163 Ways To Be More Awesome At Your Business

163 Ways To Be More Awesome At Your Business

By Tom Peters


1)Make an insane public effort
Making a huge public effort to do something that seems relatively small is a great substantive and psychological tactic. It can break logjams and solve problems instantly.

Peters presents the example of traveling a long way for a 5-minute in-person meeting.

"When an issue is of utmost important and at a standstill...[you should] proactively look for an opportunity to 'make a statement' through a gesture that unmistakably indicates great pain and engagement and urgency on your part," writes Peters.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#make-an-insane-public-effort-1

2) There's nothing better than an angry customer
An angry customer is a chance for you to go above and beyond to solve their problem and turn them into loyal fans.

"Are you on the active prowl for customers to fix?" asks Peters. "Make 'over'reacting to problems a keystone in the corporate culture... 'We respond to customer concerns with passion and rapidity and resources in ways that stun-amaze-overwhelm those customers 100 percent of the time.'"

You can't prevent all problems. Look at the ones that arise as an opportunity to earn loyalty... and publicity.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#theres-nothing-better-than-an-angry-customer-2

3) Work on your presentation skills -- they could change your life

Barack Obama was launched down the path towards becoming America's first African-American president after one 17-minute speech at the 2004 DNC.

"Seventeen minutes! My God: Seventeen minutes! Seventeen good minutes -- and you, too, can move... into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!" Peters exclaims.

From Barack Obama to Steve Jobs, we've all seen how a presentation can change things.

Peters argues that less-than sparkling presentation skills hold back many talented people. Don't be one of them -- launch an all-out effort to master the art of presenting.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#work-on-your-presentation-skills-they-could-change-your-life-3

4)Commit "Acts of Deliberate Relationships Enhancement"

How many times a day do you ask someone this question?

That number might be a reflection of whether or not you're a good leader.

This phrase "screams: You are an invaluable person. I respect you. I respect your knowledge. I respect your judgment. I need your help," and "This is a... team effort. We rise or fall together."

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#commit-acts-of-deliberate-relationships-enhancement-4

5)Ask, "What do you think?"

How many times a day do you ask someone this question?

That number might be a reflection of whether or not you're a good leader.

This phrase "screams: You are an invaluable person. I respect you. I respect your knowledge. I respect your judgment. I need your help," and "This is a... team effort. We rise or fall together."


http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#ask-what-do-you-think-5

6)One tiny change: the shortest distance between "critic" and "champion"

Imagine you have a software project, which you present to someone in marketing (Peters calls him "Erik".) Erik likes it, but he has a few concerns. You go home, make an adjustment in one line of code to deal with one of his issues, and voila!

"In 4.2 out of 5 cases, Erik flips from thorn in your side to fellow champion!"

Even though you didn't address his other nine concerns, the one alteration you did make gives Erik ownership. All this takes is giving people the chance to engage at the beginning stage, then implementing a small change to reflect that you value their input.

"'Go consultative' with [your] users," advises Peters, and "convert foe to friend."

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#one-tiny-change-the-shortest-distance-between-critic-and-champion-6

7)Make big change -- in a short time

There are countless stories of leaders who have made big changes overnight. Don't be intimidated by the scope of your endeavor: Peters argues that big changes are much easier to make than small changes.

Plus: "Change will take precisely as long as you think it will," he writes.

Set yourself lofty goals. If you give yourself a short deadline when faced with a big problem, you're likely to find that you've accomplished most or all of the challenge in when the buzzer rings.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#make-big-change-in-a-short-time-7

8)Master the art of "milestoning"

Breaking down huge tasks into manageable goals is a powerful tool that can be used in everything you do.

From running a marathon (celebrating the halfway point, the three-quarter mark, and finally the finish) to finishing a project, being able to check off points as you complete them works on a psychological level to keep you going, keep you positive, and keep you focused.

The "art of milestoning" makes any job easier and the process of getting there more rewarding.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#master-the-art-of-milestoning-8

9)Is your product "lickable"?

Is the design of your product so awe-inspiring, so magnetic, so gorgeous, that it makes people want to lick it?

It should be.

Peters argues that great design is an underrated yet crucial element of getting people to love your product.

And building a product that's "lickable" can make people want it -- badly -- whether they need it or not.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#is-your-product-lickable-9

10)Forget "longevity" -- think "dramatic frenzy"

Martin Luther King, Jr. "changed the world -- and died at 39," writes Peters.

The point? Don't strive for longevity. Don't try to build something that will keep going after you're gone.

Focus on doing everything in your power to make a huge impact -- right now.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-to-be-awesome-in-business-2010-3#forget-longevity-think-dramatic-frenzy-10

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11)Don't miss...

15 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read >

We asked a few small business leaders and VCs for their recommendations of books that every entrepreneur should read.

The suggestions ranged from straightforward business books with common-sense startup advice to works of fiction of a more philosophical nature, but they all offer lessons on life and business that are important for everyone even thinking about starting a startup.
Click here to see the reading list >

1)"The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand
Charlie O'Donnell: "I don't know any book that sums up the entrepreneurial passion and spirit better than The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand: 'The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.'"

Charlie is an EIR at First Round Capital.

2)"Out of the Crisis" by W. Edwards Deming

Roger Ehrenberg: "Big or small, this book focuses the entrepreneur/manager on respecting employees, focusing on process, and insisting on the collection and analysis of data. The development of metrics to manage the business is critical for the start-up founder."

Roger is Managing Partner of IA Capital Partners, LLC.

3)"Extreme Programming Explained" by Kent Beck

Babak Nivi: "Revelatory. Develop your product like this book tells you to, unless you know better (e.g. you have experience building operating systems, space shuttles, Googles.) Buy the first edition."

Nivi is a founder of Venture Hacks.

4)"The Four Steps to the Epiphany" by Steven Gary Blank

Babak Nivi: "The closest thing to a manual for building a startup. Marc Andreessen calls it 'a roadmap for how to get to Product/Market Fit.'"

5)"The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss

Paul Jozefak: "... great insights into saving time."

Paul is a Managing Partner at Neuhaus Partners.

6)"Getting Things Done" by David Allen

Paul Jozefak: "... best book on executing."


7)"Venture Capital Investing" by David & Laura Gladstone

Paul Jozefak: "... one of the best books on the basics of VC."

8)"Piloting Palm" by Andrea Butter & David Pogue

Dan Frommer: "Inside story of the good and bad times while Palm was growing into the dominant player in mobile computing. Must-read for anyone getting into the gadget or hardware businesses."

Dan is Deputy Editor of The Business Insider.

9)"Founders At Work" by Jessica Livingston

Dan Frommer: "Clear, interesting, informative interviews with top Internet entrepreneurs. A great way to learn how to do it right (or wrong) from people who have done it already."

10)"Structural Holes" by Ronald Burt

Nate Westheimer: "More a 'sociology of business' book, but I love this one!"

Nate is the EVP Product & Technology and Co-founder of AnyClip.

11)"Reality Check" by Guy Kawasaki

Penelope Trunk: "I love flipping through the chapters. Each one is like a blog post, so you learn something on every page. And each chapter reminds me to be a little bit better at something I'm doing already."

Penelope is CEO of Brazen Careerist.

12)"Peak" by Chip Conley

Fred Destin: "Maslow's hierarchy of needs adapted to the business world. Not that well written (sorry Chip) but sound advice on achieving 'sustainable outperformance' and leveraging crises for the better."

Fred is a Partner in the technology group at Atlas Venture.


13)"The Happiness Hypothesis" by Jonathan Haidt

Fred Destin: "Not a business book, but if you assume self-awareness and knowing what you are really good at are key to success in business (and life in general), this is the best attempt I have read at deriving 'meaning' from the joyous mess of life."

14)"The Prince" by Machiavelli

Fred Wilson: "...there is way more insight to be gained from stories than from business books."

Fred is the Managing Partner of Union Square Ventures.

15)"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Pirsig

Fred Wilson: "And these are some amazing stories."



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