Search Results for: blog who can you blame when the ball gets dropped

Don’t Assume They Already Know

Assumptions can get us into trouble—whether it is in our personal lives or our professional ones. When it comes to our home businesses, we might assume that our customers or clients already know things about our products or services, or specific industry trends or other details affecting our work. It is better to err on the side of caution and assume that they do NOT know, instead of marching on as if there are “givens” that everyone is aware of. I have seen this issue pop up again and again in work situations. We have a tendency to assume that … Continue reading →

You Can Still Be Sensitive

If we only pay attention to the stereotypes in mass media and stories, we might think that in order to a successful business person, one has to be tough, rigid and stoic all the time. That is not necessarily the case, however, and sensitivity can be a helpful personality trait to cultivate. Think of some of the best leaders and inspirational people you know or have known in your career; even times when you have received exemplary customer service–chances are those people had well-developed veins of sensitivity rippling through them. Being sensitive to people, issues, problems, etc. is actually a … Continue reading →

Do Comparisons Help or Hurt?

I tend to subscribe to the personal belief system that comparing myself to other people and other situations is not good for me—but when it comes to operating a business, it can be hard not to try to keep up with what other businesses are doing. After all, isn’t that what competition and paying attention to the market trends are all about. Still, I have read some experts who say that focusing on competition isn’t necessary in business and that if we just tend to our own shelves, things will go better. What do you think? I am not an … Continue reading →

Are Your Standards Too High or Unattainable?

High standards in the business world are a good thing, right? We all want to be known for keeping high standards and doing the most amazing work—but sometimes we can set our expectations so high that they are actually unattainable and off-putting—especially if we let those expectations seep over onto our relationships with our customers and clients. Have you ever gone into a store where they sales person made you feel like you didn’t deserve to shop their? I think most of us have had that experience where we were met with a snobby salesperson or someone who treated us … Continue reading →

Disagreements With Vendors and Suppliers

Things are not always a rosy walk in the park and even if we have good working relationships with our vendors, suppliers, and colleagues, disagreements and conflicts can arise. How do you handle them with tact and grace, however, in order to preserve both your company’s reputation and your working relationships with those vendors? Let us say that you have ordered some printing work done for a project you are completing. The final product is NOT what you expected, or what you wanted. The color might be off or you think that a mistake has been made by the vendor. … Continue reading →

Who Can You Blame When The Ball Gets Dropped?

We often talk about all the benefits and perks of running a home-based business, but there really are some downsides as well. There are things that some of us miss by working from home—one of which is that there is no one else to blame when things go awry! When you are on your own and the ball gets dropped—who can you look to but yourself? I am not really talking blame and negative self-talk here—that doesn’t help anyone. Neither does guilt or beating ourselves up when things go wrong—but for me, knowing that I am not only “the buck … Continue reading →