In business, as in life, you can’t expect to know everything about everything. We all need a little guidance sometimes, and asking fellow professionals for insights is all part of our growth process.
Sometimes, the advice we receive from mentors, bosses and colleagues is so impactful that it changes the way we think about and approach our work. This was the case for the following Forbes Agency Council members. Below, they’ve shared some professional tips that have left a lasting impression on them—it’s timeless advice that may just speak to you, too, no matter your industry.
Members of Forbes Agency Council share advice they’ve received that has helped to shape their careers.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Stop Shifting Focus
Too many first-time entrepreneurs shift focus constantly and don’t give enough time to building a solid foundation in a specific area. Park new ideas in a separate space and focus on the core goal and business you started out on. Eventually, you will find wins and come across breaks that help you accelerate your progress. – Zamir Javer, Jumpfactor
2. Collaboration Creates Abundance
A former boss once told me that while competition encourages us to work hard, we should never get greedy. There’s enough business out there for everyone. An attitude of scarcity will always land you in the poor house. Collaboration creates abundance for everyone involved. – Genia Stevens, Belwah Media
3. Know The Value Of Your Time
In a recent training session with Google, I was introduced to Alex Langshur, founder and co-CEO of Cardinal Path, who provided me with some fantastic insights. The foremost was that the power of time management and goal setting can never be underestimated. Now, I decide which few things will generate extraordinary results every day. Putting a time value to everything I do keeps me in check. – Bernard May, National Positions
4. Do The Hard Things
Take ownership of projects, goals and challenges that sit at the edge of what you think you’re capable of doing. Building skills or discovering new strengths requires a willingness to say “yes” to opportunities when they make you feel uncomfortable. – Kim Charlton, PMG (Pinnacle Marketing Group)
5. Collect Your Failures
You have to fail in order to succeed. I once had a mentor tell me to “collect your failures.” The meaning behind it was that if you go in search of failures, you will never be afraid to fail. And eventually, after enough effort, you will start getting victories. You have to put yourself out there. You have to be willing to fail. – Zachary Binder, Bell + Ivy
6. Focus On Your Audience
“It’s all about them, it’s not about you!” I learned early on to put my focus and attention squarely on my audience—it could be clients, employees, superiors, any audience—at all times. Regardless of why you’re in the room, their needs, interests and experience come before yours. Audience-centricity has been a foundational concept for my current practice and a key to SmartMouth’s success. – Beth Noymer Levine, SmartMouth Communications
7. Stop Micromanaging
One of my mentors told me that their biggest mistake was micromanaging their staff. He knew how to do every task, so he wanted to ensure that they were doing it equally well or better—the same way he would. The result was slow growth. When he let go, mistakes happened, but creativity and innovation happened too. It’s hard to let go, but it’s the only way to go beyond what you can achieve alone. – Rafael Romis, Weberous Web Design
8. Be Driven By Curiosity
I learned this from Ben Franklin, a prolific thinker and tinkerer. Over the years, I’ve come to recognize that little tingle—that feeling of something being really interesting—that usually indicates something I should explore. This has led to many breakthroughs in business. Our role is to be the think tank, to try things to see what works and what doesn’t work. Then we bring solutions to clients. – Randy Shattuck, The Shattuck Group
9. Listen
Early on in my 20-year sales career, an executive coach told me again and again to listen. Listening shows you are seeking to understand. Listening gives immediate respect to the person you are speaking to. Listening gives the time and space to think. The good news is that you can practice this skill in every aspect of your life. Listen up—go practice your listening skills! – Katina Kenyon, Applaudo Studios
10. Connect The Right People With Each Other
One of my colleagues once told me that “good people should know each other.” It’s such a simple statement, but one that has really stuck with me. In our business, delivering great results for our clients is the priority, of course. However, one of the best parts of my job is connecting the right people and seeing if “magic” happens! I love being the catalyst that puts good, smart people together. – Catherine Seeds, Ketner Group Communications
11. You Don’t Have As Much Time As You Think
One piece of advice that has impacted my work ethic in many ways is this: You don’t have as much time as you think. Your time is the most important nonrenewable asset. When you lose time, you lose it for good. So don’t be afraid to take action, because the more you wait, the more opportunities you lose. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
12. Results Matter More Than Intentions
My first real job was the result of a mentor seeing something in me. The first week, he took me to lunch and explained his golden rule: It’s about results, not intentions. “Work 20 hours a week and exceed your goals, you’ll never hear me complain. Work 80 hours a week and miss your numbers, and you’ll be gone,” he said. Effort is good and necessary, but results are what matter. – Julie Gibson, SJ Consulting LLC
13. Treat Everyone With Equal Respect
When I first started working, my favorite mentor, my dad, told me that every person at every level of a company deserves equal respect. He coached me to build positive, trusting and respectful relationships at all levels of not only my organization, but also my clients’ organizations. Relationships at the top are important, but support staff, junior employees and peers are the leaders of tomorrow. – Katie Schibler Conn, KSA Marketing + Partnerships
14. Put Relationships First
The CEO of our agency, Jeff Grisamore, has a mantra: “People do business with people.” In other words, you might have the best product or service out there, but it’s your relationship with your customer that will ultimately drive your business. I always keep this top of mind and focus first and foremost on making a genuine connection with my clients. – Jenni Smith, EGR International
15. ‘Trade Your Expectations For Appreciation’
Tony Robbins’ advice has improved my ability to persevere through hardship. My work as a marketing company leader includes persevering through rejections, setbacks and rudeness from people we can help. But by feeling grateful for the privilege of sharing how we can help them succeed, rather than expecting a successful transaction in each communication, I become impossible to defeat or disempower. – Adam Guild, Placepull
