Work Better, Not Harder

You may not often think of trust in relation to productivity but there's a very direct correlation, especially for small businesses.

What is trust in a business relationship? It can be quite different than in our personal lives, of course. I've recently weathered the end of a 16-year marriage which was quite a life lesson in trust. And, while we can certainly have business relationships longer than this, the trust element is not all-encompassing - it's limited to delivering on promises. This means things like having clear expectations, establishing goals and deadlines and meeting them, respecting each other's time, being honest about feedback, keeping communication open and relevant, and, of course, doing good work or selling reliable products.

“Trust is your willingness to be open, vulnerable and courageous based on positive expectations.” — Lea Brovedani
Having established trusting relationships helps us be more efficient because our customers will know we have their b…

Whenever you write something, it's always a good idea to wait a while before editing - later the same day or the next day. You'll have a fresh perspective and it'll be easier to pick out what can be improved upon.

Here are a few things to watch out for when you're editing:

Brevity: Cut out every word that adds nothing to the meaning or flow. Each word should be working for you! Read Slice Words to Save Money for examples.

Clarity: Use specific adjectives instead of vague ones to increase understanding and interest. Instead of "We received numerous applications to volunteer at the conference," say "We received 33 applications..."

Paragraph length: Each paragraph should deal with only one topic or idea. Short is always better.

Tone and style: Don't write like a business; write like a human being and use your normal conversational style. Try the "Hi Mom" test.

Variety: Avoid starting each sentence or paragraph with similar words or phrases...…