tips to succeed in business

Business networking is a valuable tool to gain information, increase your visibility in your field and make connections that will help you move forward in your career. Seek out new contacts and potential mentors whom you like and admire and whose interests you share. On the home front, don t expect your boss to figure out what you re all about. Determine her priorities, find out what she wants from you, and brainstorm ways to surpass her expectations.

If you work for a sizable organization, and perhaps if you dont, chances are your business has considerable complexity. Take time to learn not just your particular role thats table stakes you have to know it , but also to gain a broader understanding of the business: the competitive environment, the market forces at play, the companys value proposition, sales model, pricing model, etc. No ones expecting you to become expert in all these fields, but gaining at least a working understanding of the key macro level issues is always helpful. Familiarity with these larger issues senior management is grappling with will only enhance your decision making capabilities in your own role.

Take time to really understand what your manager needs. Not just what is needed from you in your current role, but what are the troubling problems that keep him or her up at night? Is it help with PowerPoints, an upcoming presentation to a hostile audience, delicate personnel problems, or dealing with regulators

The normal state of senior management is too much to do in too little time. When wrestling with difficult issues in your own area, naturally you cant always solve all the problems yourself. But it definitely can be worth the extra time to not simply make your problems your managers. Instead, present your manager with a carefully thought out range of viable options

Good team players are valued. Large complex projects always require people with diverse skills. Attitude matters; effective collaborators often find themselves in demand. Consider taking the time to volunteer for a large project that may be understaffed, even in an area outside your core expertise. This can be a way of broadening your skill set and business knowledge, plus demonstrating your motivation. Management appreciates self starters who

The best point I can offer here is a story of my own. While Im an advocate in theory for as much work life balance as possible, the fact is, if you want to get ahead, there will be periods in a career where there are no substitutes for grindingly long hours. There was a period in my own career where I was especially motivated by the prospect of advancement and all that went with it, and had great respect for the organization and the work we were doing. Accordingly, I resolved to myself that no one in the 20 person department I worked in including the SVP who managed the operation would come in earlier or work later than I would. Did I always achieve that? No. But did my diligence catch the attention of senior management and ultimately help my career? Yes. The assumption here of course is that youre not simply sitting around long hours playing video games or writing to your aunt

Without a plan, it is merely a dream. It doesn t have to be a book, but you need a few pages outlining specific objectives, strategies, financing, a sales and marketing plan, and a determination of the cash you need to get things done. Writing it all down is a crucial first step.

Every great military general in history has known that even the best laid plan sometimes has to be thrown in the fire when the bullets start flying. Adjust, confront and conquer.

Advisors are crucial because you need people to bounce ideas off, inspect what you re doing, and push you to greater accomplishments, holding you accountable for what you are committing to do. Always be good to your word and follow through on commitments, even when difficult and challenging. This isn t about you; it s about the business. Don t take things personally and stay out of emotion. Do not let your ego take control.

Create written systems for everything, because you will reap benefits from them later on. This is how you train your employees and retain consistency. Know your numbers and check them daily and make all decisions based on what they tell you. One of the most important calculations is cash flow pro forma. Determine how much cash you need to do the business, and do not start without the required cash on hand.