Playing Catch Up and Making Time
Playing Catch Up and Making Time
I like to arrive for appointments before the allotted time. If I am to meet with a client at 10:00, I arrive at 9:45. If a deadline is June 10, I deliver June 9. By arriving early it tells the client that I am ready to do business. If I have to wait, I write notes to myself or read the newspaper. When I beat a deadline, it takes the pressure off me, so I feel good. The client has less stress, as well.
Here are a few things I do to help me make time or catch up with time to keep me on-schedule:
I always double-check my journal before I head off to an appointment, to make sure the date and the time are correct. It’s a big time waster to attend a meeting on the wrong day.
I set my watch ahead about fifteen minutes and the clock in my car ahead about forty-five minutes. This creates a little doubt in my mind, so it’s easier for me just to believe that I could be late. This drives other people in my car crazy, but they need to be where I’m going as well, so too bad.
When the phone rings as I’m leaving the office, I answer the call to make sure that it is not an appointment canceling. If the call will take longer than a few seconds, I’ll ask to call them back on my cell phone, momentarily.
I always carry my “To Do” list. I can go over my list if I have to wait for a meeting. I cross off and add all day. If I find myself with a few minutes to spare, and note that I am near a store that sells something I need to purchase, I try to get that done. This saves time later that I would waste driving to the store.
I never ever accept an invitation without a stipulation, “I’ll have to check with the office . . . my wife . . . my appointment book.” This allows you time to consider the invitation and see if it will fit within your schedule. Although I usually have my journal with me, I know that some items aren’t listed . . . yet.
I have a little kitchen timer. I can set it, knowing when I have to turn off the computer and head out to a meeting. The little “ding” might be annoying, but it keeps me on time.
I make a reasonable guess at the length of time a meeting or event will take and then add some buffer time. This keeps me from being late for a second meeting.
I schedule “possible” meetings. These are meetings with clients and friends they don’t know about. If I find that I have finished a meeting early and I am near a client’s office I can pop in to say, “Hi.” If I can’t make a “possible” meeting, I’m the only one that knows. And the only one disappointed.
I’m not early all of the time, and sometimes I am late, but the odds are that if you’re trying hard to be somewhere “on time” you will make it. Being on time is not something that just happens. It takes planning . . . and time.
Playing Catch Up and Making Time - To learn more about this author, visit Don Doman's Website.
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I have a friend who is always late. If he’s to pick me up, he’s late. If I’m to pick him up, he’s late. My son is the same way. I don’t know if this is a sign of passive/aggressive behavior or not, but it means when I deal with my friend and my son, I have to adjust my time. I tell them that events are earlier than they really are. I tell them I’ll pick them up earlier than I need to. I play their game. I hate it, but I know what I have to do to make time.
I like to arrive for appointments before the allotted time. If I am to meet with a client at 10:00, I arrive at 9:45. If a deadline is June 10, I deliver June 9. By arriving early it tells the client that I am ready to do business. If I have to wait, I write notes to myself or read the newspaper. When I beat a deadline, it takes the pressure off me, so I feel good. The client has less stress, as well.
Here are a few things I do to help me make time or catch up with time to keep me on-schedule:
I always double-check my journal before I head off to an appointment, to make sure the date and the time are correct. It’s a big time waster to attend a meeting on the wrong day.
I set my watch ahead about fifteen minutes and the clock in my car ahead about forty-five minutes. This creates a little doubt in my mind, so it’s easier for me just to believe that I could be late. This drives other people in my car crazy, but they need to be where I’m going as well, so too bad.
When the phone rings as I’m leaving the office, I answer the call to make sure that it is not an appointment canceling. If the call will take longer than a few seconds, I’ll ask to call them back on my cell phone, momentarily.
I always carry my “To Do” list. I can go over my list if I have to wait for a meeting. I cross off and add all day. If I find myself with a few minutes to spare, and note that I am near a store that sells something I need to purchase, I try to get that done. This saves time later that I would waste driving to the store.
I never ever accept an invitation without a stipulation, “I’ll have to check with the office . . . my wife . . . my appointment book.” This allows you time to consider the invitation and see if it will fit within your schedule. Although I usually have my journal with me, I know that some items aren’t listed . . . yet.
I have a little kitchen timer. I can set it, knowing when I have to turn off the computer and head out to a meeting. The little “ding” might be annoying, but it keeps me on time.
I make a reasonable guess at the length of time a meeting or event will take and then add some buffer time. This keeps me from being late for a second meeting.
I schedule “possible” meetings. These are meetings with clients and friends they don’t know about. If I find that I have finished a meeting early and I am near a client’s office I can pop in to say, “Hi.” If I can’t make a “possible” meeting, I’m the only one that knows. And the only one disappointed.
I’m not early all of the time, and sometimes I am late, but the odds are that if you’re trying hard to be somewhere “on time” you will make it. Being on time is not something that just happens. It takes planning . . . and time.
Playing Catch Up and Making Time - To learn more about this author, visit Don Doman's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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