Process Prodigy – Work Less, Make More Money & Create Outrageously Effective Systems for Your Business

4 Steps for Getting Focused and Results Oriented

By Beth Schneider · Comments View Comments

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

I hope your Thanksgiving was as much fun as mine.

I’m still a bit tired from eating all that turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes….ok now I’m hungry. I did something I’ve never done before. Since I don’t love big crowds I usually avoid stores on black Friday, but this year my brother and I hopped on over to an electronics store so he could help me pick out a new computer. I just LOVE my new laptop.

Have you grabbed your spot yet? If your business is starting to remind you of a Godzilla-like monster that’s consuming everything in its path – all your time, energy, sweat, and tears… and still not producing like it should, I HIGHLY encourage you to take a look at something that will help… www.processprodigy.com/ops.

My guess is you are busy planning for the new year. You know “what” you have to do. You have to FOCUS. But no one ever tells you exactly HOW to focus. Well, until now. This week’s article shows you how to hanker down and focus so you can get better results in less time.

Enjoy,
Beth

OPS

Drip. Drip. Drip.
That’s The Sound Of Your Business Leaking Profits… Making You Work Twice As Hard To Stay Afloat.

Have you spent thousands of dollars on “gurus” with good ideas – and still feel stuck because you can’t figure out how to make it all “fit” into your business? Ever feel frustrated because you know how profitable and satisfying your business could be… but you can’t figure out how to make it happen?
What if I told you that running your business and implementing new ideas could be completely PAINLESS for you? Come join me and my senior consultant, Jami so we can show the way to get a river of clients and cash flowing into your business.

Learn more and grab your spot here: www.processprodigy.com/ops

4 Steps for Getting Focused and Results Oriented

By Beth Schneider Isn’t it ironic that time management, a process that is supposed to make work – and life – easier, actually seems like such a difficult and tedious task?

We want the final outcome of the process; the organization, the free time, the sense of achievement when things actually get done. We just don’t want to exert the effort it takes to get there. It’s right up there with wanting to have a flat, washboard stomach, but being unwilling to do any exercise. I wish I could tell you there was a magic pill or a quick fix, but there just isn’t.

That doesn’t mean it has to be difficult and tedious, though. You might claim that time management doesn’t work for you, but I would challenge that and suggest that you have not truly worked it.

Let’s go back to the exercise scenario. Many of those who decide to lose a few pounds are really excited… at first. They get a gym membership; buy a shiny new pair of sneakers, set the alarm for 5 am and head out at full steam… for three or four days. After that, it’s right back to our lousy, old habits. It’s not that we don’t know WHAT to do; it’s just that we’re biting off too much at once. It’s like shoving an entire sandwich into your mouth – without chewing.

Here are some specific steps – so you remember to chew.

Take one bite at a time. Identify one thing in your business that you know needs your focus. You might start with client meetings, preparing for speaking engagements, talking to leads on the phone, creating a new product, training your team, or answering questions. Choose one “bite” and start “chewing” there.

Pick one day of the week when you will spend some time on that particular item.

Decide which hour of that day will be designated for focusing on the item. Here’s where discipline comes in: Mark that time in your calendar as if it was a meeting with your number one client. Would you break that meeting? Probably not. Would you take phone calls during that time? Nope, it just wouldn’t happen. Would your team interrupt you during that meeting? Not if they want to stay on your team.

Train yourself and your team to respect the importance of that single hour. Your team will get it. It’s you who will likely be the problem. You will have the unenviable task of convincing YOURSELF to focus for that hour and not do anything else.

It takes some time and it takes practice, but you’ll start with one hour and soon find it easier and easier to schedule things and hold to your schedule. This will lead you to that desirable outcome; having the time to do the things you are really good at – that will propel your business forward. Don’t be dazed and confused… there’s no time slot for that!
© 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.

Categories : Business, Systemizing, Teamwork, Time Management, Uncategorized

Comments View Comments

An Effective Team Meeting Checklist

By Beth Schneider · Comments View Comments

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

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.

****************

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

Categories : Teamwork

Comments View Comments

4 Steps to Creating a Superstar Team!

By Beth Schneider · Comments View Comments

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

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.

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

Categories : Employees & Contractors, Teamwork

Comments View Comments

Hey, I’m talking to YOU!

By Beth Schneider · Comments View Comments

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

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. I’m sure you’ll recognize many of these problems. Things like: “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.If you are ready to set your business up so you can just do the fun stuff, then check out all the details and join now at www.processprodigy.com/oes.Give it a shot. Try it out for 90 days. If you don’t like send it back and we’ll give you a full refund. Sound fair?

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

Categories : Hiring & Firing, Teamwork

Comments View Comments

Systemizing Your Business: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?

By Sandye · Comments View Comments

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Thoughts from your Systems Goddess, Sandye Linnetz, Process Prodigy

Rodney King said it. Chances are he meant it, too. Why can’t we all just get along? My guess is simply that we don’t all get along because each of us has a need to be right. It’s human nature. It stands to reason, then, that if each of us wants to be right then someone has to be wrong. Hard to «get along» when each of us is striving to be right and, therefore, hunting for someone else to make wrong. Sure, it would be simpler if everyone agreed on everything, but is that really such a good idea, either?

Think about the people who are working with you. It’s likely that they are very diverse – even if your company is small. Each has a unique point of view, personal biases, predjudices and his or her own way of thinking and communicating. Isn’t it the variety; the very diversity of background and thought, that makes your company work? Different people have different experiences, knowledge and opinions. In the workplace – when it’s «safe» – we share them. What would your staff meetings look like if there was no diversity?

If we were all alike… all but one of us would be obsolete.

Hmmm. What does that mean? Well, one collective mind has one collective idea – so who needs conversation? Why not just choose one person to create everything? Who needs a team?

Team building is a huge business. And there’s a reason that so many brilliant business experts recommend mastermind groups and brain storming sessions… they work! And they work because, when people are free to share their ideas and points of view without judgment, magic happens. Then, through consensus, we can all get along!

So what’s your system to maintain diversity and make sure that everyone just gets along? Didn’t interview Rodney for this part, but my guess is he’d tell you that we should all be allowed to tell it like it is for us… without fear of recrimination or incarceration. Thanks, Rodney… we’ll atually start there.

Do you hold regularly scheduled staff meetings – even if your staff is very small? Are all participants invited to share their thoughts and opinions without significant risk or fear of being made to look wrong?

Consider these possible rules for running a diverse and friendly meeting that works:

• Schedule a meeting and make sure that everyone has sufficient notice
• Send out a reminder
• When possible let everyone know, in advance, what topics will be covered
• For each topic, invite diverse opinions – even if everyone appears to agree
• Ask speakers to introduce themselves including what it was in their background that had them end up with the ideas or opinions they share
• No interrupting the speakers (time limits may be necessary)
• Ask if anyone heard a new or unusual idea and encourage discussion
• List any opposing ideas on a board and open the floor to pros and cons
• Have someone take notes for a wrap-up/review at end of meeting
• Group evaluation of both the topics and the meeting
• Acknowledge all who participated – including those who actively listened
• Follow up with an email overview of the meeting
• Call Rodney and invite him to the next meeting

© 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.

Categories : Diversity, Systemizing, Teamwork

Comments View Comments