"The 2-Second
Commute: Join the Exploding
Ranks of Freelance Virtual Assistants"
Coming
in Spring 2005 from Career Press, Inc. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Needs & Readiness
Self-Assessment Form
The Internet is rapidly
changing the way the world
is doing business, and today’s business professional must take the
steps
necessary to capitalize on the new opportunities before them. In this
new
economy, the "do-it-yourself" business model has become a relic, and
top
performers are outsourcing everything that does not require their
direct
involvement.
The brief self-assessment
that follows can
help you evaluate your need for a Virtual Assistant and your readiness
to partner with one. Simply answer all of the questions below to the
best
of your ability, and click the "Generate My Self-Assessment Report"
button
to tally your answers. Then scroll down to see your report!
1
How often do
you extend your work
hours in an effort to catch up?
Never
Once
every few months
Once
a month
Once
a week
More
than once a week
Nearly
every day
2
What
percentage of your day would
you estimate you now spend on activities that are "secretarial,"
administrative,
or operational in nature? (Activities that do not require your
professional
expertise.)
Greater
than 50%
Between
35 and 50%
Between
25 and 35%
Between
10 and 25%
Less
than 10%
Not
at all
3
How
comfortable are you with business
changes resulting from the Internet?
I'm
still using a typewriter and loving it!
I
am still considering whether the Internet has a place in my
business
I
am ready to make a move to the Internet but am not sure where to begin
I
plan to have someone else handle all things related to the Internet
I've
begun to incorporate the Internet into my business strategies
I've
embraced the Internet completely!
4
Do you have
trouble concentrating
on tasks at hand because you're thinking of all the other things you
have
to do?
Extremely
so
Very
much
Quite
a bit
Some
A
little
Not
at all
5
Do you find
it difficult to organize
your activities to focus on those that generate revenue and develop new
business?
Yes,
it seems hopeless most days
Yes,
I have tried to plan, but somehow I get off track
Yes,
my best-laid plans fall victim to interruptions
Yes,
some, but I manage to get everything done with extra hours
Yes,
a little, but by the end of my set hours I have accomplished everything
necessary
Not
at all
6
With regard
to business goals,
I:
Don't
think they're important
Change
mine from day to day
Have
nothing in writing but know what I would like to accomplish
Write
my goals every January 1 and forget them shortly afterward
Have
written goals, but they may be a bit unrealistic
Have
written goals that are specific, measurable and realistic
7
When it
comes to Internet- and
computer-based business tools, I:
Swear
by
paper-based systems and have no plan to change my ways
Love
them for basic word processing but have ventured no further
Understand
they are a must in today's business arena and am making an effort to
learn
more
Know
how to use basic software programs and how to navigate the Internet
fairly
well
Rely
mainly on the expertise of others
Am
confident and willing to venture into the "unknown"
8
How often do
you forget to return
a call promptly, neglect an email, miss a deadline, or otherwise lose a
business opportunity from having to juggle too many things at once?
Extremely
often
Very
often
Quite
a bit
Sometimes;
enough to bother me
Once
in a great while
Not
at all
9
Do you feel
you can conquer the
fear of losing control over your destiny by partnering with others?
No,
never
Not
easily, since I know I can do every aspect of my job better than anyone
else
Yes,
but with an "incompetent until proven competent" approach toward my
partner
Yes,
but I have to be able to look over my partner's shoulder
Yes,
once I am sure they can do the job right
Absolutely!
I take a "competent until proven incompetent" approach
10
Do you
delegate tasks to a degree
that does not require you to micro-manage?
No,
I do not delegate!
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Usually
Always
11
Are you
generally equally able
to "lead" as well as to "follow"?
No,
never
Once
in a while
Sometimes
More
than half the time
Yes,
most of the time
Yes,
always
12
Do you feel
you are able to find
enough time for physical fitness, recreation, and just plain fun?
Yes,
all the time
Yes,
most of the time
More
than half the time
Sometimes
Once
in a while
No,
never
13
Which of the
following most closely
reflects how you typically send and receive information?
Phone
and Mail only
Phone,
Fax and Mail
Phone,
Fax, Mail, Email
Phone,
Fax, Mail, Email, Instant Messenger
Phone,
Fax, Mail, Email, Instant Messenger, Email Lists, Internet Message
Boards
All
of those, and some you didn't mention!
14
Are you an
effective communicator,
stating your wishes clearly and checking for the need for further
clarification?
Yes,
always
Yes,
most of the time
More
than half the time
Sometimes
Once
in a while
No,
never
15
On a scale
of 0 to 10 (0 being
a "Lone Wolf" and preferring it that way, and 10 being "extremely open
to mutually beneficial partnerships"), are you the kind of person who
will
value your virtual team members for the professionals they are and the
contributions they make to the success of your business?
16
On a scale
of 0 to 10 (0 being
"very relaxed" and 10 being "extremely stressed"), how relaxed or
stressed
have you been because of your work in the past month?
17
On a scale
of 0 to 10 (0 having
"strong distrust" and 10 being "extremely trusting"), how easy do you
find
it to trust other people?
18
On a scale
of 0 to 10 (0 being
"none" and 10 being "plenty"), how much time have you spent with family
and friends during the past month?
Make sure you have answered all
the questions,
then click on the button to tally your responses. Your personal report will
appear below!
Your
Report
This
report yields a "snapshot"
of your need and ability to partner with virtual professionals who can
support you and help you achieve your business goals. Compare your
scores
to the "highest possible" scores in each area.
Needs and
Readiness Indicator Scores
Assessment Area
Your Score
Highest Possible
Score
Partnering Quotient
45
Time Management Quotient
25
Activity Value Quotient
25
Techno Quotient
15
Total
Score
110
-
What Your Scores
Mean
Partnering
Quotient
Your
Partnering Quotient score
relates to your perceived competencies, which are at the center of
successful
business partnerships – Trust, Mutual Respect, Mutual Support,
Communications,
Common Purpose, Reliability and Taking Ownership for Your Actions.
35-45
A score in this
range suggests you
have a clear sense of where you want to go and you’re thrilled to have
the assistance of competent people who can help you get there. You
respect
and value the differences of personal style and your ego does not get
in
the way of your ability to learn from others.
[Your focus and clear
communication abilities
make you an ideal candidate for partnering with a Virtual Assistant!
The
virtual nature of the relationship is unlikely to deter you, and,
indeed,
may likely serve as a catalyst for other innovative solutions to your
needs.]
25-35
A score in this
range suggests you
enjoy working with others and have good core skills to work with a
team.
Your goals may be a bit sketchy and you are likely to change them
frequently,
since you store them in your mind rather than writing them out.
You may have reservations
about relinquishing
duties to someone else and concerns that they won’t do them as well as
you, but you have solid communication skills and should be able to
overcome
these fears with ease. People scoring in this range generally do well
by
easing into partnerships, delegating “less important” activities first
and building a rapport and their desired level of trust.
[A Virtual Assistant can
work on an “as-needed”
basis, permitting you to "dip a toe in the pool" rather than immersing
yourself all at once. In this way, you set the slower pace you prefer.]
15-25
A score in this
range suggests you
may have grown accustomed to working alone and managing everything
yourself.
You may experience “growing pains” when you begin to embrace the
outsourcing
solution, but you also know that the cost of lost opportunities is
great,
and that, in a competitive market, a solo act can only go so far.
Consider starting slowly in
a relationship with
a Virtual Assistant, beginning with small tasks and working your way up
to larger ones. Be sure to articulate carefully the work to be done,
and
resist the probable urge to micro-manage your VA. This combination of
“baby
steps & cold turkey” will be your quickest course to spending more
time doing what you are brilliant at and to the realization that others
can be brilliant too! :-)
[A competent Virtual
Assistant will guide you
through the process of finding your "comfort zone" in the new
partnership.
They will take the time to assure you they understand your needs, and
will
check in regularly when the relationship is new to let you know
everything
is under control and on course.]
Less than 15
A score in this
range suggests you
are wary of counting on anyone other than yourself to handle your
business
activities. In many cases, this style of thinking is based on previous
experiences, where relying on someone else resulted in disappointment.
While you may see the
benefits of working with
others to achieve your goals, you may perceive yourself as someone who
does not have well-defined goals, solid communication skills, or high
levels
of trust in others.
We would recommend that
you work on honing
these skills and amending these perceptions before you decide to enter
into a partnership with a Virtual Assistant or other support
professional.
This is your greatest opportunity for growth, and you want to be ready
for it!
-
Time
Management Quotient
Your Time
Management Quotient
score relates to the demands on your time, and how much control you
feel
you have over how your time is spent.
20-25
A score in this
range suggests you’re
the kind of person who takes charge of time and uses it to meet
business
and personal goals. As a consequence, you are probably effective in
resisting
the temptation to overbook your days, and at allocating time to handle
the unexpected.
[A Virtual Assistant,
accustomed to the rapid
"hand-off" from the client, can quickly complement and help you
leverage
your innate time-management skills, yielding up even more of those
precious
"blocks of freedom" you already put to such good use. For those such as
you, time gained in outsourcing means even more success.]
12-20
People scoring
in this range often
find it difficult to resist unexpected events and interruptions. As a
result,
you may be suffering from the imbalance that comes with always having
to
“catch up” on both business and personal matters.
[Knowing your inclination
to accept interruptions,
a Virtual Assistant can keep distractions and "false alarms" at bay.
Productivity
and success can then flow more openly from the focus and concentration
you already possess.]
Less than 15
A score in this
range suggests you
are walking a “time tightrope,” where the demands of work interfere
with
your personal and family time. You are likely to be overstressed in
your
business and home environments, and to feel that time controls you.
[A good Virtual Assistant
could restore a healthy
feeling of control and autonomy to your daily life. Virtual Assistants
function as on-call antidotes to the almost toxic stress levels that
can
sometimes beset the time-anxious client.]
-
Activity
Value Quotient
Your
Activity Value Quotient reflects
how you perceive the value of your business activities, and whether
they
support your business goals. In other words, do you spend your time
working
toward the goals that are most important to you, or are your days
consumed
with routine tasks that get in the way of the big picture?
20-25
A score in this
range suggests you
are extremely skilled at orchestrating your day, keeping the focus on
activities
that either directly generate revenue or develop the business for
future
growth.
[A Virtual Assistant, in
this instance -- where
the client already possesses natural organizational skills -- can be
high-octane
fuel for the fire you’ve already started, stoking your strong flame to
a bonfire! You will have the daily Vision required to self-direct,
leaving
the Virtual Assistant to focus less on "client-shepherding" functions
and
more on executing the delegated tasks.]
15-20
A score in this
range suggests you
are moderately good at focusing on the activities that drive the bottom
line. You are likely perfectly capable of resisting activities that
don't
fit in with your goals, but nonetheless you sometimes succumb to the
chaos
and find yourself in the "do-it-yourself" rut.
[A Virtual Assistant
could eliminate those
few remaining barriers that prevent you from reaching "warp speed."
Activity-wise,
you are like a high-speed craft whose wings still harbor one or two
features
that hinder perfect aerodynamics. By helping you eliminate decelerating
interruptions, the Virtual Assistant will "reconfigure" your
operational
wings for maximum effectiveness and minimum "drag."]
Less than 15
A score in this
range suggests you
may frequently lose momentum through activities that do not improve
your
revenues or grow your business. In common with many business
professionals,
you feel that your work has become more reactive than proactive, and
despite
your increased hours the revenues never seem to climb.
[It is critical for
business professionals
who share your profile to regain this lost momentum and sense of steady
accomplishment. Good Virtual Assistants are adept at this function, and
having a virtual team member will help you avoid the professional
risk of a habitual "belief" in your ineffectiveness.]
-
Techno
Quotient
Your Techno
Quotient is a snapshot
of your current situation with respect to the Internet and other
technology.
15
You’re riding
the crest of the wave
into the Internet economy! By maintaining your high level of knowledge
and your willingness to try new things, you’re well-positioned for
success.
(Just make sure you don’t become a “techie” instead of a stellar
professional
in your field!)
[A Virtual Assistant
could help you continue
to keep up the systems you have put in place, and monitor them so your
focus can remain on your profession.]
10
A score of ten
suggests you’ve recognized
the Internet as a valuable weapon in your growth arsenal, and you’re
prepared
to take steps to use it in your business. It is also likely that you
feel
your current level of expertise is not sufficient to give you the speed
you'd prefer in ramping up your Internet strategy, and so you sometimes
fall back into using “old systems” when things pile up.
[A Virtual Assistant can
help smooth and accelerate
the implementation of your Internet strategy, and monitor it’s
effectiveness
once it’s in place.]
Less than 10
People scoring
in this range often
report that their computer serves as nothing more than a "glorified
typewriter."
According to an AT Kearney
survey, the prognosis
is blunt: Web technology is reducing the cost of doing business in most
sectors, and those who fail to implement it will not have the margins
to
compete, and will eventually fail.
Be brave! Get online as soon
as you can, and start
exploring the new world that holds the keys to your future success.
[A Virtual Assistant
could hasten the development
of your initial Internet presence, streamline your paper-based systems
with computer-based solutions, and help familiarize you with the new
“tools
of the trade” at a pace that’s comfortable for you.]
