Your priorities are what you do PRIOR to everything else. We spend a lot of time evaluating our priorities this time of year, making promises to lose 20 pounds and call our parents more often. Most people would say that their priority is family, or their spiritual life, or their job or health. You probably know someone who claims “family” is their number one priority, yet they spend 60 hours at work or six hours each night in front of the television or computer.
What is the priority at your company? Let me guess: customer service. You could make a nice slogan out of that, maybe even put it on a sign at the cash register.
Now, let’s put it to the test. Priorities are easily measured. All you need is a clock and a pen.
How long does your customer wander through the store before she’s greeted?
How long does she have to wait for an answer to a problem?
How much time is spent figuring out ways to make her happier?
How much time is spent complaining about her behind closed doors?
Ouch! That one hurts!
Does what you say match up with what you do?
In 2008, I was personally guilty of saying one thing and doing quite another. This year I resolve to be honest about my priorities and get that clock out every once in a while to test myself.
Purpose statements have long tasted like stale Saltines filled with things like who founded the company, when it was founded, the company’s position as the market leader, its dedication to customer service, who its customers are, and why you should aspire to be just like them.
I’m working through a series of questions about purpose. The first one is: “Why do we feel an organization should aspire to make the world a better place?”
Profits are meaningless without a cash reserve. From 23 years of personal experience and two very difficult periods of my life I want you to realize cash is king. It doesn’t matter if you make money in the next 90 days if you don’t have enough cash reserves to pay the bills from ongoing operations.
