2020 has thrown our industry into disarray. Businesses are closed, people have lost jobs and the recovery looks slow at best. It is hard to wrap your head around what to do since none of us have ever been through anything like this. Past experience is no predictor of future success at this point. So we need to concentrate on tools that will help us navigate this time in our lives.
The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan is a book that can help with that. It is easy to read and implementing some of the ideas has already made me more productive and a better decision-maker. There is a companion website as well, The1thing.com which has templates and copies of some of the helpful diagrams. Here are some of the things I learned while I read this.
Pareto’s law, or the 80/20 rule, is an important element in daily success.
I first learned about Pareto’s law in my Master’s degree program. Every time I read about it, I am reminded that it really is a universal law and it refers to the vital few actions, and the trivial many. As Keller says, “the majority of what you want will come from the minority of what you do.” Think about that- Is there a client that brings more business than anyone else? Is there a small change you could make with your frontline staff that would make their job more efficient and easier?
Willpower comes and goes.
I thought it was just me with no willpower in the afternoon, but Keller shows how willpower has a limit and once your daily willpower is used up, there is little to no hope. So it is important to take care of priorities and tasks you might want to avoid, first thing in the day. Then the rest of the day will flow more smoothly.
Busy does not equal productivity.
I find that if I don’t take regular breaks and get up from my desk and walk around, I become less productive. It’s better to work on your priorities early in the day and not waste time with other tasks.
What’s your ‘One Thing’?
This book helps you determine the one thing that you can take action on now that will help you reach your goals. The formal statement he teaches states:
“What is the ONE thing I can do, such that by doing it everything will be easier or unnecessary?”
Are your sales down? Perhaps your ONE thing can be to brainstorm new ways to bring in revenue. Everyone is pivoting to new strategies right now. Here is an article about how small business owners realized they needed to make a change to stay afloat. From a restaurant that used crowdfunding to keep going, to a bartending supply store that switched from a B-B (business to business) model to a B-C ( business to consumer) overnight. Implementing their ONE Thing has kept them going.
For those not working
Many of my readers are still furloughed, or out of work. It’s hard to force yourself to be productive, I know. But reading a book during this time will impact your future. As someone that has hired many staff over my career, I was always looking for questions to ask that would give me a lot of insight.
If I was hiring this year, one of my questions would be ” What did you do during the pandemic?”. If you tell me you watched all of Netflix, I am not going to be impressed. But if you tell me you read one business book a month, took an online course, and attended free webinars, that will put you on top of the resume pile.
This book will give you insights and strategies that you can use in your future. And our future will be bright. I promise. What’s ONE Thing you can do today to work towards your future success?
How can I help you in June 2020?
DMO’s – Are you looking for ways to provide some value to your members during this time? Would you like to offer a free webinar that I will host? Join organizations such as
- SYTA,
- Circle Michigan,
- Happy Valley Adventure Bureau
- Pennsylvania Bus Association, and
- Visit Baton Rouge who have hired me already this year to educate and inform their members.
- Click here for additional information on the Online Tourism Training Program.
Your organization can choose from “Continue your Career from your Couch” or “5 Steps to get More Group Tours”. I offer 3 spots a month for free webinars – there is still 1 available in July and 2 in August. Hit reply to this email and let’s get you scheduled!
My Online Tourism Training Program helps DMOs/CVBs educate their partners in this changing environment. Partners can join from their homes or offices, and all the webinars are recorded so you can build a resource library and increase professionalism. I would be honored to help your destination!
Tourism Pro Academy
Are you looking for some articles and resources to increase your professionalism? Are you new to the industry and trying to find a place where you can pick up some more knowledge? Then head over to Tourism Pro Academy. There are free articles and resources, along with online courses and ways to work with me. Click here to sign up for free access!
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