It’s never been this easy to stand out from the crowd
Business leaders have this massive advantage, of easily standing out from the crowd, as most businesses are operating in a state of mediocrity. In a world where mediocre is acceptable to everyone, you can be the difference. By standing up for excellence in everything you do, you will shine in the marketplace.
Let’s brainstorm a few ideas, that I believe will make you the standout from the crowd.
Under promise, over deliver
In a world where most leaders talk talk talk, be the difference by stop all the promises, and show the delivery of the result. We all, for the most part, experience a business culture where people promise you world, but they deliver at mediocre level (if you are lucky).
They promise, and then deliver with a process of massive frustration for all. They promise and nothing happens. YOU need to remind them of something THEY promised to do.
To stand out from the crowd, start with under promise, and deliver at world class standards.
Having a 10X value obsession will create a tsunami of new business leads and opportunities, with abundance written all over your company.
What I am hinting strongly to; under promise to a client, and then wow them will value that coming out of their ears.
Stick to your word
Closely related to the previous point. When you say you will do something, stick to your word and do it. It’s one of the scarcest occurrences in business these days.
Businesses and their leaders promise you the moon and the stars, just to totally forgot they spoke to you yesterday.
By sticking to your word, you will create ethical wealth so strong, people cannot and will not want to ignore you.
Secondly, and even more importantly, by sticking to your word you create a high respect for yourself, which in turn create self-confidence. How we feel about ourselves, will be the way we operate in the world.
If you are not early, you are late
We are in world where most people are always running behind. Always seem to be chasing their own tale. This happens for a number of reasons, but the end result is the same. They arrive late for an appointment. Running into an appointment (where you are already late or just in time) creates anxiety within you without been consciously aware of it. It creates a scenario where you are in the meeting, but not present.
Further to this it reflects total disrespect to the other person.
I will be a billionaire if I receive R 5 for each time someone came late for a meeting, whether in person or remotely.
You might think that there can be a number of reasons for this to happen. You are correct, but most of these reasons would be from the initial choices made earlier. I heard all kind of reasons, and of all them are merely an excuse for a prior event that was mismanaged.
If am late due to heavy traffic, my initial decision of leaving to late caused this.
If am late for my remote meeting, my initial decision of not properly download the specific app or testing my audio or video beforehand causes other attendees to wait for me.
You get my drift. My initial decision will always be the reason of the end result.
Ultimately, if you are not early, you are late. Arriving early and being present will create a massive advantage for you in all areas of life. Respect is earned. Arrive early.
Strip away the focus stealers
We don’t even have to try. We are surrounded by things that steal our focus. If we don’t consciously focus on limiting these focus stealers, it will over our days.
It may be your phone. It may be social media and their addition tactics. It might be the news that tend to only inform you of the things that will scare you. Netflix binge watching could easily steal you attention for hours. You might gabble into trivial conversations, that don't serve you well for various reasons.
All these things are stealing your focus of what matters most. It takes away your focus to stand out from the crowd,
How many times have you came to the end of your day or week and thinking, what have I really done this week?
Accept absolute personal responsibility
We all make mistakes. The Parlotones sing, we are all just human after all. Owning our mistakes and take absolute personal responsibility for it makes the difference.
In our office we frequently have this conversation. Mistakes are inevitable, but how we handle and correct it makes all the difference. Customers will respect you for owning up to your mistakes, way more than you attempting to wipe it under the mat.
Making mistakes, and them take absolute personal responsibly for it, creates ample opportunity for inner growth. Accept it, take the responsibility, and grow from it.
Be a PURPLE COW
Many years ago, Seth Godin wrote a gem of a book. The purple cow.
The core idea of the book is to stand out from the crowd, by being different.
I live in Wellington, South Africa. Its farming area. When I drive out further into the countryside, and I see the first herd of cows on the very first farm, I might take notice of them. By the second, third and fourth farm with herds of cattle I hardly notice this anymore. Suddenly in the next farm I am driving by, I see a purple cow. I make an emergency stop with my car, jump out, and take a lot of pictures of this rare occasion. This is what the purple cow concept is all about.
We are born to stand out. Live that. God does not create extras. He created you uniquely as a limited edition. Why fight to fit in, when you are born to stand out.
Explore and find ways to be a purple cow in your industry. This time will be well spent on your future success of standing out.
For the DRAFT NOTES on my new book, BLACK BELT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, follow this link for updates.
