Have you ever played Whack-A-Mole? You know, the one where you use a padded hammer to knock a mole on the head each time it pops up. Well, the moles don’t stay up for very long. And, as the game progresses, more and more moles pop up simultaneously, on all sides of the grid. Faster and faster, as you try to beat the stuffing out of them before time runs out!

Then you look around at some of the other players… the ones who are choosing which moles to knock down rather than trying to hit them all. And you start to wonder if they have a better game plan or a higher success rate.

If Whack-A-Mole makes you think of how you run your business, you’re not wrong. Having to move quickly to knock daily problems on the head, often without any time to really think things through, does feel a LOT like Whack-A-Mole.

Links 🔗

👉  Newsletter episode

👉  How to reclaim time for your creative freedom [article]

👉 Your Virtual Assistant

👉  Follow Justine on LinkedIn

Welcome to this episode of The Lever, where we'll be discussing the importance of creative thinking in business, and how to make time for it. In this episode, we'll be sharing tips to help you start unlocking your creativity.  

I’m Justine, agency boss of Your Virtual Assistant where we help busy business owners delegate to elevate through our team of VAs, VBMs and virtual experts. We know the value in creating space for you to unlock your creativity.  

Links 🔗 

👉  Newsletter episode 

👉  How To Break Free To Work In Your Genius Zone [article]   

👉  Clarity Break [EOS tool] 

👉  Our Website

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a hard time switching off.

Every day starts with a to do list – often it’s the stuff you didn’t get done yesterday (or the day before, or the week before…)

And just as one task gets ticked off, another three more show up. It can start to feel like you’ll NEVER get through it all. So you just keep ploughing on regardless.

But here’s something I’ve come to accept: I can’t do it all! Because if I TRY to do it all, I end up neglecting other areas of my life.

Which is why I’m a firm believer in slowing down and taking time out to smell the roses!

And this week, I challenge you to do the same.

Justine Parsons 

Founder 

NZ's Virtual Business Support Agency

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1 FACT 🧐

“Instead of saying ‘I don’t have time’ try saying ‘it’s not a priority,’ and see how that feels… Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently.”

― Laura Vanderkam

Are You As Busy As You Think? — Wall Street Journal

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1 TIP 💡

Here’s something that inspired me recently. Slow down to go faster. A Ted Talk by Ralph Simone. Find out how slowing down everything – from breathing, eating, thinking and moving – can help you be more receptive, resilient and productive.

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1 TOOL 💥

I’ve said it before: I can’t do it all on my own. Which is why I’ve built a team of VA’s and VBM’s to work alongside me. Maybe you need someone too? Here’s something that could help you decide if you need a VBM: 5 Signs That It’s Time To Hire a VBM

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1 QUESTION ❓

What’s stopping you from slowing down?

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1 ACTION 🎬

Schedule a window of time this week to get outside for a walk, turn off your phone, reconnect with nature.

What makes a leader great? 

Are there certain defining traits that set great leaders apart?   

When I think of great leaders I admire, the qualities that stand out most for me are:   

📌 Integrity 

📌 Communication 

📌 Empathy 

📌 Respect 

📌 Courage   

These intrinsic qualities characterise the leaders I look up to. 

And they’re qualities I strive to demonstrate in my own leadership role.  

Let's explore how to be the best leaders we can be.  

Justine Parsons 

Founder 

NZ's Virtual Business Support Agency

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 1 FACT 🧐   

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. 

— Lao Tzu  

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1 TIP 💡  

Being a leader is no easy feat! It takes a whole lot of time and effort and a big dollop of charisma to get the most out of any team. But to truly inspire a team to do their best work, leaders must master certain skill sets. Here are five:  

✅ Strategic thinker – great leaders plan ahead, identifying how they will respond to a variety of situations. 

✅ Strong decision makers – great leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and make decisions that positively impact themselves, their employees, their customers and stakeholders, and their organisations. 

✅ Handle conflict well – great leaders learn how to resolve conflict fairly, to build teams that work well together. 

✅ Delegate with ease – great leaders understand that the key to efficiency and developing a strong team is delegation. 

✅ Innovate to move forward – the ability to lead innovation and create change is what allows businesses to thrive and grow.  

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1 TOOL 💥  

Want to know where you fit in as a leader? 

Try this self-assessment tool to get: 

📌 an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses 

📌 practical tips 

📌 links to expert advice  

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1 QUESTION ❓  

Are you the best leader you can be? What would your team say to each other about you?  

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1 ACTION 🎬   

Define the traits you think make a great leader and consider how well you demonstrate these in your own business.

Few things frustrate business owners more than constantly being pulled into the weeds of their business. We tend to be the visionaries for our business, so operations and administration isn’t traditional what gets us up in the morning.

Today we’ll look at the three lists that will help you transition away from those tasks, and in doing so, start to see momentum and growth.

This week, we’re looking at the Three Lists Every Business Owner Should Have.

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1 FACT 🧐

"Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent, and not enough time on what is important."

Steven Covey

Don’t be that person!

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1 TIP 💡

By being mindful of how you’re spending your time, you can then control how you spend your time. Start sorting your tasks by:

📌 to dos: by you

📌 to dos: not by you

📌 to dos: wish list

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1 TOOL 💥

Download our guide “How to Reduce Your Admin” which walks you through the lists covered in this episode (plus much more) .

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1 QUESTION ❓

Look back over the last week. Did you complete tasks that genuinely move the needle for your business?

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1 ACTION 🎬

Note the tasks you have on your list for today. Which to-do list do each of these tasks fall into?

Few things produce a better return on investment than the low (or no) cost act of recognising employees.

Even if you don’t have the budget for a formalised recognition program, just praising them can significantly improve their happiness.

In fact, research shows that getting praised actually boosts part of the brain related to rewards. And that those being praised feel motivated, engaged, and even perform better.

To put it another way, if you don’t create a great, rewarding place for people to work, they won’t do great work!

More on this topic in this week’s The Lever.

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1 FACT 🧐

“When a manager recognizes an employee’s behavior, personally and sincerely, both feel proud, gratified, and happy. There’s a human connection that transcends the immediate culture to create a shared bond. The power of this bond is stronger than you might think; indeed, it’s the power that holds together great organizational cultures.”

– Erik Mosley and Derek Irvine, co-authors of The Power of Thanks: How Social Recognition Empowers Employees and Creates a Best Place to Work

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1 TIP 💡

Employee recognition is about acknowledging accomplishments, appreciating hard work, and commending individuals and teams within your organisation.

Employee recognition helps businesses to:

• Retain top talent
• Increase employee engagement
• Encourage high performance

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1 TOOL 💥

While it would be wonderful to financially reward team members who go above and beyond, that’s not always possible because of budget constraints. Here’s a quick read for you: 10 non-monetary incentives for staff to help you motivate and retain top employees.

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1 QUESTION ❓

As a leader, are you ensuring that all members of your team are not only productive, meeting deadlines, and hitting targets, but that they are also recognised for work well done?

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1 ACTION 🎬

Determine some ways to recognise individuals or teams for work well done in your organisation.

Here's this week's 1 fact, 1 tip, 1 tool, 1 question and 1 action, carefully crafted to get you thinking. It’s time to pull The Lever!   

Justine 

Your Virtual Assistant 

I’m in no doubt that running a business in today’s economic climate is more challenging than ever.   

Sure, we’ve navigated our way through a global pandemic. Come out the other side stronger and better equipped to take on whatever else comes our way.   

But isn’t it crazy how just when things start to feel normal again, BAM, we’re hit with yet another challenge? (I’m looking at you, labour market)   

Ever the optimist, I try to find the positive in every situation. So, I just wonder if maybe there is an opportunity for all of us facing an obstacle in business? I’d love to think there is, and I dare you to do the same!   

In this week’s The Lever, I’m exploring how to turn obstacles into opportunities. 

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1 FACT 🧐 

“Never let a good crisis go to waste. I see challenges as the most opportune time for a leader to demonstrate true leadership qualities.”   

~Winston Churchill~  

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1 TIP 💡  

It can be hard to see the opportunity hidden within the obstacle. In the past, I’ve really struggled with this, but I find these 3 strategies help:  

✅  Don’t be afraid to diversify—think about ways to diversify your business to meet your challenges head-on. 

✅  Follow a fixed process to evaluate and resolve problems — Don’t panic!   

✅  Define the scope of the problem, document possible solutions, and implement a plan of action. 

✅  Tap into the collective intelligence around you — Ask for help. Talk to other like-minded people in your industry. Get a mentor. Share ideas and inspiration.  

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1 TOOL 💥 

A challenge that many of my clients are struggling with right now is staff shortages. What with COVID, migration, and low unemployment, it’s something many businesses across New Zealand are facing. In this recent blog (The New Pandemic, Staff Shortages), I share possible solutions and examples of businesses we’re working with to overcome this obstacle.  

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1 QUESTION ❓ 

What are some obstacles facing you right now that you could turn into opportunities?  

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1 ACTION 🎬 

This week, get inspiration and ideas from your team, your mentor, a Facebook group, or an expert in your industry for an obstacle you’re facing or a problem you’re trying to solve.  You don't have to do this alone!  

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Subscribe to our podcast or sign up to have The Lever @Your Virtual Assistant Ltd  delivered to your inbox each Thursday here 

📕 Here's the free guide I referred to "The 5-Step Process to Reducing your Admin" 

Customer delight goes beyond simply providing great products and services or delivering on excellent customer service.  It’s about showing you care in ways that constantly surprise your customers.   

But it doesn’t just happen overnight because there is no one size fits all when it comes to customer delight. Rather, it’s something that has to be planned, designed and mindfully delivered.   

This week, we’re looking at 5 ways to build customer delight into your processes, but there are hundreds more worth exploring. The key is finding what works best for your business.  

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1 FACT 🧐 

"Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first." 

~Simon Sinek~  

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1 TIP 💡  

Customer delight should be treated as a competitive advantage to transform average customers into loyal promoters. The key to success is establishing trust and interest, and creating a long term relationship.   

Here’s how to get started:  

✅ Provide real-time support using technology and provide solutions for any problems as they occur. 

✅ Empower your team to delight your customers by giving them the authority to take independent decisions to impress your customers. 

✅ Analyse customer feedback. It provides valuable insights into what’s working well and what needs to be done to make the experience better. 

✅ Personalise your communication. Turn customer data into actionable insights to personalise your customer interactions and provide unique messaging. 

✅ Don’t make a promise you can’t keep and deliver on every promise you do make.   

Remember, the effort to delight customers should never replace the main focus of any successful company, which is to always deliver the best customer experience. 

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1 TOOL 💥 

Here’s a customer delight exercise for you! You’ll also find some examples of customer delight that will hopefully provide you with some inspiration to implement your own customer delight strategies.  

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1 QUESTION ❓ 

Can you think of a business that gave you that feeling of delight? How are you giving your clients that same feeling?  

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1 ACTION 🎬 

Start working on some ways you can delight your customers and get your team involved in brainstorming ideas for customer delight.  

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Subscribe to our podcast or sign up to have The Lever  @Your Virtual Assistant Ltd  delivered to your inbox each Thursday here 👇 https://yourva.co.nz/the-lever-newsletter/