It was a ‘typical Monday’ today …. but a few things that happened throughout the busy day made me realize, yet again, about how important good communication for those ’stick situations’ is in a virtual organization.

I’ve been working virtually for 6 years and have certainly run into my share of ’sticky’ situations that may have been avoided had they been in a typical office environment.

Since we rely so heavily on email correspondence - it’s absolutely critical that we remember a few key points when it comes to these challenging situations and how we handle the communication around them. Good communication with our colleagues, clients, prospects - everyone goes a long way and it will either keep or bruise your reputation. In fact, it can make or break your relationships if you’re not careful.

Those who know me well know that I’m a bit ’sensitive’ when it comes to communication. I really (really!) try to word my emails in such a way that they don’t come across as insulting, impatient, rude, or like I’m blaming or selling someone out. If I receive an email that implies any of these - I get a tad bit cranky - just as I’m sure many others would, depending on the content.

So here’s just a few tips to consider before hitting that send button in a unpleasant situation. Remember, there’s no way to retrieve those words once you have send them …

• If you receive an email that upsets you - close it and come back to it later. If you fire off a response before you settle your emotions, you may include things you really didn’t want (or need) to say and completely jeopardize your relationship. Take a few minutes and revisit the email later and respond then.
• Before you hit that send button - read your email one last time. If you received this email - would it upset you? Take the time to re-read and make sure it says what you want to say without causing conflict.
• Select your words wisely. Make sure the words you use will not make the other person feel like you are attacking them in any way. Again, ask yourself if the words used would upset you if you were on the receiving end.
• Decide if it’s really worth a response. Sometimes it’s just not worth responding to an email. If it’s something that should be ‘dropped’, then leave it as is. You may feel like you need to put in the last word but is it really worth it? Likely not.
• Think about other options - would it be better to pick up the phone and talk to the person instead of sending an email? Going the extra step and clarifying a situation voice-to-voice can save a relationship. Take a few minutes to think of the points you want to cover. Don’t act defensive …. talk it out and you’ll likely feel much better immediately after.

These are tips we all know but tend to forget in difficult situations. Think of them next time you receive a irritating email … it may save you a few gray hairs!

~ Cindy

Over the last few months there’s been a lot of talk about Tina Forsyth’s book “Becoming an Online Business Manager” - from both Virtual Assistant and online based business owners. (If you haven’t read this book yet - you MUST! Get it at www.BecomingAnOBM.com)

The funny thing is …. up until a few months ago, I thought I knew what an Online Business Manager (OBM) was. Every once in a while - in my chats with Tina - we’d talk about whether I was really an Online Business Manager myself. It wasn’t until I read Tina’s book that I realized the true differences between an Online Business Manager and a Virtual Assistant.

If you’re a VA, then of course it’s important to understand the differences between the two. You may be an OBM and not even know it! If you’re a business owner - which person do you need for your business?

To help with this, Tina’s created a comparison chart to help illustrate the difference between each role and how they work together. It’s a great resource and free to download at her blog …. www.OnlineBusinessManager.com/blog.

Which are you …. a Virtual Assistant or an Online Business Manager?

Leave your comments … would love to hear from you.

~ Cindy

Every Virtual Assistant makes mistakes when it comes to building a successful business - it’s how we learn (sometimes it’s an unfortunate way to learn!).

And believe it or not - most of these mistakes are totally preventable. What does this mean? It means that we are the ones getting the way of our own success!

Over the last few years I’ve been very fortunate to work with 2 great partners. Together we offer 15+ years combined in the Virtual Assistant industry and through our own trial and error - and from conversations we’ve had with hundreds of Virtual Assistants - we’ve seen the most common mistakes Virtual Assistants are making when it comes to building their business.

That’s why we decided to create a special video and free pdf report - to help Virtual Assistants avoid these common mistakes!

Visit www.7BiggestVAMistakes.com to view the video and sign up to receive the free report “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Virtual Assistats are Making and (more importantly) How You Can Avoid Them.”

We’d love to hear from you …. what mistakes have you made that have affected the growth of your business? Post your story below.

Enjoy!

~Cindy