Things Entrepreneurs Never Do

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Hello, Ken Lear here again!

One of the reasons that entrepreneurs are so successful is that they know what to do to become successful and productive. Even more, they know what not to do:

Second-guess themselves and their employees

Entrepreneurs are confident in themselves and their own abilities. You will never find them second-guessing their decisions or the decisions of those working around them. Entrepreneurs know that one must have confidence in oneself to remain constantly productive.

Refuse to learn new skills

Entrepreneurs thrive because they are on the bleeding edge of their industry. If an entrepreneur refused to learn new skills or be up to date on the new events and techniques in their industry, they would quickly fail. Entrepreneurs understand better than most that professional development is vitally important to career success.

Avoid networking and public speaking opportunities

While they may not always be in the mood to socialize and network, entrepreneurs know how to “turn it on” and put on a pleasant face to take advantage of networking events. Since entrepreneurs are self-made and generally run smaller businesses, they understand that if they aren’t their company’s biggest advocate (and actually go out and advocate for their business), then nobody will be.

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Jealousy and envy

Being self-made, entrepreneurs are very good at embracing what makes them unique, successful, and special. Along with that knowledge is a mindset that doesn’t compare oneself to others, thereby experiencing jealousy or envy at another’s success or achievements. All that matters is their success. We could all benefit from this mindset.

Looking back at tough times

Entrepreneurs experience disappointment and failure like everyone else, but one difference is that they learn from their mistakes instead of dwelling on them. It is important to look back at tough times to learn something but never to beat yourself up about actually having failed.

Making excuses

Entrepreneurs know that when they fail, they shouldn’t make excuses. Learning from your mistakes is more important than finding some reason why you failed and that it wasn’t your fault. Instead, if you figure out how to do things better the next time, your efficiency and quality of work will likely increase.

Let failure stop them

Entrepreneurs understand that everyone fails at some point, and that failure is one part of the equation that includes taking chances and succeeding. You have to put yourself out there to make real innovations.

Multitask

Multitasking can distract your brain and essentially split your mind’s resources between two processes. This is not good! Instead, you should focus on doing one thing really well and devoting all of your energies to completing that task before moving on to something else. This will increase the quality of your work and help keep things from falling through the cracks when you are juggling multiple projects.

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Teambuilding During Meetings: How to Make It a Reality

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Hello, Ken Lear here!

Team building is an important part of creating a thriving work culture and an efficient team. However, it can become difficult to find a time when the entire team is free to participate in teambuilding exercises—so how are you supposed to bond with them? One trick you might try is taking advantage of the times you are all together, such as meetings, to hold teambuilding exercises and get to know your team.

Given that you’ll have a limited amount of time immediately before and after your meetings, your teambuilding activities should be short and effective. Below are a few examples of quick teambuilding exercises that are also really fun!

Two Truths and a Lie

This game allows you to get to know your team better in quite a few ways. The rules are simple: one nominated person will think of three things about themselves, two truthful and one a lie. Then, everyone else must attempt to pick out which of the three items is the lie.

This game is best played when the nominated person chooses ridiculous and unbelievable things for the game. Not only is this game a lot of fun, but it also allows your team to bond with each other and share exciting facts about themselves with the entire team.  

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Board Games

The short periods of time before and after meetings are perfect for playing one or two quick board games with the team. The biggest trick to accomplishing this without it devolving into a distracting exercise is to intelligently choose board games that are fast to play and where teamwork is present.

Keep in mind that there should be a set time limit for games, and that playing them isn’t appropriate before every single meeting. Most importantly, choose a game that can teach your team something that they can use in their work in some way. Some examples might include Checkers, Connect Four, Mancala, and Zombie Dice.

Just Talk!

It sounds obvious, but simply talking with your team can be one of the most effective teambuilding exercises. Try asking your team about their weekend, recent movies they have seen, or their hobbies and interests.

Think of this experience as similar to trying to make a new friend. Remember that you are still in a professional setting, but don’t be afraid to let your guard down and share a few chuckles with your team from time to time.

For additional blogs from entrepreneurship , leadership, and business expert Ken Lear, head over to his personal website Ken-Lear.com.

Messages to My 18-Year-Old Self

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An expert on leadership, business, and entrepreneurship, Ken Lear is dedicated to employee development. 

What if we had the power to speak with the younger versions of ourselves to give them guidance, warn them, and tell them the interesting things that will soon happen? What would you say? Here are a few of the things I might tell my younger self:

Education is indispensible

Here’s a reality check: you’re probably not going to be a rock star, actor, or pro athlete. That means you’ll need an education if you want anything remotely resembling comfort and peace of mind. You’ll be glad you did—trust me.

But more than that, you’ll find out that learning is actually fun. Not like jamming on stage to sold-out crowds and partying on a tour bus, but in a more meaningful and long-lasting way. Exhilaration and excitement are fleeting emotions, but gaining a deeper understanding of the world and unraveling its mysteries will be continual, life-long source of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Be healthy and active

Something happens as we get older: our bodies get tired of the abuse and start fighting back. In other words, you won’t find yourself able to magically drop 10 pounds in two weeks with minimal effort. Oh no, that extra weight is going to stick around this time. So don’t wait until you’re old to start eating healthy and exercising. Be preventative and start now.

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Take responsibility

Nothing is your fault, right? You’re unhappy because of your parents, your teachers, the world at large. You’re perfect and always a victim of external forces. One day you’ll probably look back some day and see things differently.

You’ll see that often people were just trying to help you succeed and be the best you could be, but sometimes you blamed them unfairly when things didn’t go your way. You’re young now, but you have to take responsibility for your life, and sometimes that means doing things that aren’t fun. People care about you, but they can only do so much. At some point you’ll have to take responsibility for how you want your life to turn out.

Don’t give up

There are going to be some major struggles, but it’s important to remember that it gets better. You’re going to find yourself in difficult times, feeling like you’re being swept away by a riptide of problems, about to be pulled under, but don’t give up. Keep going. Wake up every day, keep fighting and don’t ever give up. Believe me, the waters will be calm again and you’ll emerge from the wreckage better and stronger than you were before.

6 Positive Quotes for Entrepreneurs To Live By

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1. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t -- you’re right.” – Henry Ford.

Venerated entrepreneur Henry Ford understood that it’s typically not external forces keeping us from achieving our dreams -- it’s our mindset. Do you think you can, or do you think you can’t?

2. “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” – Richard Branson

If you think about it, it’s true. Children are on their own when it comes to learning to walk and talk. They may get pushed in the right direction, but ultimately their success depends on their determination and ability to learn from their mistakes.

3. “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” – Steve Jobs

Take it from the founder of Apple: success is not given; it’s fought for. It’s a recurring theme in success quotes, and yet people give up on things every day. We can’t control every aspect of our lives, but we always have the choice to keep trying.

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4. "It is never too late to be what you might have been." – George Eliot

Life has a way of putting our dreams on hold as we take on the challenges of everyday reality. But like George Eliot says, there is no time limit for starting anew. Despite what some people might tell you, there’s no right time or wrong time to begin –there is only your decision to begin or not.

5. “The secret to my success is that I bit off more than I could chew and chewed as fast as I could.” – Paul Hogan

Anything can be done if you’re willing to learn on the fly. Once you’re as prepared as you can be, take the step into the unknown and adapt as fast as you can. You might be surprised what you’re capable of!

6. “Never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill

If you remember any of these quotes, remember this one. Churchill’s elegantly simple, five-word piece of advice should be tattooed on every entrepreneur’s forehead because ultimately, giving up is the only thing that can keep you from success.

Tips for Staying Organized When Things Get Messy

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Hi, Ken Lear here.

Sometimes work gets so busy that we forget to stay organized. Desks get messy, calendars aren’t updated, and suddenly we feel out of sync. One of the easiest ways to deal with stress when things get messy is by staying organized. Next time you are in a pinch, try these tips to stay organized and get things back to normal:

Don’t Multi-Task

When things get hectic, it’s best to just focus on one thing. Multi-tasking can feel useful and efficient, but when things are busy, it’s better to narrow your focus. Make a list of everything that needs to be done, prioritize it, and do it in that order.

Clean Up Your Space

A messy desk or office isn’t the best work environment when things are stressful. Put things away, clean up any dishes, and make your space workable.

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Update Your Calendar

When things get busy, it is easy to forget about small tasks or meetings. Keep a calendar (online or a print version) that lists out when projects and deliverables are due, what time you have meetings, and any other items you need to remember. That way, you’ll always know how your day will go.

Delegate

You never know until you ask. See if any co-workers have some extra time or would like to do a project that you don’t have time for. It is hard to stay organized when there is simply too much to do; delegation is key to staying sane especially if you’re a manager.

Be Realistic

Don’t pretend something can get done that really can’t. Be realistic about your tasks by setting realistic goals about what you can control and what you need to stop worrying about. If there’s a deadline you know you can’t currently meet, talk to your supervisor or coworkers to figure out a way that you can make things work.