Get the basics right.
Seriously. Do the basic shit.
Show up on time to an appointment.
Return the email. Return the phone call.
Communicate.
Dress appropriately for your job.
Admit and learn from mistakes.
Follow up promptly on inquiries and requests.
Pay attention to detail.
Keep confidential shit confidential.
Do the work when you said you will.
I talk to business owners every day, and run a business myself. 99% of businesses I talk to on a regular basis have an issue, somewhere, where they’re failing to do the basic shit.
Including in my business.
If you ever want to see the normally cool, calm, collected Shawn explode on someone on my team, it’s because they failed at something simple.
If you can’t get the basics right, how can I trust you with the big things?
If you can’t get the basics right, how can I trust your company with the big things?
I was evaluating vendors for a critical service, a decision involving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually I would pay to a vendor. To ensure we chose the right partner, we contacted the few firms capable of meeting our needs and narrowed it down to two promising candidates.
I had two simple requests for both firms: 1) Use my private email address, which I provided, instead of my public one that my team can access. 2) Copy my Chief Operating Officer on all communications, as she plays a significant role in the final decision.
What happened? One firm repeatedly ignored these instructions, despite two warnings. They continued using the wrong email address and failed to copy my COO.
As a result, they lost out on a substantial, long-term contract. If they couldn’t handle these straightforward requests, how could I trust them with something more significant?
For any business owners, CEO, department managers, etc., I would be willing to bet that you could have a substantial improvement in your performance if you – and your team – got the basics right.
That’s all.
#communication #accountability #basics #performance #professionalism #reliability #communicationskills #detailoriented