While I was playing golf today (pictured above…yeah, I play casual Rambo golf), one of the people I was playing with complimented me and called me one of Austin’s movers and shakers. WOW! That made my head about as big as a blimp and whether they were just blowing smoke up my rear or being serious, it got me thinking what a real (someone other than myself) mover and shaker is made up of and how could I better become one?
Personality
First things first, I have never met a mover and shaker that did not have a magical quality about their personality. Getting ahead has always been easiest when people genuinely like you. So, how do you develop a winning personality? Well, I guess a lot of it is instinct, but there are a few things that will put you ahead of those lacking any personality whatsoever, or worse those having a bad personality. Here are a few tips that I think help any negotiation, relationship or conversation start on the right track:
- Look people in the eyes. People want to know that you are sincere and by looking someone in the eyes, they can tell if you are being genuine or not.
- Be genuine and sincere. There’s no point in faking this. Sure, you can pretend for a while, but eventually you’ll be found out and everything you’ve worked towards will fly out the window. Lose your credibility and you’re screwed.
- Be friendly. It’s not hard to put a smile on and it makes everyone in the room more comfortable. Smiles are contagious and it’s hard to be anything but happy when you’re wearing one. Try it. Just putting on a smile for ten seconds will make you and everyone around you feel better.
- Don’t come on too strong. We get it, you’re the life of the party, or the funny guy, or the hot shot at whatever you do. But, that doesn’t mean we want to hear about it all the time. Nobody likes someone who brags about themselves too much. Let others brag about you and spend your time bragging about the people around you. They’ll appreciate the compliment and it will give them an opportunity to talk about themselves a little. People love to talk about themselves. Set someone up to talk about something they are passionate about and they will love you, too.
Work Ethic
Personality can only get you so far, though. Sure, in high school and college it was easy to skate by on personality alone, but in the real world, you might actually have to do a little work. In the beginning you’ll need to work around the clock, that’s just the way it goes. But, if you’re smart, things will get easier and easier for you. Just remember, that you’re work ethic is not necessarily the number of hours you put in on any given project, but how well you manage the time and assets at your disposal. You don’t want to work 16 hour days, after all, what time would that leave you for networking and building new business relationships? The key is to hire people more talented than you and then become the best boss they’ve ever had. Work hard and get to the point where you can afford to put together a talented team. Don’t skimp on your hires, because they are an extension of who you are as a person and a company. It is much better to hire someone with infinite talent and pay them three times the average salary, than to hire three people who are unmotivated, just to save some money. The talented employee will be the greater asset to your team. Be a fun, fair and dedicated boss and show your employees that you appreciate them helping you reach your ultimate goal. As they help you get closer, reward them and thank them. Work ethic, like smiling, is contagious. If you work hard and are passionate about what you are doing, then your employees will be as well. Now, you can take over the world together.
Style
Many would argue that style doesn’t matter as long as the quality of work is exceptional. Obviously, quality of work is the most important thing to worry about, but when it comes to taking on new clients, style goes a long way. In business, first impressions can make or break you. As you are out on the town networking, you never know who you are going to meet and you only get one chance to meet them the first time. I’m not saying you have to be dressed like you walked out of a GQ Magazine every time you go out. But, it certainly wouldn’t hurt. The key is confidence and confidence is its own style. If you can be 120% confident in you and your company while wearing jeans and a T-shirt, then that is exactly what you should wear. But, big clients want to see that their money is going to be handled responsibly and that 2004 5K Fun Run T-shirt with the cut off sleeves doesn’t necessarily scream confidence. The same goes for your office. An interior decorator doesn’t cost that much money and it is well worth the investment. It’s hard to close a $100,000 (much less a million dollar) deal while your client is sitting in a folding chair you bought at a church yard sale. Perceived value can go a long way.
Can’t afford fancy office furniture, or worse, can’t afford an office yet? Not a problem. Do what I used to do and find a swanky conference room downtown that you can rent out for a nominal fee. Most big office buildings have a reservation schedule for their conference room, and you can usually work out some sort of fee by the hour to rent it out. In nicer buildings, the rental will even come with a secretary that can take drink and food orders and take your forwarded phone calls for the duration of the rental. This is an inexpensive way to impress clients and put them at ease from the get-go. You want each potential client listening to your pitch, not wondering if the water stains on the floor were an artistic choice. For really special/important clients, I suggest finding a conference room that looks out over a body of water. Trust me, clients like this.
Networking
Great! You’re sporting a winning personality, putting in 10+ hour days with a staff that’s doing the same and you’ve developed impeccable style, now what? Now we need to round up some business, shake a few hands and land some clients. This is where networking comes in to play. Whatever city I happen to be in, I like to find the local rag paper and find out what the recommended or popular events for any given night might be. Events designated as industry networking events are obviously the best, but any event that you feel will draw a crowd will suffice. When you arrive at the event, open a bar tab and if you can afford it, tip the bartender twenty or so dollars right off the bat. This will assure that you take precedence over everyone else at the bar. Nothing is more embarrassing than trying to buy a prospect client (or worse, beautiful young lady) a drink, only to have the bartender completely ignore you. Now, make your way around the room and meet people. For more information on how to network, you can read this post that I wrote a while back. Perfect! Now make sure you have some business cards (the more creative you get with these, the better) and more importantly, make sure you get a business card from everyone you talk to over the course of the night. I like to make little notes on each card so I remember what we talked about, then when I get home or the next day, I will send a personal email to each person I spoke with the night before. If I feel they could be a potential client, I make a personal phone call, as well, to request a meeting where we could get to know each other better and decide if our two companies might be a fit with one another. You can word this however you like, but if you can afford it, people love a free lunch. Just remember to save those receipts!
Time Management
Finally, the greatest thing you can ever learn to do is manage and use your time efficiently. The typical mover and shaker will work 10+ hours a day, 7 days a week. But, that doesn’t mean you’re always in the office. Much of that time will be spent drinking (I mean, networking) and pitching new clients. When you are in the office, though, it is important to create a list of things you need to do for the day and then prioritize them in order of importance. Learning to delegate to your staff or project team is the most important thing you can do in freeing up your own time. Remember, if you hired well, then your staff is more than capable of handling anything you throw at them. So, determine what chores need your personal attention and then delegate everything else out to your project team. Hold weekly, or bi-weekly meetings with your staff and make sure everyone is on the same page. Let them know how you’d like to see something handled and then ask if anyone has a better suggestion. A lot of the time someone else will have a better idea than you. Congratulations, you put together a great team!
The next thing you know, Forbes, People, GQ and Time will all be knocking on your door. Have your butler politely seat your admiring guests, you’ll be downstairs in a moment.
How did you become a mover and a shaker? What advice would you give to someone trying to achieve that status?
P.S. Yes, that is a Softball Tournament t-shirt that I’m wearing in the above picture (very similar to the 5K Fun Run shirt I was talking about). Hey, I never said I was a mover and a shaker, someone else did. I’m going to call that t-shirt, “dressing to your client’s tastes.” What I wear, drink and how I play on the golf course varies wildly when I’m meeting with an Alt. Rock band manager, as opposed to the creative director of a national agency. Now, if I could only find that pink polo!
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