Going The Extra Mile to Business Success

Most people give their best effort at work. They'll do the bare minimum to get by, getting in and out of each day without too much stress. But if you want real success, if you want to make a difference, that's not good enough. If you really want to be successful, then you have to go the extra mile instead. Here are some tips to get you started.

People who have a desire to do more than the bare minimum often get called overachievers, but they don't see themselves that way. They're just people doing what needs to be done, whatever it takes — and they don't expect to be thanked, much less rewarded by their bosses.

The first thing you need is self-discipline. If you always stick to your plan and do what you can on your own time, then managers notice this and appreciate it. Pay even closer attention when there's no one watching. Do small extra things that make yourself seem that much better in the company's eyes.

If you're a manager, then give your employees a chance to shine. Make sure that even the lower-level people have big goals and enough freedom to achieve them. They'll need it, because if you don't expect extra effort from everyone, then not everyone will give it.

Make sure that you spend your free time wisely. If you want the support of your boss, figure out what his or her priorities are and do something about it in your free time. The larger the company is, the more projects there are constantly struggling for attention and resources.

If you're an employee in a large company, then look for opportunities to take on extra projects on your own. If you want to get promoted, then prove that you can handle more than what's expected of you — and if your company is really big, this might mean special projects not even associated with your job.

Don't wait for opportunities to be the first one there or the last one to leave. Instead, take it upon yourself to always go the extra mile — literally. Even if it doesn't get you noticed immediately, it eventually will. And when it does happen, know that it's because you've been quietly doing your work better than anyone else for a long time before anyone else noticed.

Through this, you'll build up a reputation for yourself. That's why it's best to start working the extra mile now, when no one's paying attention. Do your job well and everything else will fall into place. Before you know it, you'll be doing things that even the people on top don't expect.

It starts with just one step at a time. When no one else is looking, do what needs to be done and do it beyond the minimum standards — do a little extra by putting in some overtime or taking on a new assignment of your own accord. Don't think about getting ahead; just focus on doing the best possible job right now and let success take care of itself.

About The Author

Stuart Cooke is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of eight business books, including  The Power of Two: Helping Employees Create Value for Their Customers, customers and Work Life Balance: 10 Things To Do to Find Balance at Work. He has lived in both London and Tokyo. You can contact him at www.tuningwinninginstincts.com or follow him on Twitter at @stuartcooke.

You can get his free ebook on Simple Steps To Get Results at this link: http://tinyurl.com/BonnieBakerBook  

He's also a big believer in using humor to communicate important messages; you can listen to Stuart's music here: http://tinyurl.com/MusicFromStuartCooke  

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Posted by Stuart Cooke at 5:38 PM No comments:

Many people think that business success is about the big sale or about being the biggest firm in town. They think that if you're small, you can't compete with the industry heavyweights. It doesn't have to be a giant corporation against a tiny boutique . It could also be one business versus another — and there are many different types of businesses that can compete well with even the biggest giant firms. Take restaurants for example. The first restaurant was opened by an immigrant street vendor selling oysters on Hog Island, New York in 1859. Since then, every year thousands of restaurants have opened. The same trend is true of any industry — and the same opportunity exists for small businesses in that industry as well. It's not impossible to be a successful restaurant operator. There are many types of restaurants that make money and lots of ways to become successful in that industry. So if you've made up your mind to open up a restaurant, here are some tips on how you can go the extra mile so you'll work harder than anyone else:

The first thing you need is an interesting concept . A restaurant's concept already exists before it opens its doors — and others have already noticed what makes it different from all the other bars or restaurants out there in that town. Don't settle for the same old ideas that other restaurants have. Even if you're looking at your own town, there are new concepts that people haven't tried before — and you can do it differently so you'll have an edge over all the rest.

And once your concept is in place, make sure that every customer has a positive experience. A restaurant can only be successful if it offers something unique to customers and gives them a reason to come back again and again — no matter how fancy it is or how much money they have. So while your food has to be prepared perfectly and service has to show friendly hospitality, those things aren't enough on their own . Your food and service must be more than average and more than the other restaurant in town. They have to be better if you want people to walk right back through your doors once they leave again.

If you're really serious about taking your own business to the next level, then you'll need a great place to work . You can have the best restaurant in town, but if it's not equipped with good working conditions or has no attractive atmosphere, then it will probably lose out against all the other restaurants. Whether you're at a high-end establishment or a fast food joint, there are things that need to be done for restaurant owners and employees — some of which are actually required by law — so choose carefully as you select your location.

Conclusion

If you're really serious about taking your own business to the next level, then you'll need a great place to work. You can have the best restaurant in town, but if it's not equipped with good working conditions or has no attractive atmosphere, then it will probably lose out against all the other restaurants. Whether you're at a high-end establishment or a fast food joint, there are things that need to be done for restaurant owners and employees — some of which are actually required by law — so choose carefully as you select your location.

Posted by Stuart Cooke at 8:02 AM No comments:

The reason some people don't make more money is because they don't work hard enough .