As you know, COVID has been around for some time now. We are all aware of the challenges and trauma it has caused to people of all walks of life. People, businesses, countries all felt the impact of COVID. We know it well.
As things restart, we are doing business once again for both private enterprise and for the government. Everyone wants their work done, with a matter of urgency.
Claims of how you come highly recommended are common, along with the other lofty reminders of your reputation - so the marketing seems to work. Then comes the "sob" story of the predicament they are in and why they so desperately need your help. Afterwards the closing arguments of how their situation took up their resources and they will pay you in one/combination of the following ways:
- they want to negotiate your fees downwards
- they want a payment plan that permits installments; which they never stick to
- they want to offer you shares in their business and they are not even incorporated
- they want to pay you on the back end of the assignment
- they even go as far as saying we as a people need to support each other; really
- now there's a new boy, with broad shoulders that took the brunt of licks in the last year - the COVID-19 pandemic [very specifically] got things hard and difficult
In short, they want you to pay using your own resources to do their work.
Recently, there was one that was heard: The hurricane damaged their many properties so now they have to fix them and then get back to you - who was on assignment to help them get money in the first place.
People who sell products are raising their prices like crazy and blaming shipping costs. Services, not so much, since they are not aware in many instances that their costs have increased and in what areas and therefore are, in many instances, unable to justify their increases so they work at a loss.
There's something all business people seek and it's called success. Yet they seem to miss the point that the businesses they deem as successful also have challenges but instead of dwelling on the problem, they focus on a solution.
The leadership of these successful entities hold themselves accountable and work towards developing plans and utilizing resources that will enable them NOT to stay in an area of challenge for too long.
There are many articles written about successful people and the surplus they have accumulated over time. Some articles even make it seem downright unfair that these people are being rewarded in the way they are. Yet those same successful people worked tirelessly, making personal sacrifices of time and energy, and sometimes relationships to build and expand their sphere of influence through their organizations. DON'T GRUDGE THEM.
They use the same principles available to everyone else who is willing to put the work in and invest the time/resources necessary to GET THINGS DONE.
Stop the blame game, it's doing no one any good. Get the success habits. They are all over begging to be taken up - but we don't want to read, listen, attend to the details and get the information that encourages success.
Some of us go the other extreme, watching the successes of mega successful people who told their stories and live in the euphoria that we too will make it. Yet ignore those who are a little more successful and identify what they are doing; often within our own environment that makes them successful.
Just as there is information on what we can do that is right to succeed, there is information on the wrong to avoid so that we don't fail. We all need to be aware, researching both approaches so that we can step closer to success while avoiding the pitfalls of failure. Someone has made those mistakes before, there is no need to try to make them all over again.
Now that the world is resetting, this is your time to DO IT RIGHT. Strategize, plan and execute, this way you too can build your legacy. Remember, COVID cant take all the blame.
