A Little Pride Goes A Long Way


by Pj Germain - Date: 2006-12-06 - Word Count: 580 Share This!

In todays competitive world, the small things sometimes measure the fine line between success and failure:

1. The caring smile of each employee.

2. The extra effort to meet a deadline.

3. One final check of a job before it goes to the customer.

4. The moment you take to add one last touch to your best effort.

And where do these small things come from? They cannot always be taught or programmed. In fact, they come from only one place inside each of us. The place where pride lives. Quality gives us that vital competitive edge, and pride is the spark that ignites the passion for quality in each of us. Pride moves mountains. It creates great machines. It makes important things happen. Proud men and women, winning over incredible obstacles by virtue of their self-confidence, drive and dedication, built our nation.

But there is more to it than that; because pride works in countless ways and sometimes small invisible ways. It creates little miracles as well as large. And it lights up small rooms just as brightly as great halls. Pride works hard, but it works from the inside out. Pride comes from who we are and how we look at ourselves. The world respects those who respect themselves – and who show it in the way they get things done everyday. They are the winners. Pride also comes from what we achieve. Are the things we accomplish valuable to others as well as to ourselves? Do they make a difference? Pride works wonders, but it does not work half way. If you think 99.9% is good enough, think again. A 99.9% effort could mean:

...Two unsafe landings every day at the busiest airport in the world.

...Five hundred wrong surgical procedures performed every week.

...And, in drugstores throughout the country, more than 20,000 prescriptions filled incorrectly each year.

It is clear that where life and death are concerned, 99.9% is not good enough. But that is just as true in every part of our lives, too. If you take pride in what you do, believe there is simply no room for less than 100% effort.

Pride works. But it does not come easy. We have to look for it constantly, realizing that few things are worth doing unless they are done well and right. It is crucial that we keep challenging ourselves: Go one step further. Reach one inch higher. Hold on one moment longer. Probe one bit deeper. Try just a little harder. Pride works. But only if you make it work. Because when all is said and done, it really does come down to you! Your company's success depends on your effort! Quality is the responsibility of everyone and your pride will help give you your best in order to get the job done right – the first time and every time!

TEAMWORK = Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.
The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives.
It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.

Teamwork demands that all departments provide service to the internal customer who is on the front line serving the external customer. That means you are responsible for serving other team members and they are responsible for serving you. As a team member, you must remember that the key word to describe your relationship with others is interdependence. Others are dependent on you and you are dependent on others. We need each other to ultimately serve our external customers and to meet their specific needs.

Together
Everyone
Accomplishes
More


Related Tags: teamwork, business, pride

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