February 2021
Strategies for Success Newsletter February 2021 Issue 182
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2021 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In this February 2021 issue:
- Thoughts from Home
- Thoughts from the Office
- Josmo’s Cafe
- Stay Energized
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Thoughts from Home
You’re doing my job
John and I split the laundry duties. I have the easy part. Sheets and towels. John launders all the clothes. His schedule is every seven to ten days, so we are never short of clean clothes. Over the holidays, we got off schedule on many things and spent more time lounging around. All of my favorite comfy sweats were dirty.
I love my morning quiet time and get up 30-60 minutes before John. I went through the laundry basket and pulled out all of our sweats to wash in one load. John got up and heard the washing machine. He asked what I was washing. “All of our sweats,” I replied. He looked hurt and said to me, “You’re doing my job. I would have done them today.”
Moral of the story. We may think we’re helping out by doing a person’s job without asking about it. Instead, the message we give is that we don’t have the confidence in the person to get the job done. This is true at work and at home. Show respect and trust by letting others do the work they are assigned to do.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Thoughts from the Office
How hard are you really working?
Rate yourself. On a scale of one to five, one being low and five being high, what number would you give yourself for working proactively, efficiently, and accurately to accomplish what needs to be done every day in your job and grow your organization?
What I hear from the dozen managers I coach regularly is that there are too many employees who are doing the bare minimum in their jobs. They are showing up and completing required tasks. What’s not being done is showing initiative to do better or to be better. This is troubling.
Insurance professionals are fortunate to be in an essential industry. Obviously, that doesn’t mean our jobs are secure since our insureds aren’t so fortunate and our economics reflect theirs. Consider both me-thinking and we-thinking reasons to work at level five every day.
- You own your reputation. Consider how your coworkers and clients view your work ethic and standards.
- You own all the knowledge you gain both from job experience and structured educational offerings.
- You own your relationships. Each contact you make has the potential to be a long-term trusted colleague.
- Your organization needs level five performance from each person to profitably operate and grow.
- Your coworkers need you to perform at level five so they can do their jobs at level five.
- Your clients count on you and pay you to work at level five.
Our up-ended work world will be here for a while longer. Stop the excuses for not giving 100% at work. Learn about your company’s business goals. Review your job description and performance review. Embrace and become skilled for what is needed in the virtual world to be an exceptional level-five employee. If you don’t, you are wasting valuable time to advance your career and your organization.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Josmo’s Café
Extended lockdown means more time to find fabulous recipes. We have two winter recipes for you this month. Both will make the house smell wonderful and your tastebuds will thank you! Steelhead Trout Bake with Dijon Mustard and Sheet Pan Vinegar Chicken. Happy winter eating!
Looking for more great recipes? We have over 100 recipes on our Josmo’s Café page on the website.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Stay Energized
Our Energizer Minute for February may shift your mindset. It’s titled Against the Tide.
Speaking of altering your perspective, the 2004 movie What the Bleep Do We Know? did that for me. Part documentary and part dramatization, we follow Amanda (Marlee Matlin) on her journey from chaotic self-destructive thinking to realizing the power she holds within to positively change her life. Worth watching especially during the long cold month of February.
Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my Energizer Moments.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Please share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content when proper credit is included.
Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information, contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.
© 2021 Emily Huling Selling Strategies All rights reserved.