of a tongue-in-cheek look at it today, but the whole idea is that we can easily make

sure that business goes away from us if we do these five things. Obviously, what Iím

trying to say is the opposite is what we must do. So weíll play with a bit, but weíll

get into the other side. The first way is make sure that you donít

do what you say. In other words, if you are asked to do something, make sure you donít

do it. Now, do you think maybe thatís a bit hard? Iíve seen time and time again with

people who are working in any kind of business. They say now weíll do this for you, weíll

do that for you, and they give you a list of things to do, and you can almost bet your

bottom dollars itís not going to happen. Many people have become very disappointed

when people call them and they say weíre going to do this and weíll do that, and they

donít show up. The plus of it is make sure that you do do

what you say. Donít overpromise and under-deliver. Rather, under-promise and over-deliver. And

make sure that you do exactly what you did it is, even if you write it down, show the

person. Impress them. In a country where service is so poor, it is amazing how many people

you can get to do business with just because you do what you say.

The second one is make sure you donít show up on time. Be late. Be late in terms of appointments,

but also be late in terms of getting proposals in, tenders, showing up for the job, and getting

certain deadlines met. Iíve seen that time and time again, people say Murray, the person

said to me, you can have the new car weíre buying and weíll deliver it on Monday. And

two weeks Mondays later they get this car or whatever it is that happens. And then people

are running around and getting very, very cheesed off with you.

So the important thingÖthe positive is to make sure that you do show up on time. Show

up on time for meetings. Show up on time for delivery. In fact, if you can, do it before.

In your diary, plan to be early with what youíre going to do. If youíre going to submit

a tender or youíre going to put something in, put it in the day before. Impress people.

The third thing is make sure that you donít finish what you start. Make sure that when

youíre getting to the end of a job, you donít finish it at all. I spoke to an architect

once, and he said thereís always the 99 percent job. In other words you can build a huge,

big skyscraper and there will be an empty hole next to the front door of this building,

and everyone will look at the hole and say ìlook at the hole here.î They wonít look

at this beautiful building. People donít finish what they start.

So, if youíre going to start something, make sure that you get into it. The client is always

impressed when itís done. I remember I had my BSTV redone, and I came home, and the cables

were sticking out from the cabinet. The old dish was lying in my flowerbed, and these

guys are going home. They didnít finish what they started. I was very unimpressed, and

I had quite a confrontational phone call because I donít like that kind of service.

The fourth one is make sure that you act first and then think. If someone said, which is

quite funny, ready, fire, aim, we know that after youíve fired something, itís very

hard to aim afterwards. Itís ready, aim, fire. So what weíre asking for is to think

first and then act. My friend Wayne tells me that when you do

carpentry, what do you do? You measure twice and cut once. Something Iíve learned from

him that when youíre a carpenter, thatís very important.

So, when youíre going to work with somebody or for somebody, think first about what can

happen and what the consequences will be. Then after that, act. Youíll impress people

because theyíll think that youíre wise, that youíve thought stuff through, and during

that time, youíve probably figured out some of the things that needed to get fixed.

The last one is make sure that youíre grumpy. Iím not talking from ìSnow White,î but

make sure that youíre grumpy. Gratitude is for sissies, these people say. When you donít

say ìpleaseî and ìthank you;î when you donít show appreciation and gratitude, people

tend to remember. In fact, when I speak to people, they say to me, Murray, I donít remember

the last words the person said to me, but I can certainly remember the attitude he had

when he last saw me. People remember attitude more than they remember

your words. So, donít be a grumpy individual. Make sure that you are able to communicate

in a way that shows that you are grateful and that you are thankful. Remember, people

say ìI donít want to be tolerated. I want to be celebrated.î Be one of those people

whom we celebrate. So, five ways to lose new business:

* Donít do what you say. * Donít show up on time.

* Donít finish what you start. * Act first, then think.

* Be grumpy: gratitude is for sissies. We know that the real answer is to do the

exact opposite.