Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about making quality personal. It’s a concept that’s rooted in taking great pride in the quality of all you do and touch.
In “The Four Agreements,” the fourth agreement is “Always Do Your Best” - under any and all circumstances. And that makes me think of a quote from “The One Thing” by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan.
“Are you doing this to simply do the best you can do or are you doing it to the best it can be done?”
But, what if doing your best isn’t good enough? There are times when this will be the case, but there are also solutions.
So, ask yourself these questions:
Are you willing to change to do the best that can be done? Or...
Are you willing to find someone else who just might be able to do it better than you?
Here’s a quick example:
Let’s say you’re dealing with a challenging client. Often you're not the one who can communicate best in that situation. Perhaps, you’ve already said something that didn’t sit well with the client, and they’ve tuned you out. And, as a result, there is nothing you can say that will make the situation shift in a positive direction.
Scott used this approach on his desk when he was running one. When he found himself in a situation that was only going to go downhill, he would say something like, “Let me get someone who will be able to better help you with this situation.” The person on the other end of the phone, assumed he was passing the phone to his boss. But, he wasn’t. He put his assistant on the phone.
And, something about that different voice and speaking to a new human being would completely shift the tone of the conversation. There was no ego involved. But instead, finding a solution about how to “do it the best it could be done.”
So, here’s your challenge for the week. Think about what is your best. What is your best version of you? And are you doing your best to live that out? Are you willing to reach out to somebody who can handle the situation or task better than you?
Have the courage to look ego in the face and say, “Oh, it’s actually not about me. It’s about figuring out how to get it done, the best it can be done.”
Remember, everything you touch has your signature on it. Don’t let that signature be tarnished because you allowed your personal agenda to get in the way.
Life is still good. And I am here. -- Jeff