How the Best Get Better, Part II
In our previous article in this series, we covered five key elements of how the best get better. Let’s further consider the topic of continuous improvement with four additional strategies and some tips on how to implement them immediately.
Learn from the Best
How the best continue to take their results and performance to the next level:
- They create margin. This process involves knowing where you generate the greatest value and where you provide the least value, in terms of outcomes. The best systematically remove, drop, or assign activities and responsibilities of lesser value, freeing up space and time to address key opportunities.
- They concentrate on their strengths. Your strengths are where you get your power. The best know their strengths and find ways to work within those strengths and hand off, stop, or adjust the activities outside of those strengths. By now, you probably know at least some of your strengths and can recite them. How often do you really get to use them and in what applications? When do you get to use them and for what duration?
- They focus on outcomes. The best aren’t checking the clock to see whether it’s 5 p.m., nor are they working simply for a paycheck. They are focused on the outcomes of the work they do, knowing that outcomes are what people pay for. The big idea here is that they tend not to fall in love with their processes. By focusing on the outcomes, they can more easily move, improve, and adjust their processes to accomplish even greater outcomes.
- They increase value to their customers and clients. The best know that money follows value. They also know that they must increase their value to the marketplace and to their customers and clients. This is so that they may realize their own increase in compensation, whether that’s personal income, benefits and perks, the lifestyle of their choice, or all of the above.
How to Implement these Steps in Your Life
Here are four more ways you can immediately work to improve your performance and your results:
- Create margin. If you’re serious about adding new things without working harder and longer hours, start looking at what you can toss, eliminate, delegate, or procrastinate. Remember, it’s not always about working harder; it’s about working smarter.
- Concentrate on your strengths. Fill in the blank: “I feel strong when I’m _____.” Do this three times. Think of the activities which always draw your interest and passion. Consider the activities during which, while you’re involved in them, you lose all track of time and space. This is when you’re “in the zone” and experiencing the feeling of “flow.” Look at the activities for which people compliment you. For the activities where you have all three of these present, you have likely found one of your strengths. Find ways to work more within your strengths.
- Focus on outcomes. Look always at the objectives first. From there, move into how you can accomplish or help to accomplish those desired outcomes for customers and clients, internal or external. The process should come second, only after the objectives are clear and get top priority.
- Increase the value you deliver. Since money follows value, find ways to increase your value to those you meet, those with whom you work and those whom you want to meet and work with. When you ooze value to clients and non-clients alike, your compensation increases and people want to pay you more money to increase value for them, their teams, and their organizations.
Make continuous improvement the norm in your life, both personally and professionally, and you’ll be among the best who manage to find ways to get even better.
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