Let me begin with a brief story:
Back when I was working at Hyatt I went down to see the receiving manger Craig Selberg about something. He told me about 10 different things I needed to follow-up on. I’m sitting there nodding and he says, “What are you doing? Don’t trust your memory. How are you not writing everything down?”
The lecture pushed me to always have a pad in my pocket or on my desk and that lesson has stuck to this day. Today, everybody has that! Hello? iPhone?? (Though there is something to be said about keeping a pen and paper handy.)
So, what’s my point? Follow-up!
1follow–up
noun fol·low–up \ˈfä-lō-ˌəp\
: something that continues or completes a process or activity
At the end of the day, when you think about the most successful people, if they say they are going to do something they always follow-up.
Whenever you have a conversation, meet someone, or do anything else, there’s always next-steps. So follow-up!
Go through your e-mails at least once a week and when you see something that’s lingering; that slipped through the cracks, do something about it!
Go through your sent mail…see where you have reached out to somebody and never got a response.
Following-up and following-through on things is the key to success. Period. Be the person that is on top of things. Be the person that other people know can be relied on to get things done.
If you can be that person, you are also going to be the person reaping the benefits of good opportunities coming your way.
