Experience, hard word and talent are not enough to succeed in today’s workplace. You need to also focus on building a network that will bring you the success you want. Your career will likely span multiple jobs and fields and the best and fastest way to get where you want to be is having a network of people you can call on. Building an effective network takes time, planning and intention. Here are 5 rules that will help you out:

1. Talk to strangers. You never know who is standing behind you at Starbucks.
2. Build a network with intention; create a plan of the types of people you want to meet and work the plan.
3. Give as much as you get; don’t be stingy about looking for ways to help others out. This will repay itself many times over when you need a helping hand.
4. Reach out to people long before you need anything; do not be that person who only ever calls when they need something. That is not networking – that is using people and you will not be appreciated for it. Stay in touch regularly with the people in your network.
5. Ask for what you want, not what you think you can get. The simple act of asking will get you a lot more than you can ever imagine.

Remember: success does not come to those with a low tolerance for risk or those who are led by fear. Start talking to people – you will be surprised what you learn!

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

Productivity and disorganization don’t mix. I’ve been recommending and training clients on the GO System to help their operations remain organized and competitive. In tough times, telling your employees to just “work harder” isn’t an inspiring message – but providing them with simple, specific recommendations to decrease workplace stress and frustration will pay dividends.

Employees already come with project management skills and some effective organization and time-management habits (otherwise, why did you hire them?). But that doesn’t necessarily provide cohesive organization across a company. Without training in procedures, two employees working right next to each other in the same room, even doing similar kinds of work, may organize files, projects and effort in very different ways, making collaboration challenging.

Throughout your organization, all members of your team stand to benefit from standardized processes that can be adapted to your particular organization. You’ll want to focus on things like processing incoming items, prioritizing, rational time management, understanding personality and psychological issues and more. The GO System is particularly good at covering off these points.

For more information, check out the GO System at www.thegosystem.com/ or get help from a professional organizer.

Linda Chu
CEO – Out of Chaos, Professional Organizing Solutions
www.outofchaos.ca

At a time when cutting costs makes more sense, outsourcing some activities may seem counter-intuitive. After all, outsourcing means money going out, not going in. But it’s essential for businesses that want to put their operations on autopilot and create conditions for success when the overall economy starts moving again.

Taking an example from my own business, I’m passionate about helping my clients get out of chaos by providing them with strategies for things like organizing their workplaces and homes, time management and work-life balance.

This is the work that I love to do. I’m excited every day when I start work, knowing I’m doing exactly what I want to do, helping people achieve better balance and reach their goals.

Bookkeeping, on the other hand, is not my passion. Neither is spending long hours undertaking a rigorous hiring process targeting candidates from across BC who might be a good fit for my company. Same goes for making sure my website is patched every month and the code shows up like it should on every web browser. Cold-calling, administrative support… there’s an outsourcing solution for just about anything.

These are all tasks that must be done for my business to operate, but they’re not what I’m passionate about. It makes way more sense for me to hire people who are passionate about these things to do them for me. There is a cost attached to this. But compared with your bill-out rate and where you might better make use of your own expertise, it just makes sense to outsource. Find the right people, put the process in place, and you’ll find that you have more time to get down to the business you love to do.

Linda Chu
CEO – Out of Chaos, Professional Organizing Solutions
www.outofchaos.ca

Working from home can be a liberating experience for many entrepreneurs. But when school’s out for the summer, your kids can be business-busting distractions. Parents who work from home will be awfully tempted to spend time with their children, particularly on sunny summer days. You’ve got to keep your habits and workplace organized to keep your business on track.

Some great tips on setting boundaries around your home from entrepreneurial advisor Maria Marsala:

- “Keep your office and house as separate as possible. Create an office that you really enjoy walking into and that has everything you want in one area. Organization books call it a “zone” – an area of the house having one purpose.”

- “Hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your office door and set boundaries with family and friends.”

- “Do not allow others to walk on your business boundaries. Learn to say no without feeling guilty or giving long-winded explanations.”

Of course, you don’t want to alienate the rest of your family for the whole summer! You should also be scheduling quality time with your children, partner and friends. Work-life balance is important for your overall well-being. There’s a time to put away the “Do Not Disturb” sign and go for that picnic at the beach with the ones you love.

Organize your space and your calendar to make sure you have the time to do your work and also enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Linda Chu
CEO – Out of Chaos, Professional Organizing Solutions
www.outofchaos.ca

This is the time of year to make a clean sweep, take away the clutter in your physical space and bring some fresh air to your life. A clean space brings better energy to your work, which will boost your productivity. Here’s how to get started:

1. If you’ve got paper cluttering up every flat space, it’s time to start filing and purging. Put invoices and important documents in files. The grocery list from January can probably go in the trash bin, though.

2. Get rid of the “stuff”. You don’t need five paperweights on your desk. Sort through your books and materials and put them in their proper place. You may have to toss some items entirely. Think about selling them or giving them away as gifts.

3. With your papers and other stuff filed away, it’s time to take care of all that dust that was lurking underneath. Wipe it down, scrub where required, and use green products if possible. They’re not as harsh as chemicals and they smell better, too.

4. Try a new look. Think about changing the layout of your furniture for a more functional look. Get some art, put flowers near the entrance, and give your space some character.

The time to do it is now. Whether you’re doing it on your own, or with the help of a professional organizer, make sure you schedule the time for it. Spring cleaning is a lot less fun in the summer, when you’ve got better things to do.

Linda Chu
CEO – Out of Chaos, Professional Organizing Solutions
www.outofchaos.ca