One of the key skills in business is following up or closing the Loop in things.

What makes the difference between someone who knows things and someone who is effective is getting things done. The person who gets things done keeps pounding away at it until eventually it is solved. That requires someone who isn’t frustrated with delay and had the mental willingness to find creative ways to Finish.

Take for example the common problem that many people have, getting people to call us back. People say they will call back but they forget. Then you have to nicely talk to them and make what you are working on important to them. Often if you find a way in which the work you are doing helps them, they magically find time for you.

It does happen where you have to inconvenience someone who doesn’t benefit from it. This is where your skills at building teamwork come in. You can remind them it is for the benefit of the team, and that when the team is more efficient it will help them as well. They may not believe you, but you have done your part to sell the change.

Closing the loop shows people that when you say something you mean it. That when you are given a project you will see it through to completion. When you deliver consistently people trust you and they have every reason to trust you. Delivering is the way to gain and maintain others respect, and if you lose their respect you have lost everything.

I enjoy following up and seeing the results of my work. I check up on all the people I help. I want to know how the solution worked for them because that will affect my use of that solution in the future. Everyone you can learn something from, and so you can listen to your clients and grow as a person.

When you fail to finish something people respect you less. Make sure you finish everything you promise to do.

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