Do your damn homework!

I got a call today from someone looking to sell me something. Something expensive. Something I may have wanted to buy. Something I would have been one of perhaps less than 5 potential buyers for. 

And his first words to me after I introduced myself on the phone were "and Kirsty, are you one of the directors of the company?"

A 30 second trip to our website prior to calling would have told him that there are two directors of our company - I'm one of them.

This wasn't a telemarketer, this wasn't someone making thousands of sales calls, this was one chap, making 5 or less phone calls and he couldn't be bothered to simply find out who he should be speaking to at each company he was calling. 

When do you need to do your damn homework? 

Do you need to do a linkedin search prior to heading to your next job interview?

Do you need to google the awesome person you met at the networking event last night?

Do you need to find out what facebook friends you have in common with the potential client you're trying to land?

Where will 30 seconds extend your reach by 30 miles?

By Anonymous with No comments

How to have it all

I sat, perched on the edge of my seat, hands clasped together, eyes downturned and… if I’m fair… a bead of sweat glancing across my forehead.

The nerves and anticipation I felt this week as I sat willing with every fibre in my body for my business partner, the amazing Megan Hampton to have her name called out at the Tasmanian Business Women’s Awards was ten times that which I felt when I sat in her seat myself a decade ago.

This year however, it wasn’t Megan’s year for the glory of the win – but I could not be more proud of her for being named as a finalist in two categories for Tasmania. She is a shining example of someone who has committed herself to growth and continued learning as she’s gone from being a complete real estate newbie, to an amazing property manager, to now owning her own real estate business (luckily – with me!) over the past years. Her development has been nothing short of staggering and add to that she took the leap of business ownership for the first time while she was 7 months pregnant, well – it’s no wonder I had tears in my eyes when I described my admiration for her in a referee call for the Telstra awards.

Even more of a compliment to Megan? The woman whose name was called out instead of hers. Partner in a Launceston accounting firm, Lucinda Mills was a stranger to me before the awards luncheon, and yet, I could see why she was a very deserving winner in the category Megan was with her in, but also why she won the overall award on the day.

These words sprang to mind when I heard her speech.

Real.

Determined.

Steadfast.

Innovative.

For me, when I hear someone speak there’s always one thing above others that stays with me. From Lucinda’s talk it was to ask for help. She spoke about the amazing support she’d had from family in her attempt to “have it all” – a flourishing career, an amazing marriage, travel and to be a great Mum.

Ask for help.

I’ve often thought that for me this has been the hardest challenge for me since becoming a mum (who still wants to build amazing businesses). I’ll happily delegate, don’t get me wrong. But ask for help? Admit I can’t do it all? I rarely had to do it before I became a mum to my gorgeous girl last year.  

Now, sometimes I need to ask for help just to go to the toilet on my own without a toddler clinging to my leg! As someone who has always been incredibly independent asking for help is hard for me. Maybe it is for you too.

But now, for me, if I want to have it all, if I want to be everything I’m capable of being, I need to ask for help. I need to not be afraid to ask for help. I need to surround myself with people who want to help me. I need to want to help them in return so that the relationship is synergistic.

Thank you Lucinda Mills for the reminder – congratulations on your success at these awards and for the role model you are to myself and no doubt now, countless others. Thank you to Megan Hampton, someone I am so fortunate to have as a friend, confidant, business partner and role model. And congratulations to every single woman who inspired someone enough that they nominated you for a Telstra Business Women’s Award this year – you are all incredible! 

By Anonymous with 2 comments

Successful People Finish Stuff

I heard this line above "Successful People Finish Stuff" at a training conference recently - I'm sorry I can't even remember the speaker who said it, just that it resonated with me. Every successful person I know, for want of more eloquent phrasing "finishes stuff". Is it revolutionary? Breakthrough? Amazing? Nope. But is it bloody important? Absolutely. 

So, I got thinking... if "Successful People Finish Stuff" - what else do they all do? I thought about the amazingly successful people around me and tried to find commonalities and here's what I came up with, a list that was true in 99% of cases based on the successful people I know and have read about.

 - Successful people believe in themselves (even if at times they have doubt)

 - Successful people do things that aren't always in other people's comfort zones

 - Successful people start somewhere (even if it's a teeny tiny step in right direction)

 - Successful people consult others, but listen to their gut

 - Successful people fail

 - Successful people don't allow themselves mope / wallow / dwell (for long)

 - Successful people aspire

 - Successful people have role models

 - Successful people mix it with cool people (note cool here doesn't mean the same as it meant in high school... think inspiring, achieving, encouraging people) 

 - Successful people share

 - Successful people continually learn

What else do successful people do? Love to hear your thoughts - comment on the blog... 

By Anonymous with 3 comments

How full is your favour bank?

A girlfriend I love dearly called me a few weeks back and asked me, in a bit of flap, if I could pick up her child in a couple of hours from after school care because she had a work event that was running late. I’d do anything for her, so I rearranged what I had planned for that afternoon and made myself available for her. In the end, I wasn’t actually needed, but regardless I would have been if necessary and it wouldn’t have mattered the favour. If she asked me – I’d work my butt off to do it.

As a personal friend and someone I care dearly about – her favour bank with me is always full. I know that I could pick up the phone to her and make the same call and, if she could, she’d be there for me.  I’m sure you have a number of personal friends with exactly the same relationships.

What about at work though? How full is your work favour bank? Among our amazing team one staff member pops to mind when I think of a favour bank. She always goes above and beyond, never takes any small gesture for granted, feels apologetic if she needs to go to a doctors appointment, will always try to help wherever possible.  Is she a perfect robot team member who never gets anything wrong? No, she’s a junior staff member and she’s learning the ropes of working in an office. But if she called me after hours and asked me to do a personal favour for her because she needed it, I wouldn’t think twice. I think for any of her workmates, myself absolutely included, her favour bank would be full – and yet, she’ll probably never call on it (that’s just the kind of girl she is) and she’d be horrifically embarrassed to think I’d written this about her.

In my industry – real estate, there’s always a need for a full favour bank. You’re under the pump, you have 6 appointments straight and you need X done – who can you call on? A colleague who financially will gain nothing from helping you? Only if your favour bank is full (or if you’re terrifying!)

What can you do to fill your favour bank? Its simple: good deeds inspire reciprocity. It’s one of my favourite words and it simply means that if you’re helpful to others, if you’re generous, if you’re giving, you’ll inspire them to want to do the same in return for you. How are you inspiring reciprocity and filling your favour bank today?

By Anonymous with 2 comments