Tweet

The Power of Leverage: Don’t Work Harder – Work Smarter

Written by: Zeke Camusio

Article Overview: The power of leverage allows you to work smarter. By using networking techniques and through outsourcing, you will feel more productive and achieve successful results – in less amount of time!

The Power of Leverage: Don’t Work Harder – Work Smarter

Are you running a mile a minute and feel overwhelmed by all the projects and paperwork piled on your desk? There's one key word that you need to add to your daily vocabulary: leverage. When you exert a small amount of effort, you gain large results. Think of it as the "working smarter, not harder" approach - accomplish a LOT of work but don't spend a lot of time doing that work. How can you make the power of leverage work for you on a daily basis? By following these strategic tools, you will feel more productive after you've clocked a hectic 60 hour work week.

The Leverage Principle

Imagine a lever. On one side of the lever you have your team players (colleagues, clients, vendors, contacts, prospects, etc) - ALL the people who contribute to your success. The other side of the lever represents YOU: your visions, dreams, goals and objectives.

The weight that you put on the lever should be equally balanced - don't rely JUST on your contacts and JUST on yourself. The trick is that you are all working towards a common goal and that both sides of the lever benefit in return.

Networking and More Networking

Networking centers on making personal connections. However, people drop the networking ball when business cards lie on their desks for weeks. Don't allow business cards to collect dust. Use those connections to help you in your business. You probably don't even realize how MANY people you know already. Those contacts in your email lists and Rolodex have what you need - time, expertise and money.

Networking marketing uses this tactic: "Who do you know who can help me succeed?" For example, you need to update your website design. You have a limited budget for the project. However, you've established a great rapport with your printer. You know that your printer works with web designers. You ask your printer for a personal recommendation.

As a result, the printer becomes your liaison: the web designer cuts you a discounted price because of your personal connection with the printer. Website design problem solved (and you just got a bargain!)

The Benefits of Outsourcing

Not only will outsourcing save you time and money but you reap the benefits of a higher return on investment. You can't be an expert in every facet of your business. If you aren't good with numbers, don't frustrate yourself by trying to attempt payroll.

The hours you waste trying to churn out projects that someone can do better will leave you frustrated and the results will be disappointing. You also take away valuable time from your own projects and priorities.

The power of leverage comes down to a mutually symbiotic relationship where everyone benefits and wins in the end. Remember this daily mantra: don't work harder - work smarter!

Related Articles
  What is the best way to develop my sales skills?
  Are Men Smarter Than Women
  Profitable Online Business Ideas and the Recession Part 2
  Social Networking or Social Distraction
  Contribution

Article Tags: business cards, common goal, daily basis, desks, goals and objectives, key word, leverage principle, liaison, mile a minute, networking marketing, paperwork, personal connections, personal recommendation, printer works, rolodex, tactic, time expertise, vocabulary, web designer, web designers



Related Forum Posts
Books for Women Entrepreneurs - There's a thread for good books in the Resources folder, but it doesn't target books for businesswomen particularly, so I figured I'd start such a thread here. It doesn't matter how successful you are in your business - it's always possible to learn something new. In subsequent posts I give Table of Contents and brief descriptions for various titles - most of them devoted to the businesswoman - and sometimes a review. If anyone else has read a review, or has read the book and found it useful, please comment! 1. The Old Girl's Network 2. Mother's Work 3. The 7 Greatest Truths About Successful Women 4. Pitch Like A Girl 5. Workplace Warrior 6. Treasure Hunt: Inside the Mind of the Modern Consumer 7. Contingency Planning & Disaster Recovery 8. She Wins, You Win 9. Napoleon On Project Management 10. Why Good Girls Dont' Get Ahead, But Gutsy Girls Do 11. Comeback Moms: How to Leave Work, Raise Children, and Restart your Career even If you Haven't Had a Job in Years 12. The One Minute Millionaire 13. Talking From 9 to 5 14. Soloing: Realizing Your Life's Ambitions 15. 101 Best Home Based Businesses for Women: Everything You Need to Know About Getting Started on the Road To Success 16. Work With Passion: How to Do What You Love for a Living. Revised and Expanded 17. Fail-Proof Your Business: Beat the Odds and be Successful 18. Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End 19. Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide 20. Millionaire Women Next Door: The Many Journeys of Successful American Businesswomen 21. Start Small, Finish Big: Fifteen Key Lessons to Start - and Run - Your Own Successful Business 22. Rewired, Rehired or Retired: A Global Guide for the Experienced Worker 23. The Martha Rules: 10 essentials for achieving success as you start, build or manage a business 24. The Essentials of Entrepreneurship: What it takes to create Successful Enterprises 25. Net Ready: Strategies for Success in the E-conomy 26. The Promotable Woman 27. Leave The Office Earlier: The Productivity Pro shows you how to do more in less time and feel great about it 28. The Work At Home Balancing Act: The professional resource guide for managing yourself, your work, and your family at home 29. Secrets of Six-Figure Women
Re: Five Personality Traits of Successful Business Owners - 1. Focus 2. Ability to Adapt 3. Hard Work 4. Good planning 5. People Skills
Re: Books for the Entrepreneur - Another great book for internet entrepreneurs is The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris MichelleJ
Try wikipedia.com for more information - That depends what type of business you are involved in. Maybe if you share that, we can help you a little better. I work mostly in the Work at Home industry so my advice would only be along those lines.
Re: Vera Wang Profile - I too love this kind of success story Evan, I especially liked the article 'Nothing Replaces Hard Work', I can relate to a lot of things in there, take care Carol


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Angel Investors Where Are You?

Top Ten Home-Based Businesses

Reverse Mentoring

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.