Category: 1-Minute Strategy

In your preparation to make a good first impression or strong presentation, make sure you end as well as you start. Have a strong definite finish.

When clients come in for their next appointment, be sure to ask whether you have their current address and phone number and e-mail.

Instead of sending a visitor alone down the hallway, escort him yourself or ask a colleague to accompany him.

Proofread faster by using two columns per page rather than full-page width. It requires less horizontal scanning and often reduces the page count.

Start your long-awaited journel with this three-minute entry: Today, I’m grateful for …”

Prevent e-mail confusion by substituting actual dates  for “tomorrow” or “today” in your text; your recipient might not read the message for several days.

Suffer fewer interruptions by letting co-workers and team members know when they can “go for it” without checking in with you first. Have people come to you only when they truly require your advice or go-ahead.

Help readers grasp your ideas by writing at an eighth-grade level. That’s the level at which most people prefer to read. Read each sentence with this in mind: “How can I say this simpler?”

When using voice mail, include your name and phone number, even if you don’t expect a return call. One man left important, lengthy instructions for work to be done during his vacation, but the recipient at the wrong number he had dialed had no way to inform him of his error.

If excessive requests to help your former department or a new colleague interfere with your work, politely explain that you need to focus on your duties and suggest other resources.