25. Be Relentless About Continuous Improvement.

Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your role to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a valid response. Find new and innovative ways to get things done better, faster, and more efficiently.

Jim's Message:

What is continuous improvement? The term itself is fairly self-explanatory. It almost seems too simple, but it’s about improving our business, processes and ways of working. How we go about studying, planning, implementing and evolving that improvement is where it gets more complicated. Even though implementation can be challenging, we need to continuously practice a philosophy of relentless, constant, logical, and sustainable improvements throughout Famous.

We should start by moving out of our comfort zones. There’s a reason humans often resist change: There’s a comfort in what we know. While the call of the unknown is appealing to some, it is a natural and reassuring thing to resist putting ourselves in new situations. In the business world, this is no longer possible. In times gone by, it was often possible for companies to “rest on their laurels” and maintain the status quo with their products and services because customers trusted their people, brands and products and knew what they were getting. There are several reasons why this doesn’t work well anymore:

• There’s More Competition Than Ever: Competition is a good thing. It gives us a basis for comparison amongst our peers and pushes us to do better. But it also means we aren’t the only ones offering a certain product, service, or feature. When there’s limited competition, you can more easily defend your corner of the market, but in today’s competitive climate, we don’t get a moment to rest.
• Information is Everywhere: Customers are connected 24/7 these days. They have access to information at their fingertips. Whereas previously a product, service or marketing plan was designed for longevity, nowadays we need to be ready to quickly react to shifts and trends in the market. It’s important to use the speed of information flow to our advantage.
• Dynamics are Changing: The old walls around products and services have been torn down, and intelligent, flexible companies are reaping the rewards. A couple examples, mobile apps are turning the taxi industry upside down. Online banks are offering an alternative to brick-and-mortar banks. Companies like Amazon are changing the way we buy everyday products. That doesn’t mean “traditional” businesses are finished — it just means we need to continuously evolve and improve.

“We’ve always done it that way” won’t work anymore. But that doesn’t have to be seen as a bad thing. On the contrary, realizing and accepting that there is a new and better way of doing business is exciting and can create many great opportunities for you and for Famous. Start reminding yourself today to think “continuous improvement”, until it’s a habit!!

“Progress is better than Perfection” ~ Simon Sinek