Raise Your Standards

Climbing a ladder
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Lisa Thal


What is the standard of your work? Do you have a high level of quality and excellence, or have you accepted average as the new normal? Think about companies like The Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Nordstrom, Apple, Amazon and Chick-Fil-A that deliver on customer experience and have raised the standards in their industries.


Our clients have options to do business with us or our competition. Stop to think about how your current customers view your brand. Would they say you set the standard? Would they refer you to their friends and family?


In the end, we are competing against our own personal best. High performers are focused on becoming better every day with each client interaction. We want to play at a high level with improved outcomes and the ability to achieve superior results. We set the market standards. How can you raise your standards?


What traits do high performers have in common? It comes down to three things: habit, drive, and attitude. They strive to improve through every experience. This high standard of expectation is a way of life for them.


Focus on implementing these five strategies to raise the standard of your work:
1) Routine. High performers create routines. They know meeting their high standards will take focused efforts each day. They create processes to look for ways every day to be more effective and efficient. They understand that making small shifts can produce great advantages. Their routines make them highly productive.

2) Will. They have a strong intention about their future. They study other high performers to gain knowledge to see if they could implement any of the same strategies to improve their performance. Their desire to become the best version of themselves is a way of life.

3) Belief. They have extreme confidence in themselves. They are fearless, not fearful.

4) Feedback. They ask for feedback from their customers. “Are you happy with the service I am providing? Are there any recommendations you may be able to share with me to better serve you and your outcomes?”

5) Time. They understand that raising their standards is a process. There are no shortcuts. It takes time and patience to keep progressing.


I work with one account executive who consistently exceeds her goals. She performs at high levels day in and day out. Her success is due to her routines. She never lets others distract her from achieving her goals. She is great at delegating non-sales tasks to others so she can stay focused on the customer and their outcomes. If she has a shortfall, she learns from the experience and moves on. She understands the commitment she must make for herself. She understands it takes time and focused effort, which she is willing to do consistently.


Raise your standards! Become the brand that everyone recommends.

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