I found myself reading a magazine… yes, a magazine! Wow, how old school is that?
I was struck by an article about how it’s important at this time of year to organize your office. The article listed step-by-step instructions as to how to be more efficient.
The author said to have a file folder (what are those?) marked 1 – 31 for you to place things you need to do on each respective day of the month. Let’s stop right there. The ideas the author shared were probably effective in 1987, but are irrelevant in 2017.
Why do we even have an office?
Our goal must be to minimize everything to allow 100% of what we do to be handled on (at most) a laptop.In another part of the
In another part of the article, the author talked about how to arrange your filing cabinets. The better question is, “Why even have filing cabinets?” Haven’t those been replaced by servers and the cloud?
The only way we will be successful is by being on the front-end of ideas and change, rather than the back end. Our problem is our mindset and our habits are all built around historical actions. If our objective is to increase our personal productivity, then we have to be willing to ask, “What things that I’ve been doing need to go and what do I need to start doing?”
Too many of us find ourselves clinging to processes we’re comfortable with. Each generation embraces new mindsets that change dramatically their level of productivity.Marc
Marc Benihoff, the CEO of Salesforce, is quick to say how he can do his entire job using only his smartphone. I love that statement. Now I’m sure Marc as a CEO does have some paper and does have an office, but stop and ask yourself if you could do your job solely using your smartphone?
What do we need to cut loose to be more effective in 2017?
Let’s not think solely about our office space, but also about everything we do. Twenty years ago when I was in a corporate role, my habit when taking over a new position was to quickly box up every file the person I replaced had and stack in a corner. Yes, I would keep the files available by the rare chance I would need to find something, but rarely would that ever happen. After six months I would throw everything out.
What’s stopping us from starting fresh? Ask yourself what a new person would do differently if they took over your job or your business?
My goal in 2017 is to reinvent and purge old habits with the sole goal to become minimally 100% more productive. Is that a big goal? Sure, but if we don’t push big, we’ll never know what we’re capable of.
The only way I will achieve that goal is by cutting loose 100% of the old habits I’ve been holding onto.
As you prepare for 2017, I’ve helped companies create powerful outcomes through interactive keynotes and workshops, delivering specific objection language and strategies.
Because I customize to your team’s uniqueness, you’ll find the team will continue to leverage these insights long after I’m gone. Let’s talk about how you get the outcomes you need. Call me at 402.445.2110. In the meantime, check out my best-selling book, High-Profit Prospecting.
Copyright 2016, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.
