Every habit will take 28-36 days to become over 90% automatic and energy efficient, using little brain and willpower to take action. It must have a silent craving triggered by a cue, the routine, and the underlying reward that satisfies the craving. Here are some business routines to plug your cravings.
- At 4 PM, Convert to Cash: we must speak the language of business: money. No matter your role in any organization, it exists to ensure the company makes money. Only when you prove what you do is quantifiable cash will executives go beyond the nod of “So what and why should I care .” For example, if you are in quality control, you can say that when quality suffers, people get frustrated and leave, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in recruiting, hiring, and training. Develop a budget, monitor your cash flow, and track your expenses and revenue.
- At each meeting, Speak up: I have seen meetings with 20 participants, yet only 3-5 people are doing all the talking. Engage in polite, curious, productive confrontational conversation and contribute to the direction of the outcome. Engaging in conversation is the most minor and crucial building block for becoming more visible. Practice active listening, develop your speaking and writing skills, and cultivate strong relationships with clients, customers, and team members. See meeting best practices.
- After each meeting, Send Key Tasks (KT) or Key Decisions (KD). Tie each KT back to some planned Jira or Create one for it, who is responsible, and when it is estimated to be delivered. KD must be sent to all the decision makers for agreement and secondary impacted audience so they are informed if there is a change in plan and how it impacts them. See meeting best practices.
- On Sunday, Plan what you will push over the finish line this week: Set realistic and achievable targets for yourself and your team. Knock it out, gloat for a minute, and move on to the next goal. You have not arrived, and if you think this is a big deal, you are thinking too small because this was only a stepping stone to something bigger.
- Daily, Knock Out your current Challenge and Move on: Don’t ask how I can get “this title or that salary.” That is the wrong question. The better question is, How can I squash this challenge and then do it 25% better than expected? The more broadcasted the challenge and the bigger its impact makes, and it is more of a priority. Consistently do this, gloat for a day, then move on. All the titles and salaries will follow you. Stay up-to-date with industry trends and advancements, and invest time in personal and professional development.
- Daily, Build Trust with a proven track record: Build a history of product releases or solving BAU issues. It is a 3-step process. Say what you will do, do it, then tell them what you have done. Consult leaders before proceeding. Learn to approach problems logically and systematically and cultivate a problem-solving mindset. Explain to others why you did it the way you did it and its benefits. It is best if your boss can share what you have done as part of their success.
- At a moment’s whisper, Be open to opportunities, set capacity at 80%, or be able to go 20% faster. If an opportunity arises, you must be able to finish what you are doing and generate some slack capacity to grab the opportunity. Make a schedule, prioritize tasks, and eliminate distractions to maximize your time.
- At the start of your year, prioritize hot projects. Be strategic about working on crucial projects for the organization. A losing strategy, if done well, will still have poor results. A good strategy will either be an apparent strategic initiative or a noisy persistent pain point. Develop good observations, prioritize your tasks, and hold yourself accountable.
- Weekly, Influence Promotion Makers: Go beyond your neck of the woods. Find ways to help others who can speak well of you when the time comes to talking about promotions. Network up, down, and laterally. You never know who will be in the room to talk about you.
- Daily, Interact with a Mentor in your Area: Find someone willing and able to show you the ropes and be your voice. You pick your mentor as much as they choose you. Getting a mentor is great, and getting one in your area is a bonus as they will speak on your behalf and share upcoming strategies. There are formal and informal mentors. Develop resilience and the ability to bounce back from failure and setbacks. Stay positive, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward. A good mentor is better than an excellent salary.
