The Only Thing Worse Than Getting It Wrong

I hate my smartphone.

It lets me make and receive phone calls… sometimes. It tells me when I receive a voice mail… sometimes. It receives and sends texts… sometimes even on the same day that I or the other person intends. It helps me keep my calendar… sometimes, but never works when I need to look something up. And the same goes for my email, contacts, maps, camera, and the other apps I use.

It is old and no longer does everything all the time. I simply cannot depend upon it.

The only thing worse than getting it wrong is getting it right inconsistently. That’s undependable.

Now apply this same line of thinking to your business.

• Is your business prompt and responsive?
• Is your business available and dependable?
• Does your business deliver on time and within expectations?

Does your business consistently get it right? More important, do your clients and employees say the same?

Yet poor responsiveness and weak delivery are only the symptoms, not the real problem. Therefore new processes and procedures are not the sole solution.

How can I be so confident of that?

Because in my 30 years as an executive I’ve never seen a process so good that unmotivated people couldn’t mess it up. And I’ve never seen a process so bad that motivated people couldn’t make it work. I bet you could say the same.

The real problem is inconsistency is accepted as a norm by the company, the leadership, and the employees. Inconsistency has become an unspoken value. It is ingrained within the culture. And acceptance of inconsistency starts at the top.

If your company’s growth has plateaued or you are struggling to meet your performance goals due to inconsistency, perhaps it is time to take a fresh look at your vision, mission, values and the resulting culture. Not for new posters on the wall – but as a foundation for what gets done and how.

I can help. Email me at keith@ClosingStrong.com.

Do it before your customers figure it out.

My new smartphone gets delivered today. Can’t wait.

Regards,

Keith

“The signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change. The signature of mediocrity is inconsistency.”

– Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great”