I am often asked how I got to where I am, and how the Virgin brand
achieved all that it has. While there are no shortcuts to success, certain
attitudes and actions can help. Here are my top 10 tips for doing business the
Virgin way:
Follow your dreams
You will live a much better life if you pursue your passions. People who
work on the things that they love usually enjoy life more than everyone else
does, simply because they are chasing their dreams.
Do some good
If you aren’t making a difference in other people’s lives, you shouldn’t
be in business – it’s that simple. Companies have a responsibility to make a
difference in the world: They owe this to their community, their staff, their
customers, everyone. The amazing part is that doing good is also good for
business.
Believe in your ideas
Give your venture everything you’ve got. A passionate commitment to your
business and personal objectives can make all the difference between success
and failure. If you aren’t proud of what you’re doing, why should anybody else
be? And don’t get suckered into blindly pursuing profits and growth. If you
stay focused on being the best at what you do, it’s more likely that the rest
will follow.
Have fun along with your team members
Fun is one of the most important – and underrated – components of any
successful venture. If you’re not enjoying yourself, it’s probably time to call
it quits and try something else. If your employees are engaged and having fun,
and they genuinely care about your customers, they will enjoy their work more
and do a better job. Hire people who look for the best in others, who lavish
more praise than they dole out criticism, and who genuinely love what they do.
Don’t give up
On every adventure that I have undertaken – whether it was setting up a
business, flying around the world in a balloon or racing across an ocean in a
powerboat – I have faced difficult moments when the easiest thing to do would
have been to throw in the towel and walk away. But you’ll be amazed at what you
can achieve by tenaciously sticking to your goals. When you fail, get back up,
brush yourself off and try again.
Listen, take notes and keep setting new challenges
If you don’t write down your own (and others’) spontaneous ideas, they
can vanish in the blink of an eye. So be sure to keep track of your goals: make
lists. And remember to listen more and talk less. You’ll be amazed at the
obstacles a listening culture can overcome.
Delegate and spend more time with your family
The art of delegation is one of the key skills that entrepreneurs must
master. Be sure to “hire to your weaknesses.” Bringing on people who can do the
tasks you aren’t particularly good at can free you up to plan for your
company’s future. This strategy also allows you to spend more time with your
family, which is really the most important thing of all. And don’t forget to
ask your family for input on your latest big idea – like I should have done
before we launched Mates condoms, for instance.
Communicate and collaborate
Keep it simple, and above all else, work and play with others. Mushrooms
might grow when they are kept in the dark and fed a diet of dung, but that
strategy doesn’t work with people. The Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and
companies like Pixar built open work environments that invited intermingling
and the sharing of visions – you need that atmosphere too.
Get out there
Don’t sit in front of a screen all day. Switch everything off and
venture out into the world regularly. If you’ve been neglecting this part of
life, start with your own backyard, then expand your field of vision. With so
many fascinating people to meet, exciting adventures to embark upon and
rewarding challenges to undertake, there’s no time to lose. As the saying goes,
life isn’t a dress rehearsal.
Do what you love
As long as you are surrounded by the people you love and you’re doing
what you love, it really doesn’t matter where you live or how much money you make.
When we are on Necker Island, my family tends to spend most of our time in the
kitchen together. If you have a roof over your head and a partner you love, you
really don’t need too much more.
*Branson, founder of Virgin Group, contributed this piece on
Entrepreneur.com
No comments:
Post a Comment