A commonly held view is that luck is something we cannot control. Either you have it or you don't. However there are some people who appear to always get lucky in life and in business. They seem to just fall into opportunity after opportunity. They make everything look easy.
Upon closer inspection of these extraordinarily lucky people we find that they really are no different from the rest of us. So what is it that time and time again tips fate in their direction? In reality, these people are not just waiting for good fortune to fall upon them. They are constantly taking steps to improve their odds. By improving their odds and limiting their bad luck, these people are making their own good fortune. You can too.
"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds."
Francis Bacon
Ways to tip the luck scale in your favor:
- Adopt a winning attitude -- In today's business world we often hear about the win/win relationship. By constantly striving to have a winning attitude yourself, you will find that your relationship with your customers, your suppliers and even your employees will be favorable. Favorable relationships create an atmosphere ripe for good luck. As the owner of a contracting business, you set the standard. Usually your employees will follow suit. It also helps to surround yourself with positive thinking people. Often your employees will have a close connection with your customers, so it is important that they too are tipping the scale in your favor. This positive attitude brings many business opportunities that would otherwise be missed.
- View daily chance encounters as opportunities -- Daily chance encounters are here and gone before we know it. View each one as an opportunity for enhancing your good luck quotient. Whether you are talking with a supplier about a recall on a product or discussing options on a maintenance agreement with a customer, each contact you make is a chance for you to get lucky and may provide your company with future business. The network that you create is like a spider's web attracting luck and tipping the scale in your favor.
- Go the extra mile -- In making your own luck, you still need to persevere and strive for excellence in your position, by working hard, getting organized and going the extra mile. While we all have strengths and weaknesses, the people who find ways to work around their weaknesses and provide outstanding customer service, will have greater control over their luck. (For example: if being organized is simply not one of your strengths, find someone or something to help you in this arena.) It may be that the software you are using for your business is not adequate for the job. Consider making a change to a software vendor that provides a product specifically designed for your industry. With the right software product you can greatly control the accuracy and ease with which you can retrieve customers' data. The accuracy of the data at your fingertips can tip the "lucky scale" in either direction.
- Be enthusiastic and passionate about what you do -- If you like what you are doing, it shows. Your passion for the HVAC/R industry may not be shared by all, but that passion can be contagious to everyone you encounter. When an individual is truly excited about the industry they work in and the job they do, others often have a desire to be supportive. If you are not happy in what you are doing, consider why you started in the business in the first place. Your unhappiness will have an effect on the luck that you make for your business and it will show in your company's bottom line. Find a way to regain your enthusiasm and boost sales.
Ways to minimize your bad luck:
- Accept human error -- In the hectic, deceptive world that we live in, it is easy to forget that sometimes honesty is still the best policy. When you make an error, own up to it and find a way to remedy the situation. Your customer will value your integrity and remember you for it. Accept that your employees will make errors as well. By accepting and acknowledging the error, you can better help them find a solution. Although human errors will occur, how you react to them makes a difference in whether your luck turns bad or becomes a positive influence for you.
- View the glass as "half full" -- This can be a mental exercise or game that you continually play with yourself. As problems arise, take an introspective look and consider how it may have been worse. By considering how it could have been worse you automatically shift your current thinking into a more positive light. If you allow yourself to slip into "the glass is half empty" thinking it can become a dangerous slide toward creating bad luck. Consistently challenge yourself to find a way to view daily situations with a positive perspective. Remind yourself that "the glass is always half full" and it will be. In fact you may find that with this frame of mind - your cup runneth over.
- Know when to stay away from a bad deal -- There are some situations that you will run across that simply will lead you toward future bad luck. Knowing when to stay away from a deal is as important as knowing when to stand up and grab it. By staying away from people or business situations that have the potential to lead into negative consequences, you minimize the odds of bad luck following you.
By finding ways to continually tip the luck scale in your direction you will make your own good fortune. The right software could be the biggest factor in tipping the scale in your favor. If you are looking to get ahead in the contracting business, consider how you are balancing the scale on a daily basis. A wealth of opportunities are out there waiting for those who know how to take advantage of them. The good fortune that follows you will impact your company's growth. Soon others will be wondering why everything you touch turns to gold. Let 'em keep guessing!
Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.
