As Online Business Managers, it is our role to manage the team we are working with.  (Let me clarify that the Client is part of the team.)  There is a saying:  a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  I believe this is true for teams as well.  If any one member of the team is not functioning at the same level as everyone else, then you have a weakness in the team dynamic and essentially in the operations of the business.

It is important as OBMs that we understand our roles as leaders in the business… that we take ownership of the development of the team we are working with and ensure that we are creating the environment in which everyone on the team can produce at their strongest ability.  The leader (you) should be the inspirer of the team… the person who creates the wind that everyone is soaring in on to perform their tasks in the business.

How do we do this?

We must understand the difference between motivating and delegating.

Motivating someone is all about inspiring them to show up and be the person they want to be… not just to complete a task, but also to feel good and empowered around the way they serve every element of their business and their role in the business you are managing.

Motiving is purposeful and thoughtful.  You have to take the time to know your team’s goals and desires to effectively motivate them.

For example, by knowing what is on Tina’s YES list (the priority tasks she wants to be doing on a daily basis in the business), then I know how to motivate her to keep only those tasks on her plate and get the rest of the tasks off to the rest of the team.   On team calls, that may look like keeping the conversation going toward what is coming up next or the vision she has for the business.  When she gets bogged down in the details (which she is brilliant at but doesn’t really want to be in them), then I try to motivate her toward the big-picture stuff and reassure her I have the daily details handled.

With a VA, it’s always trying to encourage them… beyond the efforts of the business, but into their lives, their personal development or business development.  I think of it as sowing and watering seeds of encouragement and power into their lives to ensure they desire to do their best work with us and for themselves.

I hope you can see the difference in this type of interaction over simply delegating a task… “here do this, here do that… thanks.”  No one wants to work on a team where they do not feel cared for.  There is a saying in our house (around raising our teenage kids):  rules without relationship = rebellion.  The same is true here… if you are not purposeful in building the relationship, then the request, processes, “rules” of your client’s business will be less important to the team member, specifically in comparison to the client that is taking the time to motivate and empower them by building a relationship with them.

When I talk to potential OBMs who have been in the VA community, their #1 complaint is not feeling valued!  OUCH!  As OBMs, it is our role to ensure our support knows the value they bring to the business… that we are developing their ability to continue to offer us great support.  Here are just a few ways we can do this effectively:

1.     Communicate Clearly – Expectations and Encouragement

I am so guilty of this… just sending out partial requests.  Unfortunately, what this does is create a confusion and frustration in our team’s ability to fully perform the task at hand… therefore robbing them of the power they hold to do great work for us.  We must be clear and decisive with the expectations we need from our team.  That goes both ways too… let the client know what you need to be fully engaged in what ya’ll are creating together, as well as ensure you are fully communicating what the team needs to accomplish to be successful.

1. First thing you want to do is ensure there is a role description for the position they hold in the business.  This is the easiest way to create a measurable for both you and them to ensure the partnership is a success.
2. Second, make sure you have a fully functional SOP that will lay out the expectation of each task so your team is not playing the guessing game with their obligations to the business, as this is frustrating and time consuming.
3. Thirdly, ensure you are scheduling out tasks in a timeframe that allows them to know what is going on.  Nothing more morale-breaking than planning to go to lunch with a friend and have a task hit your inbox or virtual office that has to be done within a few hours.

Encourage, encourage, encourage… it only takes a moment to say “I appreciate your commitment” or “thanks for always having my back, you make my work so much easier.”  A little bit of encouragement will go a long way when creating an environment of success.

2.    Develop an Attitude of Ownership

Give people the opportunity to show you what they can do.  By empowering them to make decisions based on their level of experience and expertise, most of the time you will be pleasantly surprised by the creativity and ingenuity of your team.  This is an Attitude of Ownership.

Now with any opportunity to be creative or take ownership of something, until they have proven themselves, they will need you to mentor them more closely through the process. But be there to watch for obstacles for them while allowing them to soar.  Give people projects within their strengths that will help them build confidence in their ability to take ownership and have the pride of accomplishment.

For the VA who has an eye for detail, you could ask her to skim through the website to ensure all the links and grammar are as they should be.  Or someone who loves formatting, let them take some of the client’s articles and create an eBook.  These are projects they can work on in their own timeline that take little instruction, but will give them a great sense of ownership.  If they need a great deal of instruction around it, it might not be the best project for that person to own.  Consider that, but then you can see their potential and motivate them to that next level if needed.

3.    Be Grateful – Say Thank You

Honestly, gratitude, when offered sincerely, is one of the greatest rewards we can get in this industry… to the client as well as to the support team.  A truly heartfelt “thank you for what you do” is rare… a quick “thanks” is everywhere.. but really who receives that?  If you take the time to tell someone thank you for how they make the business a better place, that motivates people to continue to do great work.

When you say thank you, be descriptive in what you see is the greatest asset the team member brings to the table.  Tell them what you are most appreciative of in the support they offer, and if possible send them a token of appreciation.

Closing thoughts…  be the leader OBM!  Develop and motivate your team… step into the shoes of empowerment to ensure your team knows the value of their efforts and the appreciation of their commitment.  When you do, everything in the business will begin to soar on the wind of your leadership.

The truth is, even the best laid plans can be found trailing a bit “behind.”  Whether because of emerging priorities or procrastination, there are times when we just get behind on the tasks before us.   Seems an oxymoron to say “behind on that which is before us”… the truth is, it is.

Survival Step #1:  Reprioritize and put the tasks before you.

The first thing you need to do is look at the list of tasks you have fallen behind on and and get them in front of you.  I know this seems a bit simple, but the truth is, as long as the stigma of “defeat” or “failure” in not meeting a deadline is hovering over the tasks, it will take you twice as long to complete it.  Now the task has become an emotional energy  and usually one that is negative.  So instead of just accomplishing the task, you have to feel the burden of having let it fall behind.

If you need to email a client, change a milestone, update a calendar… whatever your process is, you need to get that task in front of you (because honestly, it IS in front of you… we simply can’t go backward).

Be realistic in your priority and understand the importance of meeting the next deadline for this task.  And if it needs to be done right now… then DO IT RIGHT NOW!  But first change the deadline for it to RIGHT NOW (not last week).

When you remove the negative energy around a task that has fallen behind, you will have a different mind frame around completing the task.

Survival Step #2:  Assess:  why didn’t you get it completed to begin with?

This step is important because if you don’t know why you didn’t complete it to begin with, the reality is you will likely just miss the deadline again.  I currently have a marketing project in my task list that I have changed the timeline on 3 times… why?   Simply put, I don’t want to be the implementer of this process.  I don’t have time and I know someone else could do it much better than I.  Currently, I am working with a new team member to get them trained up to do the tasks needed to complete this project.  However, the development of the new team member is moving at a slower pace than I would prefer and I refuse to give up on this initiative, so… it stays as a “behind” project.  Knowing this allows me to understand why and how I am going to accomplish this milestone and move it into a successful, complete project.

So I ask you… why is that task behind?  Why are you not completing it?  What do you need to complete it?  Many times when we let a task or project fall behind it’s because there is a piece missing for us.  A missing element in the strategy, implementation or resource will cause us to lag behind.  But if we do not evaluate what that is and begin to fill that missing piece, we will just continue to lag behind on the project and not complete it to the level of excellence we have started out with.  So find out what you need to find out, implement what needs to be implemented, and get the resource you need BEFORE your next deadline.

Survival Step #3: Get Over It.

Many times, we stay behind because we can’t get out of our own heads.  Let’s be honest, as Online Business Managers, our core purpose is to help people. We take it very seriously, and take our ability to get things done very seriously.  I deem myself as the “Master Implementer” meaning… I get things done!  So when something doesn’t get done on time or I start running behind… the first thing that happens is that I get caught up in my head…  building a big, tiresome bridge that needs to be crossed to get the task accomplished.

Assuming I am not the only one who does this, I want to say:  Get Over It!

Take the complication out of the “doing” of the task and simply DO IT.  Push through the discomfort, the negative energy, the feelings, and simply do the task.  Do not be ruled by what seemed a failure of yesterday.. but determine to make it a success today!

You can’t go backward, you can’t change with is “behind” you.. push it forward and then own it, rule it, master it and COMPLETE it!  When you change your mind and determine to do that thing that is haunting you from yesterday, it will be the freedom you need today.

Have you pushed pause recently to take the time needed to attend to the MOST important things in your life?

As Online Business Managers we often think that if WE don’t do EVERYTHING then everything will fall apart. But what if we are falling apart? How then do we keep it all together when we are not keeping ourselves together? Let’s face it, this is the reality of life.  Stuff happens, and sometimes we need to hit pause.

Do you ever look around in life and say “Where is that stupid pause button?”

Honestly, as wives, moms, business owners, support professionals, etc., our true titles should be: Professional Jugglers.  But there are times when no matter how hard you try, you are just not catching all the balls as they fall.  If you are anything like me, you can generally catch all the balls in one area but not in all the areas: if I am focused on my home then balls drop in the business. If I am focused on my business then balls drop at home. If I am focused on my needs, then the needs of my family may not be met. You get the picture and I know I’m not the only one who endures such a balancing act.

So I spent some time thinking what a pause button would look like.  What would happen if I just announced to everyone in my life:  PAUSE, and everything came to a stop, or more of a holding space.

Well, I did just that yesterday.  After weeks of being in the rat race and managing through multiple transitions in life and business, I pushed pause.  And you know what, nothing fell apart.  When I got up this morning and pushed play again everything was exactly as I left it, but…

I WAS NOT AS I LEFT IT!

See when we push pause it’s because we need to tend to something more important than the movie we are watching, and yesterday I needed to tend to something more important than anything else in my life. Today, I am free to go forward again, to hop back in the race and continue my juggling act.

So I ask you:

• What would YOUR pause button look like?
• Do you know when it is necessary and do you know how to push it?
• Have you pushed pause recently to take the time needed to attend to the MOST important things in your life?

As Online Business Managers we often think that if WE don’t do EVERYTHING then everything will fall apart, but what if we are falling apart?  How then do we keep it all together when we are not keeping ourselves together? Let’s face it, this is the reality of life.  Stuff happens, and sometimes we need to hit pause.

Granted if you think hitting pause weekly is an option, it’s not.  Don’t be abusive with the power of the pause button as it may make you look incompetent and cause all sorts of other issues (including that you will never complete the goal at hand).

Now let me ask you – what happens if you don’t hit pause on a movie when something more important happens? It keeps playing in the background but you don’t really notice it, catch the details or get the plot. The same thing happens in our businesses when we do not hit the pause button when something more important is happening in our lives.   But this is not an acceptable way to run a business.

As an OBM, it is your role to manage a business from a proactive state of operations, opposed to the reactive.  However, many times we find that our own lives are in a reactive state of operations.  We are roaming through our own existence in reactive mode: sick kid (react), car breaks down (react), new client (react), get dinner on table (react)… but what if…

What if we could focus on managing our lives from a proactive state of operations?  What if we took what we know in our business lives and applied them to our functioning life?

Think about it like this, if you set the time aside to watch a movie, and you know it’s what’s on the agenda, you are much less likely to NEED a pause button (outside of an emergency). So what if we make that same commitment to our lives, to be proactive in what we commit to?

I will be honest I have not been that proactive in my life recently, so when the pause button was needed, it was a must. Then I thought “I don’t want to have to hit that button again… as I don’t like that feeling of needing to pause everything.”  I realized what got me in this space to begin with was being reactive in my life – DUH!

Another reminder I had came from our OBM Mentorship call last week, where Tina asked the group (as I have heard her ask many times):  “What are you tolerating in your life?”  Ouch. I didn’t say so on the call, but boy am I tolerating some personal things in my life that I DO NOT WANT TO BE MY STANDARD OF ACCEPTANCE!

Well guess what happened when I hit pause yesterday?  All of those tolerances became like red flashing lights in my life… “warning, warning, warning.”

In my time of pause, while I needed to attend to my soul, the things I had been tolerating revealed the depth in which my “reactivity” to life had created instability in my ability to be proactive in my life.

So not only was the pause button a time of replenishing, it was also a time of revelation.

Today is a new resolve for what I want, what is needed to be a successful juggler and being able to move my life into the same level of pro-activeness in which I manage business.  As I know it is my sanctuary of peace.

So this post I hope leaves you with more questions than answers:

• Do you have a pause button?  What would it look like for your life?
• Are you living proactive in your life and business?
• What are you tolerating in your life that is flashing “warning” at you?

I hate to say it folks.. but business owners are talking about you! Some are giving off the chart raving reviews of working with their OBMS and some just raving (or ranting)! Why? Because they are desperate to let go of the reigns and pass the batton of managing their business to ROCKstar OBM’s, some have found just those people… others still on the hunt. My question to you is: Are you the one they are raving about or are you part of the rant? Either way, here is what they want:

Time To Take Charge!

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Our ability to effectively communicate with clients and team will make or break our ability to fully support the businesses we serve. Find out the 3 Keys and start implementing them today!

Key #1: Be slow to speak and quick to listen.

Simply put, VA / OBM / virtual support professional: listen more than you talk. Honestly, this is can be hard. Why? For a few reasons:

1. Often our clients are the only other people we have a relationship with who get this online industry. Naturally, we just want to connect over what we are both passionate about. The truth is, this industry can be a bit lonely at times… I don’t know about you but I spend the majority of my day sitting in an office in my house… very little interaction (physical) with other adults aside from client conversations and in the evening when my hubby comes home.So when I hop on the phone with a client, there is a nudging in me for that bit of companionship. However, this is not the place to get it if you want to have effective communication with a client and ultimately fulfill the duty of your role. Seek this need of companionship within a peer group.
2. We often know more than the client does about what needs to be done next. When it comes to the back end of business and how to get proper productivity flowing, I simply know more than most of the clients I have worked with through the years. This IS my expertise… therefore, when on the phone, we can often feel the need to “tell the client” what needs to be done or “lead” the client in the direction we feel is best. This is not a good idea… listen to what they want… go do it… come back and show them what you have done. This is the best way to express your expertise.
3. We are too busy trying to get answers and not listening to the next instruction. Let’s face it, many of our clients are going at 100mph. They simply can’t finish one thought or instruction before they are on to the other. (Personally I love these types of clients.) Often these types of clients have a very short period in which they can “have a conversation,” and therefore you know if you don’t get all the answers you need in that moment you will not get them. BUT I want to say, stop and listen. If you must ask a question, only ask WHY. If you know the why, you can put all the other pieces together.

Key #2: Repeat Back to the Client What You Have Heard Them Say.

Every single time a client gives you instructions, repeat it back to them. This is truly the only way to confirm that what you heard is actually what they meant. Now you can do that in the moment or at the end of a call simply go through the list of instructions. Be sure to mention what your deliverables are and their deliverables… and any deliverables that are to be delegated to the team.

Please, do not bypass this step. Many times I have shot off in a direction, spent countless hours to just find out that the directive was a passing thought the client was verbally working through and not a legitimate task to be pursued. Which left both of us frustrated… because unfortunately, while I was running in that direction.. I was supposed to already be in another place with other projects.

I know this seems simple and elementary, but the truth is many times in virtual relationships we do not have the tools of body language and facial expressions to help us discern what is behind the conversation. If a client and I are face to face, I can tell when we are verbally processing, when it’s a directive or if they are just babbling. But when we are on the phone and both of us going like rockets ready to head off in different directions, this is not as easy to navigate.

Key #3 Write it down, send the deliverables to the client in email, load in project manager.

This is not one step… it’s 3. Don’t simply load deliverables into the project manager through the conversation until you have actually sent the list of expectations to the client and had them okay it.

I know what you are thinking… this is very excessive, and I want to say YES it is. But if you have ever spent 3 hours on a project just to find out the client didn’t really want it, or got an email 5 minutes before a deadline just to realize you didn’t have that on your radar till later that week, or found yourself working through the weekend because you talked about 5 things with your client and the thing you prioritized as #5, and then didn’t quite get to, is needed by Monday morning… I have been there… and if you have been in the virtual support industry for any time so have you.

So stop the insanity and simply list out the expectations after every call, shoot them over to the client, get the nod and load them into the project manager as tasks for everyone. Do this within 15 minutes of hanging up the phone. Let the client know this is on the way and that you will need their “written” nod of approval before you schedule out.

If you will do these three elements you will be VERY effective in communicating and accomplishing the tasks at hand. Also, if you work with a team, let them know these are your expectations of how they should communicate with you on team calls or 1:1 calls. Using these 3 Keys will keep you, client and team on course regardless of the amount of work to be done.

One last thing before I go. If you do not have a peer group that you are connected to on a regular basis aside from your clients, I really encourage you to take a look at the International Association of Online Business Managers here:  http://www.obmconnect.com and get connected with others who can be that level of support you need. So you can show up and be the expert your client needs you to be.

I once had an OBM ask me “How do I stop or slow down the proverbial hamster wheel of my clients business long enough to jump on?”  my answer “you don’t”…

This is not an uncommon feeling or question when an OBM joins a new team… there are many different moving parts in a successful business. The truth is as the OBM you need to be fully aware and up to date on every moving part to successfully fulfill your role in supporting the business.  So how exactly do we jump on the wheel and join in the momentum without falling off or getting stampeded?

Survival Tool #1:  you must lay out a proper expectation with the client and team.  This essentially should be done even in the hiring process to ensure that the client does not believe they just hired wonder woman /superman to manage their business.  There is a process to starting with a new clients (as there is a process for all things business related and the first step of the process is to give clear expectations.  Your expectations of the client and team and what their expectations can be of you.

You cannot just jump in and start running if you do not know where you are going!

How to determine the expectations:

1. You MUST know the clients current pain points!  What is it that brought them to the realization they needed a new team member (YOU), why now, where is the pain?  If you do not in the first 30 days subdue the pain in these pain points you will not see 91 days with this client.  So find out.
2. What are their top 3 priorities in the next 90 days? The only way to keep the wheel going in the right direction is if you are supporting these priorities.  Note: this is the client’s priorities which may or may not be your priorities as an online business manager for the business.
   Let me explain:  when starting with a business the first thing I am going to look at is the foundation and structure: does it have a proven business model and revenue generator and is there a culture of systems and processes in place to build on.  These are rarely and almost never the priorities of the business owner. Their priorities look like this: get new website up and running, launch new program, get social media in place.  See the difference… you must know THEIR top priorities
3. Create a job description for everyone on the team.  This is so key, don’t get caught in the ‘I thought the VA did that’ trap.   Everyone needs to fully understand their role and their duties on a team.  When you do this in the first 30 days you learn the structure and DNA of how that business operates. Very important yet often over looked when jumping on the wheel…

Survival Tool #2: do not be afraid to jump in and start making decisions.  I know it may seem a bit crazy: “I don’t even know what’s going on how can I start making decisions”.. make decisions based on where the business is going with you at the wheel instead of where it has been.  The client did not hire you, especially as the OBM, to keep doing the same thing it has already been doing.. they hired you to go forward.  So make decisions based on going forward.  That being said, always communicate the decision to the client before taking action to ensure it lines up the clients overall plan.

For example: VA on team comes to you with a ‘I am not sure what to do about X’:

1. ask them to tell you what they did the last time this issue arose,
2. consider how you would like to see this issue handled in the future,
3. write out the process for this issue,
4. confirm process with Client,
5. have VA take action according to the process,
6. have VA file process to ensure they will know what to do next time the issue arises.

That is what it looks like to be a decision maker.  The client will at all times be the last word on a process but they do not always need to be the person to determine the process. As the Online Business Manager it is YOUR responsibility to work in this capacity with the business.

The reason this is important in the first 30 days is because you need to build a rapport with that client that they can trust you to manage their business.  If they do not feel you can confidently make decisions on the behalf of the business then they will not be able to trust you, and essentially you will not be able to fulfill the position they have hired you to fulfill if there is not a proven trust of ability.

The other thing this does is set up your authority with the team, which is just as crucial as building trust with the business owner in that the team sees you as the decision maker.  If they do not see you as the decision maker they will by-pass you and continue to go to the client with everything in turn leaving you unable to be the OBM of that business.

Survival Tool #3: Go the extra mile!  Go the extra mile! Go the extra mile!  This is so important in the first 30 days.  Why? Because you are laying down an expectation for your client and team.  Not that you are a workaholic or don’t have boundaries, but that any business you are associated with is going to function with a certain level of professionalism and excellence.  There needs to be a difference in morale, a difference in productivity, things should get easier on EVERYONE on the team.  What might this look like:

1. Take the time to build relationships with the team members – when you care they care.. it’s that simple
2. Put into practice from the beginning the business structures needed to grow.. write the processes, set up the virtual office, etc.
3. Communicate, communicate, communicate to everyone in every direction.. be present fully and completely. Never let the client or team wonder where you are or what you are doing.
4. By the end of the 30 days: KNOW the client’s revenue streams inside and out.. usually this will take a couple hours of going through the backend of systems.. take the time do it.

Tina’s brand new book has hit the Amazon shelf!! Going to share just a couple of points about the book in the video below.. watch it and grab a copy here: http://www.EntrepreneursTrap.com.

The question is really: Are you taking OWNERSHIP of freeing up your client to do the work they need to and should be doing in the business? If not, then here are few ways to do just that. Free up the client and make yourself indispensable in the process