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Shorr Success

Polished People = A Trusted Brand

Leadership

The Five Ways I Use Emotional Intelligence to Keep My MSP Strong Through the Pandemic

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As I sit at my kitchen table—I needed a change of scenery from my desk—I have three employees out sick with COVID and two are awaiting test results (and thus quarantining). Two-thirds of our employees have been infected, and my MSP’s experience over the past two years is becoming the global norm. I am praying the small group that have not been infected stay healthy and strong.

We all thought we would be done with “this” by now. The media aligned the projected longevity of COVID with the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918. Well, that ran its ugly course in 18 months.  Here we are two years later, and we have yet another surge in cases. I feel like I am in a horror movie replaying repeatedly in my mind. I know the villain is lurking, and I am anxiously waiting for them to strike. My heart skips a beat every time a new positive test result is revealed. I am exhausted. Are you too?

Our industry is an essential business. Without IT providers, how would other businesses survive? Understanding how critical my MSP is while also being quite cognizant of the #GreatResignation, I have approached my role as a leader by clinging to the power of emotional intelligence. Each breath I take in front of my team and clients, each word I utter, each action I make, must be made with cautious intentionality. It is my responsibility to maintain the morale of my team and instill confidence in my clients that we’ve got their back.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, often referred to as EQ (emotional quotient) is our ability to identify and manage the emotions of ourselves and others. Psychologist, author, and EQ pioneer Daniel Goleman breaks down EQ into four main domains:  self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. [Read more…] about The Five Ways I Use Emotional Intelligence to Keep My MSP Strong Through the Pandemic

This One Thing Can Ruin Your Credibility in Q2!

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And 3 Ways to Fix It!

Eric in a typical Covid Look!
My husband, Eric Shorr, wearing a Covid “Virtual” look of Business on top & PJs on the bottom! Are you guilty of this too?

Well, here we are, April 2021, and the start of Quarter 2.  I hope Q1 was productive and a positive sign of a profitable Q2.

Major media outlets are posting a variety of articles outlining which Covid restrictions are being lifted and when.  One key development in this process is the allowance of businesses to enable a larger capacity of their employees to come back to the office.

The reality is that many offices will either remain totally remote or incorporate some sort of “hybrid” work environment where the term “office optional” will be added to their Employee Handbook.

The exciting idea behind all of this is that we can start connecting in-person once again!  We might even start to spend a bit less time smiling at your colleague’s face through a computer monitor and a bit more time staring into someone’s actual eyes! Seems like such a novel idea!

The One Thing That Can Ruin Your Credibility in Q2!

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Key Soft Skill for 2021: Empathy

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Connecting emotionally with how others are feeling will not only build strong bonds among your team member but will strengthen client relationships too.

Welcome to mid-February 2021!

In the span of just over 40 days, we have seen a new administration take office, a vaccine rollout, civil unrest, and GameStop being a hot “stonk.”

For MSPs, COVID-19 and the resulting work-from-home needs, plus the continuing rise of cyberattacks, have created more work than ever before. Important to note, this also comes with higher demand from our clients for quicker resolution time. How will we ever get through the rest of the year?

Allow me to answer that question in one word: empathy. Practice empathy and your business could absolutely soar!

[Read more…] about Key Soft Skill for 2021: Empathy

How We Landed An $8,000 MRR Deal During a Pandemic… And How You Can Too!

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A rapidly growing construction company was fed up! Their current IT provider took several days to respond to phone calls and forever to set up computers for new employees. Their biggest frustration was constantly wasting time by repeating themselves thanks to the constant turnover of their IT vendor’s employees. Why didn’t anyone stay at their IT company? The construction company had reached its threshold and made the difficult decision to find a new IT provider during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s when we met them.

What Specific Characteristics Was the Construction Company Looking For?

You might be surprised, but they were not interested in the various technology services we offer. Sure, they wanted an experienced company that knew tech, but what they really wanted was a company that would think and act like their CIO. The construction company wanted our president, Eric, to help guide them in making major business decisions, such as moving to a new office and what was the best option to replace their outdated infrastructure. They also yearned for engineers they could build relationships with and who took the time to really understand their business. They told us they just didn’t TRUST their existing provider to guide them in the right direction.

[Read more…] about How We Landed An $8,000 MRR Deal During a Pandemic… And How You Can Too!

5 Ideas to Network Virtually During a Pandemic

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How are you Virtual Networking ?I truly hope this latest message finds you and your family well.  I don’t know about you, but I feel like I am still in a surreal state of mind.  My family and I are taking many precautions to stay vigilant and safe.  We instill these same protocols for my IT business too.

While the virus is looming, I am doing all I can to ensure both of my businesses are booming!  I asked myself, how will I still be able to connect with my clients and prospects now that we are all homebound?

My favorite and most effective form of networking was in-person, public speaking at in-person events.  I love connecting with my target audience and delivering content on enhancing personal and corporate brands, that can be implemented right away. Thanks to Covid, I had to pivot and find my “new networking normal.”  The answer:  hit the virtual airwaves! [Read more…] about 5 Ideas to Network Virtually During a Pandemic

Delegate, Don’t Abdicate

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Follow these 10 steps to better manage your service delivery and ensure business continuity and corporate growth

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ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, one of our senior engineers decided to leave our company for “greener pastures.” This engineer had been with us for over five years and handled the maintenance of a few key accounts. During the last week of our employee’s tenure with us, we sat down with that person to review the status of accounts, documentation, and any other details we needed to know. A few notes were shared, and passwords confirmed in our database. We thought we had what we needed. However, when we went on-site to transition the accounts under that engineer’s purview, we were blindsided by what we uncovered: incomplete projects, server rooms in substandard condition, and minimal documentation (the information apparently left with the employee instead of transferred to our database).

Does this story ring a bell for you? In the past couple of months, I’ve heard at least a handful of stories from business owners in a lurch because “trusted” employees not only left the organization but left the owner with a mess to clean up, just like we experienced several years ago.

[Read more…] about Delegate, Don’t Abdicate