We all have bad habits, though few of us will admit to it. When these habits are carried on into your business, the result can be devastating for the small business owner.
How many of these do you recognize?
Are you reactive? When someone tries to advise you or give you constructive criticism, do you speak before thinking? Reactive people tend to act quickly in most circumstances, even when what they are saying or doing is detrimental to them.
Do you lack real confidence in yourself? Though many business owners come across as being able to handle anything, some to the point of arrogance, many of us have this deep seated fear that we are playing a part. We fear failure above all else and this can leave us unable to make decisions which can propel our businesses forward.
Are you overly professional? Allowing your true personality to shine through helps your customers relax and makes you look trustworthy. Your customers don’t want to speak with a machine, they appreciate the real you.
On the same note, are you long winded? Don’t make a simple conversation complicated. Can it be said in 10 words or less? Do people tend to cut you off while you are speaking? If the answer to either or both of these is yes, don’t drone on and on. It most likely isn’t that others are rudely cutting into the conversation. It may be that you are taking much too long to get to the point.
Some habits that will affect your business can be those that you have carried around with you for years. Unreliability appears to be a built in trait but it’s one that can be unlearned. Your customers need to know that they can depend on you. For women in particular, doing everything ourselves is second nature. We need to learn to give up some of the control and delegate if possible. Some of us are routine addicts. We hate to step outside our normal way of doing things and if you’re unable to take even the smallest risk, at some point this could mean your business will stagnate. Another one is procrastination and when running a business, you can’t keep putting off the necessary tasks. Surprisingly, those of us who tend to stick to a routine can be the same people who also manage to procrastinate!
A common habit is wasting time on the internet or on your smartphone. With all of the distractions available now, it’s a good idea to take advantage of tools available that will help you keep on track with what needs to get done. Cheapness, yes cheapness, seems to becoming more and more common. Though many won’t admit to it, cheapness and frugality are not the same thing. If anything about that sounds familiar, stop it! It won’t help your business in the least and word will get around that you don’t play fair.
What is the difference between personality traits and habits? Only you know the answer to that but most things can be changed or at least improved with practice. It will all depend on how much you want your business to succeed.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015
image courtesy of aliancegroup
