Balancing Act

In the course of any given week, it seems that I am always running from one meeting or event to the next. While it can be challenging, I think this is common for many small business owners. Show me a business owner who isn’t on the run and I will show you a failing business. It just seems to go along with the territory.

The natural result of all these meetings is that time is at a premium. This is particularly true if you are trying to anticipate your clients’ needs and simultaneously grow your business. With this time scarcity in mind, I had an experience recently that I thought translated into a great general business tip.

Respect Others’ Time!!!!!

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There are two things that make me nutty. One is when I feel like I am not making the most of my time. Just ask Tracey. I am impossible to live with once I start feeling that I am wasting time. I can be a bit obsessive about it to say the least.

The thing that makes me even crazier is when I feel like someone else is wasting my time. To me this is a form of disrespect. I am sure it is not intentional most of the time but I feel pretty darn disrespected all the same.

The problem with time wasters is that they come in all different forms. Sometimes it is the unnecessary meeting. Other times it is the person who can’t seem to get to the point. Then there is the person who just can’t seem to make the meeting. For me this is perhaps the worst form of disrespect. Especially if it is a meeting that they requested in the first place.

As a business consultant, part of our success is based on our ability to network and affiliate with other professionals. So there is this gentleman that frequents a couple of the same business functions that I attend. He happens to be in the life insurance business and asked me if we could meet over coffee to talk about ….well ….how we could work together and also to see if I needed any more life insurance.

So we set the dates in our mobile phones and agreed to meet at noon the following week. At this point, I am none too excited about sitting through a meeting where I know I am going to get pitched whole life or a variable annuity product. But I agreed to the meeting and you never know; maybe this is the meeting that will present untold opportunities. After all, I am often surprised by people.

The day prior to the meeting he confirms that we are getting together. That is good, by the way. While I am en route from one meeting to our meeting, I get a call from my office telling me that he has called and is on the road and running a bit late but he will be there. At this point, I do not have a problem. Running late can be an occupational hazard and I do not hold it against people generally if they are a few minutes late.

So I arrive at Panera Bread, find a table and go ahead and order lunch. While I am eating a meal that I would never have chosen otherwise, I am going through my smartphone looking at all of the other tasks I have to complete that day.

Thirty minutes later, the the call comes in.
“Hey buddy….My car won’t start and I am afraid I am going to have re-schedule. Could we get together Saturday morning around 8:00?”

My thoughts that immediately followed went something like this…

1. Saturday? Is this guy on crack? That is family time.
2. I thought you were on your way? Why has the story changed?
3. 8:00 AM on a Saturday? This guy must be on crack if he thinks that is how I want to spend my weekend.
4. This is a meeting he wanted with me. Not the other way around. He wanted to pitch. I did not asked to be pitched to.
5. Did I mention I think this guy’s on crack?

So I finished my lunch and went back to the office feeling like my chain had been yanked. While I have a lot of empathy for anyone with car problems (I have owned a lemon or two myself), the story sounded so fishy that I started to doubt his professionalism. If I call a meeting then I am sure to be there. If you are going to tell a fib, stick to one story.

The moral of this little story is that you want to treat prospects and colleagues with courtesy and respect. It is almost always perilous to assume that others have unlimited amounts of time for your presentation.

I felt disrespected and I did not feel like he would take my business or that of my clients seriously. When he asked if I could meet him on Saturday, it was clear to me that he thought nothing about the time I had already wasted waiting for him to show up.

Begrudgingly, I did agree to meet with him about three weeks later. When we finally did meet, he didn’t seem very prepared. When I would ask probing questions about what he offers and who his ideal clients were, I received answers that were not very helpful like:

“I offer everything…..everyone is an ideal client.”

While technically this may be true, I had nothing useful to help me understand how I might be able to help him. Other than selling insurance, I don’t have any specificity with which to go on. I do not know who represent his best clients.

Once again, I felt like my time was being wasted. It was clear that he had no agenda or goal. Ultimately this was a time suck. And as I have said, time was and is my most precious commodity.

So the tip of the day is…..

When you set up a meeting, have a point. Show up when and where you agree to meet. And by all means, respect the other person’s time!

On that note, have a great weekend!