Last year we finalized Jenco’s principles. The very first principle is: Do all you have agreed to do. This is so incredibly powerful. It seems so simple, but in my experience I’ve found that sometimes people just get busy and don’t end up holding up their end of the bargain.
We’ve all been there before – we told Mike, who called earlier in the day, we’d get back to him with an answer by the end of the day. Then 4 pm rolls around and crap I forgot to get with Ben to ask him XYZ so I can’t call Mike back – I’ll call him in the morning.
In the example above, what I am blind to is the consequences that Mike faces because I don’t hold up my end of the deal. Maybe his boss asked him to get with me and have a solution to an issue they are facing by the end of the day. By me not getting back to Mike now he is most likely going to be questioned by his boss why he can’t fulfill his commitments. That sucks for Mike and I’m completely blind to this much bigger picture. The consequences I then face are a mad Mike calling me first thing in the morning and also our relationship is now hurt.
Can you imagine a world where everyone actually does everything that they say they would? Think about it. Every time someone says I’ll give you a call back – they actually do. Every time you send someone at work a request – they actually complete the request on time and without having to be poked and prodded to get the job done. There is so much waste in having to follow up with people for the could you, would you, did you.
What are you doing to make sure you do all you have agreed to do? Interested in what we do here at Jenco? Send me an email, I’d be happy to share.