Measure

Where performance is measured, performance improves.

Whatever gets measures, must be managed.

The simplistic and obvious reason that a score is kept is so everyone will know who is winning and progressing. The "score" in your field may be measured in many ways, but to make any meaningful positive change the "score" must be measured
and managed. You may decide to keep "score" by using dollars or number of new clients, number of proposals presented, reduction in complaints or whatever is meaningful and is something you can control. Once you decide how you are going to keep "score", make sure to include everyone you can, as they are directly or indirectly involved. The more people in the organization that have access to the scoreboard the more that those people will feel a part of the process and progress. Therefore, since you need to measure your progress, it will be beneficial to you and your fellow employees if you display the progress so everyone can watch the performance. One of the best means to engaging others is to post the results so everyone can see them. The next time you go into a fast-food restaurant look closely at the walls in the back. You will often see a chart used for tracking some meaningful "score" that is designed to improve some aspect of the operation. You must make certain that you are updating the information on a consistent and verifiable manner, because dated data is damaging. Keep score, it works!

Make the Extra Effort

On May 6, 1954 Roger Bannister ran a mile in under four minutes. The previous fastest time was four minutes and three seconds. Barrister became the first person to ever run a mile in under four minutes, a feat that has previously eluded the best runners in the world. The difference in time was just over three seconds but the difference in accomplishment will forever be remembered as one of super human achievement. The following year, several people ran a mile in under four minutes. What was the difference? The obvious difference was that Roger Bannister made the extra effort required to run the mile in a faster time that had ever been recorded. He made a decision in spite of the fact that it had NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

The small extra effort that you make, may make a huge difference in your accomplishments and go a long way in building a closer relationships. Many times we have the opportunity to do something "extra"... do it. Something small and extra that you do, may, in the eyes of the people impacted, separate you from others. The "something extra" may demonstrate just how fully-committed you are to the high quality of service necessary that is hard to find and so deeply desired. Automotive dealers have learned this lesson. Their research shows that quality service is their "extra" that will encourage people to buy from them again and recommend their dealership to their friends. The best automotive dealers devote a considerable amount of time and money into providing the "extra" to the experience.

The extra you do does not need to be elaborate or expensive. It can be something as simple as a thank-you card, a lunch invitation, a phone call or even a email that says thanks. What can you do today that is "extra" that will make a difference?

The Pelicans Have Returned

Pelicans migrate. The migration occurs every year just a sure as the earth  revolves around the sun. Many American White Pelican spend their summer as far north as Alberta, Canada and spend their winter as far south as Texas. These magnificent birds populate many of the inland bodies of water in the region where I used to live, so I got to see them for a while every year. They are truly magnificent birds with wing spans reaching as wide as ten feet. They hunt in packs and consume an average of four pounds of food daily. Watching them hunt as a team is a very impressive and awe inspiring event. While passing one of the lakes where a considerable number of American White Pelicans spend their winter, it suddenly occurred to me that the "Pelicans had returned" another year had passed and I was reminded just how quickly time moves. Because it seemed to me as if the penguins had just left for their northern nesting grounds.

Many of us spend too much of our time "doing" and not enough time "living". We all have just as much time and the next person. Time does not discriminate, everyone is allowed, on a daily basis, the same twenty-four hours to make qualitative decisions as to how the time given, will be invested in their life. When you are making decisions as how to invest your time, take a little time to weight the options and consider if the time you are going to invest is really worth your valuable and limited time. Ask yourself if it will make a difference and if you should you spend more or less time dedicated to the matter. When you are faced with a task or situation that is very difficult and it appears that you may never reach a favorable conclusion, stop and take some time and realize that as life moves on, this too shall pass. Time is a valuable gift and we should treat it as such, just like the pelicans do. 

The Sale Ain't Made 'til the Money is Paid

The sale is not made until the money is paid. This concept is difficult for some sales people to understand as they often believe that sales is a matter of generating orders. Sales people go out and contact clients and prospects with the goal of getting orders for their goods or services and that is commendable, but it is only half of the equation. The real-deal is getting the money and the best way I have found to get money, is to expect it. You should have a clear understanding on when the money can be expected, so be very clear in your explanation to clients on when the bills go out (hand deliver if possible) and when payment is due. You need to clearly understand the critically important role you play on an ongoing basis to make sure the money is received in-full and on time. Your obligation to your clients should be to do whatever you need to do to make it as easy as possible for them to pay their bill. Should there be an issue with the billing cycle or the accuracy of the statement, or any other problem, your priority must be to resolve the issues as quickly as possible so the check is cut! Your compensation is a piece of every check received by your company from the entire universe of clients and if you like your paycheck, you will love client's that pay what they owe, when it is due. Communications is vital to your success in making sure your clients pay, so communicate with everyone in the loop as often as necessary to help make the billing cycle as seamless and smooth as possible. Your engagement is not simply desired, it is required.

Polite

Be polite. Be polite to everyone. Be polite all of the time.

Being polite sounds easy and it should be, but there are times when it will prove to be difficult. The stress of getting both your immediate and long-term task accomplished can be so overwhelming that, in your desire to get from one step to the next, you may treat someone rudely. There really is no justifiable reason to treat anyone rudely, even when they treat you rudely. The treatment that you consider to be rude may simply be a conscious and deliberate way of doing business that has always worked for whomever you are dealing with. Always, take the high road and make every relationship-opportunity count by treating everyone with respect and consideration. Other than the obvious reasons for doing so, the reality is that you never know who you may be dealing with in the grand scenario. The person that you treated rudely, may be significant in the professional relationship now or in the future. You want to be known as the person that is always considerate and respectful. People are more likely to greet you with welcoming arms when they know you to be respectful and considerate. People are more likely to be positively-receptive to your offerings when they know that you respect their time and their decisions. Be polite, it is the right thing to do and you will never regret it, but you may regret being rude forever.

Connect Me if I am Wrong

Connect me if I am wrong.

The more commonly used version of this phrase is; "Correct me if I am wrong." But I submit that we don't just need correcting as much as we need connecting. Connecting to the basis of the correction. When we are wrong we need to understand how to make "it" right but we really need to know the foundation for the correction. We need to know why we are wrong and then know how to learn from our mistakes by focusing on facts and not opinion. Therefore it is incumbent on those that are doing the correcting to help those that made the wrong decision, with connecting to the sources that will aid in learning, what needs to be known, so the mistake is not repeated.

Experience is a great teacher and is often used in correcting but experience is invaluable regarding the connecting. I have made many mistakes in my career and I learned from most of them. Primarily the education was acquired during a "correction-meeting". However when I was being correction, what was most often missing, was the information regarding the sources of facts specific to the resolution. What I really needed to know was, how do I connect to the sources, that will give me a factual education, on how to get better so I don't make the same mistake again.

You are going to make wrong choices in your business life and you are going to get corrected. The sooner the correction occurs, the better. When that happens, make sure to get connected to the sources, that will provide you an education that is based in fact. The best way to accomplish that is to ask. Correction and Connection.

The Four Most Powerful Words

Business and organization activities and efforts are filled with words, some words are filled with power
and clarity and others are ripe with weakness and confusion. Words are used every day that give direction, correction, encouragement, and on and on. Some people use a few words to make a point and others use far to many. There are four words that just so happen to be as powerful if not more powerful that any other words when they are combined.

"I have an idea"!

Every day we are tasked with getting the job done satisfactorily and hopefully on time. The demands of our responsibilities often consume the majority of our energy leaving little time for "creative and new" thinking. Companies that encourage ideas from everyone on the team will discover that many of the best idea come not from the top, but from team-members further down the organizational chart. Management does need to decide which ideas are going to get resources and which are not, but no one has an exclusive corner on new creative ideas. There are countless stories of businesses that experienced dramatic improvements as a result of implementing ideas that originated from those dedicated individuals working closest to the process. There are some ideas that will prove to be better than others based on the need to change and the resources required to implement the idea, but there are not many really bad ideas. Some ideas are simply better than others. Take a bold step and submit new and creative ideas to those in your organization that are responsible for improving the outcomes. You will hopefully find someone willing to consider your ideas and give you feedback on the merits of the creative-thinking. However, if the idea does not get the reception you expected, don't be discouraged. Keep thinking of ideas and submitting ideas and be assured that sooner or later someone will notice. Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.