Urgency

If you’re serious about success and if time is valuable to you, you only want to deal with Joint Venture Partners who are seriously motivated and make your interaction, project, Joint Venture a priority. On a scale of one to ten, a one means “I don’t care either way; I will give up at the first sign of resistance” and a ten means, “whatever it takes, walking barefoot over broken glass, naked, with my hair on fire”. You want nothing less than a ten. You want their full focus, attention, allegiance, and enthusiasm. However, you do not want to spend valuable time on them, only to find that their real level of commitment is only five!

How do you know whether or not someone is committed to the task and the outcome? How do you discover their level of dedication? Here’s how I learn what their level of devotion is. I believe actions speak louder than words, so instead of believing what they say, I simply watch what they do. Like a pilot in an airplane, I watch my control panel, and here is what I look for:
The speed at which they return phone calls, messages, and e-mails.
Whether or not they show up on time or cancel appointments. Winners seldom cancel and are always on time.
Whether they make excuses or take responsibility.
Their use of and respect for time and resources.
The people they hang around with.
Their personal presentation. Do they look and dress like winners?
How big they think. I want people to think bigger than I do, and deliver what they promise.
Do they deliver what they promise on time? If they’re always late, I start downgrading them.
How fast they pay others and me. This one tells you a lot. If they’re hurting for money, BEWARE.
Do they make time and make way for your project and relationship or do they have too many other things going on and other priorities?
Do they focus on the fast buck and immediate gratification or do they see the big picture? Are they on board for the long term?
Do they initiate, innovate, and improve on your ideas, or do they simply go along with you? How enthusiastic are they? Do they take ownership of their responsibilities?
Do they make themselves available or do they complain about too much work and pressure? Are they easily accessible or do they hide away?

Finally, I look for Joint Venture Partners who share my sense of URGENCY. I look for generous, committed, and smart people who are honest and professional. I need to know that they will do whatever it takes to achieve our common goals. You want people who are reliable and solid. The Members of the Joint Venture Forum abide by our Code of Ethics and believe in delivering real value. Be selective – be VERY selective – and you will soar to greater heights of success than ever before.