
In January Michael Hyatt wrote a great blog post that he titled “The Surprising Secret to Success”. This secret was only one word: Responsiveness.
“So many people I meet are unresponsive.
- They don’t return their phone calls promptly.
- They don’t answer their emails quickly.
- They don’t complete their assignments on time.
They promise to do something and never follow through. They have to be reminded, prodded, and nagged. This behavior creates work for everyone else and eats into their own productivity. Sadly, they seem oblivious to it.
When I was a kid, we used to play “Tag.” You probably did, too. The objective was simple: keep from becoming “It.”
If someone tagged you (touched you), you became “it” until you tagged someone else. Whoever was “it” when the game ended, lost.
Business is very similar. People “tag” us in countless ways every day.
- They place calls.
- They send emails.
- They mention something to us in a meeting.
Suddenly, we are “it.” And, just like the game, if you stay “it” too long, you lose. The only winning strategy is to respond quickly and make someone else it.” You can read the rest of his blog post here.
May we all try better this week to be more responsive and to start taking ownership and leadership. Haven’t we all been on the phone with a company and been passed around several times having to repeat our need over and over? But isn’t it wonderful when the first person you talk to is able to address your need quickly and completely? I want to be that refreshing person!
Onward to be a better me,
Kirk Out