Focus on all the things that are going well.
Sometimes the best advice comes in the form of a few choice words. Check out our “Post-it note” tips. Pick one that fits your current situation.
If you don’t push yourself out of your comfort zone, you will never grow.
Send a handwritten thank you note.
Don’t stop doing business development when you are busy. Do less, but commit to something (like a few calls a day).
Go into every interaction with a mindset of how you can help.
Build a team by asking them to help.
Take the ‘personal’ out of giving feedback. Make it about the issue, not the person.
The magic formula for business development in professional services firms is choosing a set of simple and effective things to do and doing them consistently.
Don’t just have a business development lunch. Do you want work, referrals, information? Have a purpose. Go in with a plan!
Set quiet hours.
When making a presentation over the phone, be aware of your tone. Try smiling while you talk.
Return all calls and emails within 24 hours even if it's just to say that you got the call and will act on it.
If you need something to get your job done, ask for it.
Envision a future for yourself that energizes you but also scares you a little.
Commit to something and do it. No excuses.
If you need to talk to a co-worker about a sensitive issue, avoid email. Do it in person.
Don’t let others define you. Define yourself.
February Blahs are best beat by reconnecting with old friends and colleagues.
Say no so that you can yes to the important things.
If you are having trouble explaining in an email, pick up the phone and explain.
In business development, preparation is key. So is flexibility. Trust that as long as you listen well and stay curious, your questions will flow naturally.
Don't visualize success — visualize the steps you will take in order to make success happen.
When talking about your teammates with others, use language that builds them up rather than cutting them down.
When it comes to business development: “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them”. Henry David Thoreau
Try to do the hard thing first.
For cooperation to succeed, individuals need to understand that by working together they will be able to accomplish something that no one can accomplish on their own.
—from The Leadership Challenge, 4th Edition
Take the time to deliver thoughtful, specific and helpful feedback to someone.
Punctuate your thoughts and ideas with silence (don't weaken your idea by with a “well, I don’t know” kind of statement).
When setting objectives or goals, write them down.
“You must do the thing you think you cannot do” Eleanor Roosevelt
If your team decision making is good, but not excellent, consider agreeing upon a decision making process/model. Has a big IMPACT.
Be an active listener – turn off your Blackberry.
Ask people to keep you accountable to your goals.
Don’t let others define you. Define yourself.
In business development, it is about transparency and principled persuading so both sides win.
“Consider the postage stamp... it secures success through its ability to stick to one thing until it gets there” Josh Billings
“You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream; you’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself” Diana Ross
At the end of the day, plan the next day.
Do something that is exceptionally difficult for you but rewarding.