More Than WE Know

What an interesting week it has been! Last week I decided that I had been setting my goals all wrong.

Being a naturally ambitious person, setting goals around tasks, only fed my natural inclination to pack as many “to do’s” into my day as possible.  Let’s face it, it really wasn’t much of a challenge for me to get a lot done. 

What was a challenge for me, was taking the time to take care of my health - my “to be’s” if you will.  I have a long history of “doing a lot” and sacrificing my health - sleep, eating patterns and exercise in order to get it done.

Recently, that had begun to catch up with me.  This week I tried an experiment of just assuming the “to do’s” would get done and instead setting my goals around how I wanted “to be” - which was healthier.  The results were interesting.

First, I succeeded in eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep. I’m still getting over my illness so I didn’t exercise as much as I intend to in the near future.  But still, I definitely focused on “being” first, and “doing” second.

The result? I really couldn’t see much difference in the amount that I got done when I was working around the clock and this week when I was putting more boundaries around my work hours. 

Could it have to do with Parkinson’s Law that “work expands to fill the time available for it”?

The other interesting thing was that I added two new clients this week - and they practically fell into my lap!  It makes me wonder about the power of energy.

Since I was taking better care of my health - did I give off better energy that others were drawn to?

So, I’m enjoying this experiment. I certainly feel a lot better. And I’m going to continue it into next week.

How about you? Are you putting your health first and your business second? Or the other way around? What would it take for you to make yourself a priority?  

For more on the power of energy in connecting with others, see:

Networking with Passion

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Yesterday I told you about Scott Ginsberg, that guy with the nametag, and his great new book Make a Name for Yourself.

I also told you that I was going to ponder how his extroverted behaviors could be helpful to introverted entrepreneurs.   While none of us wants to wear a nametag 24×7, the idea of being more approachable is appealing.

As I’ve mentioned previously, being introverted is different than being shy, although a person can be both.  Being introverted is a physical trait that leaves you feeling drained after encounters with other people.  This causes many introverts to avoid excessive interaction with others. 

But, I’ve also written that introverts can still be effective networkers by learning to pace their interactions. In other words, while we may not feel comfortable wearing a nametag 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, everywhere we go,we might be comfortable wearing one 1 hour a day, 3 days a week at networking events.  

The key is to set limits that you can live with and then to implement some of the concepts that Scott has put into practice.

Scott’s nametag works because it is an ice-breaker. It makes him more approachable because it gives people a way to start a conversation with him. 

Almost 50% of all people report feeling shy with new people or new situations.  Therefore many people are grateful for Scott’s nametag. It gives them a way to make a joke, say hi, or start a conversation; which Scott then keeps going based on his friendly personality.

So, what are some other ways to get similar results without wearing a nametag?

• smile; it sounds simple but it’s something we often forget to do when we are pre-occupied with our thoughts
• make eye-contact; this is especially effective when something amusing happens – sharing a private joke with someone can be a great connector
• say hello; again, simple but often overlooked
• wear something eye-catching; a hat, brooch, flower, bracelet, t-shirt, ribbon, etc. that gives people an opportunity to initiate a conversation
• carry an interesting book or magazine;  others may start a conversation with you based on what you’re reading
• push a baby-stroller;  a great way to connect with other moms  
• walk your dog;   dogs are natural networkers; they can make the connection and you can follow up on the conversation

So, here’s the simple 3 step plan to being more approachable:

step 1 is to determine which of the ideas on the list feel comfortable to you

step 2 is to determine when you will use them:

• at a networking event
• at the office
• on the playground, soccer field, PTA meeting, or walk around the neighborhood
• while running errands

step 3 is give it a try!

Remember, you can always put boundaries around your availability. 

You don’t have to be approachable 24 x 7 – but it’s nice to know that when you want to be, you can!

I just devoured Scott Ginsberg’s 220 page book Make a Name for Yourself in a single setting and now I’m starting to read it a second time - and I am sure I will be re-reading it again and again.  The book is chock full of valuable ideas and insights that I can’t wait to share with you over the coming weeks.  The hardest part will be deciding which gem to write about first!

I’ve recently become a fan of Scott’s after hearing his story.  You may have heard of Scott already - he’s known as “that guy with the nametag”.  He’s been wearing a nametag 24×7 for the past 2544 days.  (He can claim 24×7 because he even tattooed a nametag on his chest!) 

Scott’s motivation for wearing a nametag is that it made him more approachable. He found that by wearing a nametag, even strangers would start conversations with him!

I’m fascinated by Scott for a couple of reasons.  First, this is such a great Public Relations strategy.  It’s unbelievably low cost (even 2544 nametags can’t cost that much!!), it’s memorable and it’s well-intended. In other words, it’s aligned with the MoreThanWeKnow value of doing well by doing good.  

Scott has been featured in hundreds of outlets such as 20/20, CNN, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, The Associated Press, REDBOOK, FastCompany, The Washington Post, Paul Harvey, The CBS Early Show and Headline News. He even wrote “The Quiz” on approachability for COSMO!

In the nearly 7 years that Scott has been wearing a nametag, he has managed to build an entire career out of it.  At 27, he’s one of the youngest members of the National Speakers Association. 

He’s known as an expert on “approachability” and has written books, online and offline magazine columns, and developed training programs that he has delivered to major corporations such as STAPLES, VERIZON Wireless, Boeing, Prudential Financial, UniGroup, Coldwell Banker, Gundaker Realty, Leo Burnett, Manpower and Hyatt Regency as well as many non-profits.

The second reason that Scott fascinates me is that he has got to be as opposite of an introvert as they come!! The idea of wanting all people, any people to connect with you any time, any where is incomprehensible to an introvert. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, introverts need to pace the amount of time spent interacting with other people because it can be physically draining. 

On the other hand, Scott’s actions and philosophy are fascinating to me, an introvert. I find myself wondering if they can be adapted to suit the needs of the less socially inclined among us.  I’m going to ponder this some more and write some ideas in my next post.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Is he brilliant or crazy? How approachable are you? How approachable do you want to be?

For more fascinating reading by Scott, check out his blog.

For more info on the challenges of networking for the less extroverted among us, read:

 Four Survival Tips for the Introverted Entrepreneur

How to Go From Shy Networker to Brilliant Conversationalist

Six Tips to Successful Networking for Shy Entrepreneurs

Challenging Advice for the Shy Entrepreneur

Situational Shyness and the Aspiring Entrepreneur

What separates successful Women Entrepreneurs from struggling ones? 

One common trait I’ve noticed is their focus on perfection. 

Or, I should say, their lack of focus on perfection.

That’s right, successful Women Entrepreneurs move forward with their ideas and plans without waiting until they have everything perfect.  They know that there will never be the perfect time, the perfect copy, the perfect idea.  They move forward with what they have and trust that it will be good enough.

Struggling Women Entrepreneurs focus instead on getting everything right. They don’t move ahead with step B until they have step A completely right. 

They’re forever considering one more version of their logo, one more design of their website, one more color for their business cards, one more rewrite of their press release and one more rehearsal of their speech.  They care so much about getting it right, that they are afraid to get any part wrong. 

This focus on perfection - keeps them from moving forward.

An interesting thing to me is that I see this much more in Women Entrepreneurs than in our male counterparts.  Men seem more naturally inclined to move forward with what they have and to trust that it will be good enough. And what doesn’t work - they figure they can fix.

Consider for a moment the ingenuity of this plan - by moving your product or service to the marketplace - you get instant feedback!

Even failure or a low response is valuable feedback!

You could labor for days, weeks, months (years?) trying to perfect your business before bringing it to the world - but the problem is that it would still only be your version of perfection - not your customers!! 

Remember - It’s your customer’s  perception of your business that matters!

Give them a good product, get their reactions and then nimbly respond to their feedback. Jointly you will develop a product or service that meets their needs in a much more rapid time.

And that will be just perfect!

How does a desire for perfection hold you back in your business? What are you holding back on right now that is probably good enough to share with the world? Do you agree or disagree that this is more of a problem for women than men? 

As you may remember from my previous post today is  Blog Action Day.  A few months ago, a group of bloggers got together and asked:

What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day?
One issue. One day. Thousands of voices.

Well, today is that day in 2007  and the environment is the issue!  As of last week 7500 bloggers had registered and the number was still growing.  (update: 15000 bloggers registered by this morning!)

The idea was to write about the environment from the point of view of the blog. Since my blog is about Women Entrepreneurs, especially Women Entrepreneurs who are aiming to do well by doing good,  I chose to write about a Woman Entrepreneur who is building her business around helping other businesses be profitable in an environmentally- sustainable way.  

I thought it would be inspiring to hear about her business, and provide practical information to other Women Entrepreneurs.

Many of the women entrepreneurs I speak with are concerned about our impact on the environment.  We have watched “An Inconvenient Truth”; we have applauded Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize; we have considered purchasing a hybrid car.  But in reality, few of us know how we can make a real impact on global warming or other environmental concerns. 

In short we are overwhelmed, discouraged and aren’t sure where to begin.

Elizabeth Striano wants to change all that.  She is the founder of A Green Footprint, LLC. Her company helps businesses implement sustainable solutions and reduce environmental impact through:

• Decreased consumption and waste production
• Increased efficiency
• Eco-friendly choices

Elizabeth holds a masters degree in environmental science and has nearly 15 years experience working on a variety of environmental issues, including water quality, energy, clean air, and public health and security.  

According to Elizabeth, “A Green Footprint LLC aims to help those organizations sort through the clutter and identify the most effective ways of finding efficient, cost-effective environmental solutions.”

Elizabeth blogs about the challenge of making eco-friendly decisions.  In recent blog posts, she describes her own concerns about the impact of her daily commute on the environment and the common confusion over which paper products to purchase.

Some ways that micro businesses and home-based businesses can reduce their impact on the environment and generally save money by using:   

• rechargeable batteries
• recycled paper
• certified forest managed paper
• refillable ink cartridges and pens
• laptops rather than desktops
• fluorescent rather than incancdescent bulbs
• solar powered calculators
• bio-degradable and non-toxic cleaning supplies, glues and markers

In addition, Women Entrepreneurs can take the following steps to further reduce their impact on the environment:

• get off junk mail lists
• market in ways that don’t add to junk mail
• unplug laptops at night and cell phone chargers when not in use
• recycle old cell phones and computers as well as paper and plastic
• use reusable cups and mugs rather than Styrofoam or plastic
• tele-commute
• use public transportation or carpooling when you must commute
• reduce packaging materials on your shipments where possible
• buy products in bulk and combine errands and trips 

Don’t forget that “being Green” is also good publicity:

• include information about it in your online marketing materials
• submit an online press release about your “Green business”
• let your customers know that you have “gone Green”
• let your customers know how using your services help them “go Green” as well

For more information send an email to info(at)AGreenFootprint(dot)com.

What ways does your business “go green”? What new ways will you add? Do you think it is important for micro and small businesses to reduce their impact on the environment? Do you think it is good for your business, or bad? Do you think your customers care whether you are “Green”?