The Virtual Assistant’s Biggest Concern & How To Put It To Rest
As a virtual assistant, there is always this abiding concern about producing results and not just results but exceptional results and client perception. How then do you put these concerns to rest and dispell the anxieties?
Well I have a few pointers.
1. First, do not offer a service that you are still grappling with.
2. Make sure the service that you offer is one that you are profecient in and capable to deal with.
3. Learn through research all or as much as possible, anything that has to do with the field you are in.
4. Think outside the box. Be creative and innovative. There might be a task to be done that falls a little outside your scope of expertise. Well don’t just throw your hands into the air and grumble, but find ways to get it done and develope that ability.
5. And finally, make sure that you are at ease with who you are and what you can do. But do not miss any opportunity that will allow you to grow, to develope and broaden your field to expertise.
You see, any small business owner who decides to outsource to a virtual assistant always believes that he or she has made a wise decision, and that can only be established when virtual assistants “step up to the plate”.
Mb
Five Star Executives
More Haste Less Speed - Does That Apply To VAs Too?
I remember my mom telling me quite often, “more haste, less speed”, and now that I’m an adult, I have fully grasped the meaning of that addage.
But what does this have to do with a virtual assistant? Well I think a lot. You see, the whole idea of effeciency is wrapped up in speed and in accuracy of course. So how could that speed be undermined? When a lot of haste is put into doing a task.
Getting things done fast always wins the approval of those for whom it is being done for, but caution should never be discarded, because it can cause some grave mistakes if it is done hastely and ends up being terribly flawed.
Now this is in no way intended to throw speed out the window, but rather to apply caution when doing things so they will be done properly.
Mb
Five Star Executives
Too Much Of Anything Is Good For Nothing
One of the most discourteous habits of driving is to encounter glaring lights on high beam going in the opposite direction to you, and no indication from the driver that they will use low beam. Even though you switch from low to high beam and then back to low beam, the selfishness and recklessness of some motorists prevents them from being responsible and courteous.
Some people mistakenly believe that their freedom means doing whatever they want without caring about those who will be affected by it. But I have learned that freedom comes with reposibility. One of the most responsible things that anyone can do is to care for and about others.
Don’t let too much of your light blind and in soem cases destroy somebody.
Mb
Five Star Executives
TGIF - A Couple Things I Can Only Now Laugh About
I just want to share with you tow things that I can now laugh at.
My seven year old son made reference to something from the Bible that set me right in my place. He was pulling a car on a length of elastic around the house when he knocked something out of place. Can’t remember what he knocked down. But because I warned him a few times before about it, it got me upset. So I chided him about it asking him if he didn’t know he knocked something over. He responded by sighing and then in a matter of fact tone let me know that I cannot judge him for what he didn’t know because God does not judge us for what we don’t know. Well what could I say.
I decided to wash my car so I hooked up the hose and vigorously set out doing it. With the entire car covered with suds, I hustled to wash it down only to realize there was no water. Annoyed and desperately trying to figure out what to do, I felt the only thing I can do is fill up a bucket from the back and get the soap suds off. Then it hit me, why not just hook up the same hose to the pipe that I’m going to fill up the bucket from so you wouldn’t have to bring around several buckets of water. Our emotions sometimes really blinds us.
No matter how hectic your week was, because sometimes as a virtual assistant or any small business owner for that matter, things can really bear down on us. But I’m sure, even if we did not laugh when it happened, we can still laugh at it now because TGIF.
Mb
Five Star Executives
As A Virtual Assistant Is There A Good Time To Bow Out?
First let me thank you for your question, because there are persons who are under an immense amount of pressure simply because they don’t know how to bring closure to a strained work relationship.
As with everything else, there are times when a work relationship that started off good can deteriorate. This can be caused by personality clash, one party operating outside the outlined terms of the contract, or external factors that you do not have any control of. Either way, bowing out is a decision to be made only after efforts are made to improve things.
The thing is that there is no hard and fast rule. As a virtual assistant, you will know what you can work with and what you can’t. If you can’t, then bow out.
Mb
Five Star Executives
Time Management - Its Time To Have It Under Control
One of the things that beat us time and time again is the ability to manage our time efficiently. Many times we are lulled into a false sense of feeling that we have enough time, only to realize that it has ran out on us leaving us struggling to catch up. But is it really an inability on our part to manage it?
From past experience, I think I want to believe that actually we know how to manage our time, its the reason that sends us in a tail spin time and again. Let’s test that. We all know how much time it takes to get our routine tasks done and we can average for non-routine ones. Am I right? Well then since we know its just we don’t seem to be compelled by the reason. Why should I get to the office at 7:30 instead of 8AM.
Really, the more I think about it is the more I’m convinced that our reasoning is what is at fault. So we should have some pointers. Here are a few. Personal fulfillment, good stewardship and an absolute commitment to achieve.
For those with their own business, there is one more advantage over the rest, and that is getting help with things that take a lot of your time. The virtual assistant will afford you the time that has been eluding you for so long.
So take control of time and give yourself one or a few great reasons to manage it. For the small business owner, give yourself one additional advantage, hire a virtual assistant, and take control of that extra time.
Mb
Five Star Executives
One Thing In Common
As the new week begins, for some it marks the begining of renewed effort to achieve, for others its the continuation of a greater effort, while for yet another group its the reaping for all the effort.
No matter which category you fall into, one thing is common, and that is more effort. More effort will always bring rewards since it is always accompanied by the need to improve.
Now how does this impact the small business owner. For him or her, sometimes that effort takes the form of realizing that need for a virtual assistant, so that time can be spent expanding the borders of the business and gaining ground in the competition.
So don’t be left out; make some more effort.
Mb
Five Star Executives
Following The Tail Light
If you are a driver and drives at night, I’m sure you know how mesmerizing the tail lights of the vehicles ahead of you are. They form a beautiful chain of gentle red beads outlining the roadway. These lights acts as indicators letting you know where the roadway is, to the extent that if you or someone else is turning off the roadway, you put on your indicator.
By the same token, for a small business owner, the roadway of a successful business is outlined with great tools that if utilized, serve as indicators for being on the right track. One of these tools is the virtual assistant making the road to success a lot easier and taking the burden of wondering if the right thing is being done.
So take some of the burden off your shoulder and get help along the road to success.
Productivity Tip - Get Things Done
Getting things done is not all, but getting things done on time is what challenges the majority of us, because for some of us, procrastination is our middle name
You know I firmly believe that in order to succeed in business, it is important to act on the ideas, advice, and those things on the “To do” list. As good as the advice might be or any other thing for that matter, its no good unless its put into practice.
So remember, for you the virtual assistant, and you the small business owner, getting things done is just half of it. Getting them done on time is what will make the difference.
No Place For Mixed Feelings
The weekend was punctuated by mothers being honoured and their role celebrated. Being a mother myself, I became the recipient of various tokens of love, appreciation and care. So how can I have mixed feelings about doing the same for my friends and especially my own mum. I simply can’t and I shouldn’t.
This time is indeed a time when some persons become the object of love and admiration, and you don’t dare go back and forth with your decision to do the same for someone.
Can this principle be applied to the world of business? I think it can. You see, if you own and operate your own business, the benefits you enjoyed when you received relevant advice for running your business can be passed on to someone else, and how do you do that? Through the tested and tried method of giving.
I’ve found that giving brings with it a great feeling of satisfaction. Whether its giving great advice, giving a gift, giving help another virtual assistant through blogging, whatever form it takes, giving removes the mixed feelings and replaces it with a solid feeling of satisfaction.
