Then let everyone chime in with their ideas and what support they need from other team members to achieve the goals. Communication, buy in and participation all in one fell swoop.

Give Clear Directions Be specific about what you need accomplished. Here’s a simple example, if you say to someone, “please pick me up some lunch,” who knows what you will get; soup, pizza, a hamburger, a salad. The choices are endless. Instead, be specific about what you want. Say something like, “please go the deli down the street and pick me up a corn beef on rye with extra mustard.” See the difference. You are more likely to get what you want if you ask for it.

Give Everyone a Little Personal Time Have a one-on-one check in with each team member. Book 15 to 60 minutes each week to check their progress, give new assignments and answer any questions. It gives you the opportunity to work through all the tasks and projects at one time, which will save you time while showing them that you are approachable. This step is so important that this month’s Outrageously Effective System focuses on a strategic system to do just that.

Acknowledgement, communication, clarity and approachability are the keys to building your own superstar team.

© 2009 Beth Schneider, Process Prodigy, Inc.

Want to reprint this article? Feel free as long as you include the following:

Beth Schneider, President of Process Prodigy Inc., www.processprodigy.com, along with her team of highly sought after operations consultants, reveal the insider secrets billion-dollar corporations pay thousands of dollars for. Specializing in process creation, Process Prodigy tools and techniques have helped entrepreneurs increase productivity by as much as 600%, and revenues by as much as 250%. Visit www.processprodigy.com/ezine and grab your FREE systems starter kit valued at $297.00