While my husband Bob and I were visiting his Mom earlier this week, she asked him to change a light bulb. She said, "That one silly bulb always seems to burn out faster than the others." He immediately responded, "Well, if it can't keep up with the others, fire it!" We chuckled, checked the package and right there in bold letters, the proclamation...this was "a longer life bulb"!
That little promise of above average performance got me thinking. Not about light bulbs and why they burn out before they should but about broken promises and how disappointed we get when something or someone falls short of our expectations.
The truth is that we are all held accountable by the people in our lives to consistently perform given tasks. It may be making a sale, picking up the kids from school, attending a board meeting or writing a monthly report. If we are perceived as inconsistent in delivering the goods, the results can be disastrous...maybe even ending the relationship.
We want people to know they can count on us to be a trusted friend, good neighbor and a top performing employee. We strive to be consistently attentive to our spouse, children and family members and we want our clients and customers to think of us as a valued vendor.
Ask yourself this question, on a scale of 1 to 10, how consistent am I in my relationships? Do I live up to other's expectations? Do I live up to my own expectations? Am I considered a "go to" person when the chips are down? If not, why not?
When it comes to budget and job cutting in Corporate America, it goes something like this...
The boss calls the manager and blurts, "Cut expenses and staff by 20% and do it by the end of the month." Once charged with the ugly task, precious little time is spent considering any staff member's personal needs or challenges before the cuts are made. Effective managers have an easier time making those difficult decisions because they know their staff. They have already identified those who have a proven track record of giving a 110% effort on a regular basis and those who continually lag behind. In today's squirrelly economy, it is imperative to be recognized as a consistent and valuable contributor to your company's success.
Ray Kroc, wanted his hamburgers to taste the same at every McDonald's across the country and now the world. The Big Mac tastes the same in Steamboat Springs as it does in Stockholm. Why was that so important? Because Mr. Kroc knew that McDonald's customers would value that and reward his company by returning again and again. McDonald's isn't the most successful franchise in the world because the Big Mac is the best burger...it's because we value how consistent and predictable the food is. In fact, we value it so much there's even a Big Mac Museum in North Huntingdon, PA!
What's the lesson here? We value things and people we can truly count on. We appreciate knowing that a person isn't going to disappoint us. We put a great deal of stock in that and so do the struggling companies of today.
If you know my husband and coaching partner Bob, the one word that comes to mind is consistent. He is always on time, very dependable, hilariously funny, supportive, helpful and is never in a bad mood. As a habitually tardy and moody cranky pants, it's almost annoying! He is exactly the same guy every day, morning to evening, day in and day out. He is my "go to" guy and he'll never hear "you're fired!" from me. Instead I pray to can model his behavior, be recognized as a value in other's lives and do all I can to be a better spouse, step-mom, friend, and coach.
We can all take it to the bank that being known as a consistent and valuable contributor will pay big dividends in every relationship and in every corner of our world!
Jean-Ann Cooper
Business & Personal Coach
http://www.cooperworldwidecoaching.com
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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1 comment:
You did such an amazing job putting this into words. I know I personally value the friendships in my life most of people I can always count on to do what they say they're going to do. I always try to live by this because it means so much to me in others. By the way, I know few people who are as dependable as my friend Jean Ann. So whatever you're doing, you're doing it right as far as I'm concerned!!!
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