Saturday, December 11, 2004

Write your own Santa Letter

Christmas is fast approaching and soon we will turn over yet another year. It is hard to believe that we are in the year 2005. With Christmas and the New Year come a lot of parties, a lot of eating, and for many people a lot of non-productive time. For children though, they use this time to get some things done. You see, Christmas is also the time of year when millions of children write letters to Santa with their wishes. There is a HUGE lesson to learn from kids who do this.

Children often pursue the things they hope for at Christmas with some relentless enthusiasm and determination. Generally when kids get something in their mind, they are incredibly persistent in focusing on that goal. No matter how many times you tell them no, they keep asking. I have 4 kids, all boys except for 3, so I know this deal well. I have already seen my kids' letters to Santa for this year, and it's amazing how detailed they are. Even though my kids sent their letters weeks ago, they still know everything that was in them. My one daughter, Katie who is 8, has a photocopy of her letter that she refers to often. When kids put their wishes in writing, their dreams take on a life of their own; they, in a sense, become achievable and believable. This, by the way, is a proven leadership habit. Now, I hope that you'll do the same.

I want you write out your own letter. I want you to write out your own wish list. Christmas is a time of year many businesspeople waste. They think they can't get anything done. What a bunch of hooey! Don't be one of those people who gets nothing done between now and the new year. Sit down today and write out some goals you want to accomplish next year. Once you've written them down, get to work. There is a lot you can get done before the end of the year.

If you don't know where to start with your letter, then take some of your clients to lunch and ask them what they think your company needs to work on. Tell them you want to be successful and know that the best way to make your company more successful is to make sure your clients are happy. Ask them what they would do if they owned your company. Two things will happen if you do this; number one, you will get some great ideas. And number two, you will impress your clients that you cared so much about them that you asked them for help. It is rare that meeting with clients and asking them to help you with your business is not a beneficial exercise.

The other group of people it is smart to ask for feedback is your employees; I prefer to call employees team members. Ask them what you need to work on, what they think your company is good at. Ask them what they see as opportunities for your company to grow. Ask them what they'd do if they owned your company. The key issue is to try and identify some things you need to work on.

Another thing you might want to do between now and the new year is to look at your budget. How did you do? What is your budget for next year? Look at your company's systems. Can your company run without you yet? If you can't leave for even 3 days, then your company is in need of some systems. Remember, companies that can run without the owner are much more valuable than those firms that need the owner present to operate effectively.

Lastly, talk to those close to you and ask them what you need to work on. If they truly love and respect you, they'll tell you. I have found the most successful people to be open to criticism. People who let others know they want to get better tend to get a lot of help getting there.

So as the New Year fast approaches, don't let this month, or 1/12 of a year, slip away. Don't get lazy; use this month to get some things done. Write out your wish list. Then put it in a letter and mail it to yourself and your closest confidant. I know you might think this is silly, but it helps make this process serious. And by sending your wish list to your confidant or mentor, you'll get a little nudge, if you need it, in getting those things done.

Oh, yeah, just so you don't think I've lost the Christmas Spirit, use some of the time to relax and enjoy your family and friends. But don't play too much; remember, as Ogden Nash so eloquently put it many years ago, "If you don't want to work, you have to earn enough money, so you don't have to work." Simple words, yes. True, yes, very true.


Martin J. Grunder Jr!
Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author, Consultant, Dad, & Husband
Marty Grunder! Inc.
Grunder Landscaping Co.
Dayton, Ohio
www.martygrunder.com
www.grunderlandscaping.com

Author of "The 9 Super Simple Steps to Entrepreneurial Success"