Advice On Being A Great Business Man, Michael Giuffrida

Michael Giuffrida is someone whose wisdom is timeless in providing expert advice on how the business world functions and he has some wonderful insights on how to become a success in the business game. I spent a lovely Thanksgiving with Michael at his mother’s house this year in Hartford and then we went back to his residence in Southington where he was in a sharing mood about how to be a great businessman.

Be a Problem Solver, not a Problem Creator

Delegation is one thing and relegating others to a role of slave-like servants is another; they too have assigned responsibilities and will very likely lose focus having to take on your highly specific responsibilities and tasks, you must delegate more. There is a hierarchy for a reason, and within that hierarchy, there are responsibilities that cannot be delegated because each person within the company has their own key role to play, if you were to burden others with your responsibility, they may become confused when the hierarchy is broken or damaged. People who burden others tend to become micro-managers, which is never good for business. The key to this is knowing when to delegate and when not to.

“You are the leader because you make things easier for those under you; you are a tyrant if you make things more difficult.”

Networking

Networking builds strong and solid relationships, helping you grow your business, giving you the support and client base you need. You must learn the map of your industry and how to access the territories you wish to navigate. Learn your means of navigation, be the captain of the boat in your own sector.

“The most important point on your networking map is you because you are visible in relation to how important you are to others, and how much they need to learn where you are.”

Curiosity

Your greatest weapon will always be a healthy and avid curiosity. A curious vision of things will lead you into checking your competitors out, thus making sure that you are aware of what competition is out there. This curiosity will grant you new skills and help you to understand the best way of streamlining your business. Imagination limitless, and if you can apply what you are able to imagine then anything is possible.

“Imagination is your most powerful tool because what you imagine arises from a desire for success and every image contains the kernel for that structure.”

Understanding Your Customers

Your customers are, above all else, the most important people in your business and you must always ensure that you are on top of their needs. If you fail to react to customer trends then you will fall behind as a company and you will have neglected those most important to you making money. Always prioritize your customers and try to make decisions as though you were in their shoes.