I wonder if you can help me?
I am looking for a business where excellence is expected.
And delivered.
By every single person in the business.
At every single second that the business is delivering experience.
And at every single business touchpoint.
You see, I am asking because.
I can’t find any business like this.
Anywhere.
Is it you?
You might think it’s you.
But it probably isn’t.
It probably isn’t because of how hard it is.
And because it requires always-on attention to this important subject of ‘Excellence Expected (and Delivered)’.
In a plan/do/review kind of way.
It requires you to actually do something brilliant and cyclical.
Excellence Expected.
The reason I am suggesting that it is unlikely to be your business that expects and delivers excellence.
Via every single person in the business.
Every single second that the business is delivering experience.
And at every single business touchpoint.
Is because every business I experience.
Doesn’t have a team where every single person wants to be excellent.
Every single second.
In everything single thing that they do.
They might say that they do.
And the leaders of the organisations might say that they do.
But they don’t.
Not really they don’t.
Action.
There is something you can do about it though.
There is action you can take.
To improve.
To get closer.
You can sit down with everyone.
Weekly.
(And I do mean everyone.
And I do mean weekly).
And ask this.
- Is excellence expected by every single person in this business?
- At every single second that our business is delivering experience?
- And at every single business touchpoint?
- And does every single person in this room actually deliver excellence?
- At every single second that the business is delivering experience?
- And at every single business touchpoint?
Then discuss it.
Look people in the eye.
Ask for examples.
And when you find the people that don’t deliver excellence.
And when you unearth the times that you don’t deliver excellence.
And when you unearth the ways that you don’t deliver excellence.
(And you will find all of these things).
You will see that I am right.
A Final Point.
You can’t go to numbers 3, 4 and 5 above.
Without addressing 1, 2 and 3 first.
Because 1, 2 and 3 address whether your business actually wants to deliver excellence.
And if you don’t get 1, 2 and 3 right first.
Then you will never get 4, 5 and 6 right.
Sad.
And that’s why I get sad about business in general, really.
Not because any particular business is not excellent.
I can, on some occasions and under certain circumstances, accept that.
I get sad because business doesn’t actually want to be excellent.
And that I can never, ever accept.
