The 80/20 rule applies all over life. 20% of your carpet gets worn out, 80% is still perfectly fine. 20% of drivers cause 80% of accidents. 20% of your clothes are worn 80% of the time, while in your car’s engine, 80% of the energy is wasted in combustion, while 20% of it gets to the wheels. The 80/20 principle can be seen everywhere.
It applies to your business too. Consider:
- 20% of your customers cause 80% of your headaches
- 20% of your product line represents 80% of your sales
- 20% of your customers account for 80% of your sales
And finally, the most important one:
20% of your people take up 80% of your time and give you 80% of your brain damage!
So why are you focusing on them?
Here’s what I suggest instead:
- Identify the top 20% of your producers; those with the most potential, attitude, and ambition
- Spend 80% of your time coaching and developing these folks
- Spend 80% of your development budget on this 20%
- Stop obsessing about the bottom 20% who give you all your anxiety and headaches
Focus on your winners, not your whiners. This will change your life. Not kidding.
Getting ahead is about getting started!
