Relentlessly Consistent

I recently read an article in BusinessWeek entitled "Staying Paranoid at Toyota." The author tells how Toyota surpassed GM to take their crown as the number one carmaker in the world. Though tempting to wipe the sweat from their foreheads and take it easy for a moment since their ascension, they have used their new position as an excuse to make processes and procedures more efficient, giving them a stronger lead over the competition. Now that's impressive!

It's human nature to take a breather after accomplishing our goals. In fact, the author of the article mentions a study in which lab rats always take a break after finding a pellet of food. We have the same tendencies. After working hard to become Jade, Pearl, or Diamond Pearl, we often want to take some time to relax. I believe we should reward ourselves, but we need to make sure that we don't get stuck in a state of perma-r-and-r. There's always another accomplishment waiting for us.

For those of us that may be in a rut, what are some things we can do? First, decide what the next achievement will be. Decide if that's Pearl, Top Performer Bonus, Infinity Bonus, Jade, etc. Second, create a plan to accomplish it. Figure out where your volume will be coming from, who will need to advance in rank, how long it will take you to accomplish it, and what activities will create the momentum. Third, get together with your business builders and help them see the vision. Help them understand where you as a team are going, and how you will help them get there. Fourth, execute like crazy. Put your plan in place, realizing you will have a few bumps along the way, but the reward will be well worth it.

Take a lesson from Toyota, one of the best-known brands and largest companies in the world. Achieving greatness does not permit one to take it easy. In fact, achieving greatness requires constant requalification for that title.

All the best,

Buck