From time to time it is good to reflect on what you have accomplished in your life. The problems you have overcome, the goals you have accomplished and the successes you have achieved. It gives you the opportunity to enjoy yourself. But what you should avoid, in my opinion, is resignation; accepting how something is, resigning yourself to it and thinking there is no more to it. Personally, I always go for the maximum. I am always looking for improvements and new goals. "Push it to the max" is what I call it.
It's like top sports
It is hard to reach the top, but even harder to stay there. We see this all around us. Few companies dominate in their industry for decades. They often fail by clinging too long to past successes. Think, for example, of Xerox, Blackberry and Nokia. In the sports world, too, getting to the top is a great challenge, but perhaps even more difficult to stay at the top. Why has Cristiano Ronaldo been an absolute top player in soccer for so many years in a row? Of course, his innate talent plays an important role in this, but undeniably it is also his drive, drive for perfection and not settling for anything less than being the best.
Small improvements make a difference
Even within the organization where you work, there should be a commitment to continuous improvement. Preferably big improvements, of course, but sometimes it is the small adjustments that make the difference with the competition. Show that you are ahead in the industry and are the leading party in the market. Be an example to customers, suppliers and partners of how things should be done and inspire everyone around you. That is what it is all about.
Looking critically at the organization
From my role as service manager, I help organizations get the most out of their automation. What many companies forget is that this means continuously critically evaluating business processes and how they are supported. Many organizations lean back once the automation is doing its job and the processes are running without too many problems. But standing still is going backwards. Keep optimizing the processes; how can it be even faster, better and more successful. Keep deploying new tools and improving existing applications. Look for ways to make the organization even more agile and therefore more successful. Again, push it to the max.
Want to learn more about how I can help your organization do this? Or would you like to discuss your personal take on this blog with me? Let me know!
Teun Arts is Service Manager at Dysel and ensures that customers make optimal use of the software's capabilities, now and in the future.
