I have had steady work on the freelance writing, speaking
and spokesperson front ever since I put down my corporate
briefcase and picked up my pen, about 14 years ago. I often
get asked how I get these great jobs and get the opportunity
to work with great people. Here are what I consider to be
my secrets to success. Some of them might surprise you.
- Be Early: Never, ever be late
for a meeting or appointment. I am routinely over an hour
early for meetings. Not only does it relieve stress (yours)
and frustration (theirs) but that hour gives you ample
preparation time, or time to finish other work and errands
while you have a coffee. Plan to be an hour early for
everything you can; including leaving that hour buffer
in your plans as you head from meeting to meeting, if
possible.
- Go to Bed Early: Have never
been able to figure out why it’s so exciting to
stay up late. I do it myself, on weekends, but during
the week, I can’t wait to get into bed, read a book
and disconnect from outside messages, and get inside another
world. A challenge of going to bed early can be that your
brain is still functioning (and this can be a good thing)
so keep paper and pen on your bedside table so you can
jot notes about things you want to get to the next day.
Lying in bed is a great way for these thoughts to come
to you, not incidentally. We all need to make space in
our lives for creative thinking.
- Work Out: You can find the time
to work out. If not every day, then most days. You binge
watch shows? You have time to work out. You surf the net?
You have time to work out. It’s not a timing issue;
it’s an intent issue. And the benefits are manifold,
both physically and mentally. Focusing on your body and
feeling good is imperative to a healthy outlook. Schedule
your work outs in your calendar, just like you would a
meeting. Pick at least one more work out than you might
want to do, so you a) have leeway should something unexpected
come up and b) if you do the extra one, you’ll feel
like a Rock Star.
- Be Nice (To Everyone): It costs
nothing to be nice to people, yet I am constantly surprised
by how many people ignore this basic rule of success.
Not only does being nice make you feel intrinsically better,
but it is a very smart business move. If that sounds mercenary
and disingenuous, it isn’t meant to be. It becomes
more like a “fake it til you make it” proposition
when put into practice. Being nice to people is smart.
You never know when people are going to turn up and re-turn
up in your lives. Why would you NOT want them to have
a good impression of you? Compliment them on their hard
work, their professionalism. Take the time to send their
bosses a note singing their praises; it will get back
to them.
- Be Easy (To Work With): The
Diva never wins. Help out the p.r. person who is working
on her first campaign and doesn’t do everything
quite right, instead of criticizing her and refusing to
do the work she asks of you. A contract outlines the scope
and understanding of the work you’re going to do
with someone; if they are asking for reasonable adjustments
during the course of the contract, make them. Don’t
push back on every new or unexpected demand, do what you
can do and tell them you’re happy to do it.
- Turn Up: 99% of success is showing
up. Of course it’s relatively easy to show up for
things that you are being paid to show up for. But it’s
also important to show up for things that other people
are getting paid for, to show your support. Being present
in your work community is so important. You need to be
where everyone else is. If you’re not, people will
assume a) You think you’re too big to show up for
something like this, or b) You weren’t invited.
I’m honestly not sure what’s worse.
- Under Promise & Over Deliver:
Go over and above. Every. Single. Time. No matter what
the task. Try to keep something in your back pocket –
an interview you know you can secure, media placement
you are fairly certain will come through – giving
that extra coverage will make both you and your p.r. contact
look like superstars.
- Be Thoughtful/Say Thanks: I
am quite often asked for advice in the fields of writing,
marketing, branding, social media and broadcast media.
I’m often also asked for connections and opportunity
suggestions. I like helping people I like, so I often
am quite willing to oblige. But I am constantly disappointed
by the number of people I feel I have genuinely helped,
who aren’t in the least bit thankful. Take the time
at the end of the week and be thankful to those who have
helped you. When you’ve finished a contract for
a client? Send them a thank you. Just do it.
- Good Manners: Everything from
table manners to please and thank you. I once had a lunch
meeting, and I arrived five minutes early (see Rule 1).
The woman I was meeting had arrived a half hour early,
had ordered her lunch, and was halfway through it before
I sat down. RUDE. She was asking ME for a business favour
for a charity I support, and it was hard for me to overcome
her lack of manners to find the giving spirit to help
her out. If you want someone to help you out, you need
to accommodate them. That’s part of being nice and
being easy to work with.
- Dress For Success: Why are you
so dressed up?” I was asked the other day “Don’t
you work from home?” Our definition of what is “dressed
up” has changed so dramatically in the past 50 years.
Everyone is fawning over shows like Mad Men but it hasn’t
caused a revolution…yet…in the way we dress
for work and every day. You can never be overdressed.
Go for it. Wear the good clothes, while they still fit.
Or maybe go back to rule number three if they don’t.
My last piece of advice would be to make
sure you understand the importance of networking. The word
“work” is right there in the word. How do you
successfully network? That’s another column for another
day.
Kathy Buckworth
Author, I Am So The Boss Of You (Random House)
Chief Family Advisor, PCFinancial & PCPlus
Columnist, SiriusXM Canada "How She Travels"
Columnist, “Parent Hacks” Post City Magazines
Travel Feature Writer, Metro News
416-885-2967
www.kathybuckworth.com
Twitter @KathyBuckworth
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