I believe it goes hand in hand with the statement that I have heard over and over from my mentors; “People do business with those that they know, like and trust.”

I remember when I was back in High School and making $4.17 and hour at a local grocery store bagging groceries.  I think I was a pretty typical kid at the time.  I wasn’t too concerned about saving money but wanted to get the most for what I spent it on. The cheaper the price, the more I would get for my dollar, right?

Somewhere between then and now I learned that this is not always right and the older I get, the more I understand that quality is what you are really paying for, not how big or fancy the box is.

So what is quality?  Is it determined by how long something lasts?  Or maybe, but how good it makes you look?  I think when it really comes down to it, quality is defined by how that product or service makes you feel.

There are basically two different types of things we purchase with our money.  Products and services.  So see if you follow my logic here.

If you buy, for an example, a new vehicle.  Sure you want it to look good and run good but what will really define the quality of that vehicle?  I will suggest that the real lasting impression of the quality of that car will be how it made you feel.

Did it make you feel safe?  Did it make you feel like you made a good investment?  Did you feel like you could depend on that vehicle to get you around no matter what the conditions were?

I remember when our oldest son bought his first car.  It was a used 4-door Mercedes Benz.  Of course he thought it was cool because it was a black Mercedes and made him look like some type of intimidating mafia dude.

But Dad liked the car because it was safe.  It drove really nice and was built with the safety of the passengers in mind.  That car made me feel secure when the kids were out driving it.  That was the quality as I saw it.

I think quality is a little more difficult to define when it comes to services.  I love asking the question; “What do you want?”  It amazes me how many people really don’t know.  They think they know, but when you get the heart of it, they don’t.

Many times it starts with possessions, a new car, a bigger house and so on.  But when you go a little deeper, it becomes about security and quality of life.  A lot of people I have worked with start of believing that stuff is what will make them happy.

Sure, it might help, but it really comes down to finding that quality of life that most never find.  To wake up in the morning and be excited about what will happen next, even if you don’t know what it is.  To be able to do the things you want to do and not be consumed by the things that you have to do.

So what is quality?  It will be different for everyone, but I challenge anyone to tell me that things will ever mean more that the experiences that came along with them.  I believe quality is defined not by what you received but by who you became doing it or using it.

Stuff doesn’t make you feel good.  What you do with it is what leave the lasting impression.  So a question for you to ponder today to see if you can determine the quality of some of your most prized possessions.  “What is the greatest memory you have from your most expensive possession?  Whatever that memory is will determine the real quality of that possession.

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Barry Smith    8/26/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Quality: It’s How You Make Them Feel That Counts! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

The 5 Pillars is a project that I have been working on for almost two years and had a great time with the official launch of “The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership” Coaching program on May 23th.

Why the 5 Pillars?  I have spent more than 30 years in the business world and although it has been primarily in the Construction world, the 5 Pillars philosophy works across all industries.  In fact, while developing this program I realized that it can have a significant impact on your personal life as well.

I will break down each Pillar into three sections, personal, business and community. Any growth or improvement needs to start within, with the end goal of influencing the community you live in.  In this post we will take a look at COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION.

We communicate in a variety of ways.  The way your brand or organization is represented to the community may have nothing to do with verbal communication.  Your reputation “always” speaks louder than words.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

I have found that referrals or “word of mouth” recommendations are one of the most powerful ways to build or maintain a business.  If I apply the 80/20 rule, I can make the statement that 80% of your business is due to return customers or referrals.  Is customer service important?  What do you think?

VALUES

Some, but not all by any stretch, of businesses can tell you their value system.  When a business has a strong and identifiable value system that they live by, it helps to hold them accountable.  Knowing your values and living them out in your specific region will identify you as someone people want to do business with.  Do you know what your values are?  More importantly, does anyone else?

RESPONSIBILITY

If you are in business you have multiple responsibilities.  To your employer, your customers, your co-workers, those that are above and below you on the food chain and so on.  I believe that your biggest responsibility is to yourself.  When you are responsible to yourself and live up to the standards that you have set for yourself (hopefully you have) you will fulfill the obligation that we all have to add value and serve others.  Do you have a set of standards that you live up to?

REPUTATION

Ah yes, your reputation.  It doesn’t matter if you are a sole proprietor or part of a global organization, you are a reflection of what and who your business represents.  Reputations are the result of built trust over time and just as trust is hard to build and easy to lose, so is your reputation.  Guard it with your life because your life, at least in business, just might depend on it.

MISSION

We are all aware of “mission statements.”  If you don’t have one, you need to create one. Why?  Because your mission statement provides the blueprint for the purpose of your business.  If you are unclear on your mission, you will send an inconsistent message to the people you are doing business with.  How many of your customers know your mission or purpose?

MANAGEMENT

I believe that the number one responsibility for management is to be the big picture thinkers. Managers need to look uphill and downhill at the same time.  They need to understand where they have been and why they were there and at the same time know where they are going. Now you may thing this sounds more like a leader than a manager but when a manager understand these concepts, he will have the vision needed to lead.

The 5 Pillars coaching program will take each topic to a much deeper level.  We will explore open ended questions and how they are directly impacting your life and more specifically in this segment, will allow you to evaluate and understand your role in growing your business.

In the mean time, start asking the type of questions that will result in better answers. When you ask “How can I”  you get an answer that will move the needle.  “What can I do today to make sure that people know what my (our) mission or purpose is in business?”  Answer that question, act on it, and you will succeed.

RELATED:

• Click here to see Part 1
• Click here to see Part 2
• Click here to see Part 3
• Click here to see Part 4
• Click here to see Part 5
• Click here to see Part 6
• Click here to see Part 7
• Click here to see Part 8
• Click here to see Part 9
• Click here to see Part 10
• Click here to see Part 11
• Click here to see Part 12
• For more on The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership and to view my video click here
• To view my guest post in the 2013 International Leadership Blogathon click here

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Barry Smith    7/25/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

The post The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership – Part 13: Their Communication appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.