The Perfect Time to Ramp It Up Just ONE Degree!

I recall a quote from the past attributed to Sam Parker and Mac Anderson.  What struck me about it is the application and the value it adds to all of us today who are in the process of ‘righting’, rebuilding or just building our businesses to greater heights.  It reads …

At 211 degrees…water is hot.
At 212 degrees…it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam.
And steam can power a locomotive.
And, it’s that one extra degree that makes all the difference.”

So, what could this mean for businesses or individuals who are a part of it today?  As we enthusiastically push forward with a sense of relief are organizations just excited to see boiling water again? Is the employee just thrilled to return to an office part or full time? Ah … we can breathe easier. But wait! Breathing easier as such, while welcome, has its’ own potential and unnecessary cost. It may be depriving some from getting the steam that just one more degree of effort could bring.

I believe there is value to think about applying the ‘one extra degree’ to an overall business, department, team or just you today … now! How does an entity or person take advantage of every opportunity that can be created to thrive and take efforts to the extreme of their potential?

Here are some areas of focus that must be considered in reemerging into the resulting ‘normal’ post COVID and the places where that extra degree can make the difference … and the desired steam:

• Adapting the marketing approach to the customers preferences
  • How they buy today and from whom they buy has clearly been impacted by the experience of the past 2+ years.  This must guide the revamping of any approach one is inclined to consider and employ.

• The approach to selling the product must reflect new habits the buyer has developed while isolated or restricted in easy mobility
  • Whether a business or a retail customer is the aim, the revamped approach must recognize the changing pattern in how the customer prefers to buy. This will create needs to alter past systems to accommodate this changing mindset and pattern
• Enthusiastically embracing ever advancing technology

  

  • COVID and remote workforces required that organizations buy into the need and value of technology that would ease the imposed challenges. In pursuit of the extra degree means pushing this further.  Going forward customer preferences in this arena must be incorporated into how business is done going forward.  It is critical!  
    
    
• Customer service must be reimagined, redefined and taken to a new level

  

  • Even if an organization has prided itself in delivering excellent service in the past, that has taken on a new definition and meaning.  The customer has discovered a larger world of options. By taking a definition of ‘outstanding’ service to a never imagined level increases the opportunity of both retaining past and attracting new customers.

• Working extra hard to nurture and solidify current customers
  • Often the focus put on a drive to attract and win new customers comes at the expense of ignoring current ones. Yet, it is those current/past customers who can rebuild the foundation that a successful effort requires.  With the uncertainty of the past 2+ years, the likelihood is good that your past customers will welcome the return to what they know and appreciate.  Take advantage of that by letting them loudly and clearly know of their importance to the organization.

There is little doubt that the business world is hungry to emerge into a sense of business calm and reason.  Some members of this community seem to have their sights on returning to what was for that they know and understand. This makes sense however the question to ask is if this is taking full advantage of what could be?  As a first step, you need to define what the ‘extra one degree’ would mean to the organization or simply to you and the job you do. Knowing this and understanding that path, don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s a snap or it’s no big deal.  Afterall, we’re talking about the ONE degree that takes us from ‘hot’ to ‘boiling’ and that, in turn, can make the difference between good and great … redefined success or settling for what was.

Whenever I have watched someone take the step of cranking it up just one degree it has had the effect of opening a very wide door of possibility.  What might it do for your organization or for you as a member of the team?  It’s exciting exploration and can make a dramatic difference in the success you experience. No sweat if you wear warm weather clothing to withstand the boiling heat you’ll encounter!
Mike Dorman