Summer of 2011

Summer of 2011

     We are just completing our season and it has been our best season in five years.  Although our number of Operators was lower by 8% compared with last season the number of customers pleased jumped by 12%.   We were led by an outstanding group of over performing students.  We classify the super performers by doing over $100,000 in volume and we had 14% of our organization as 'super performers'.

     Why might that be? Why did we have so many more high performers than in the past?  What creates great and dynamic performance?

     Certainly, we had great raw materials, a fantastically gifted and hard working group of people who really wanted to excel at an extraordinary level!  However, we have had this for many years - a great group of students.  I think largely the reason great accomplishments get created is due to focus!   What we focus on with intensity, passion, thoughtfulness and consistency creates change.  This summer, as an organization, we really put more attention than ever on our highest performers.

      We held regular conference calls with the top performing group to share best practices, challenges, opportunities and how people were getting great results and how they were solving problems.  We had extra one on one coaching calls to individualize our strategic plans.  We had many many challenges and contests to really motivate and inspire our top performers.  We made the group exclusive and they developed a camaraderie across the division to encourage each others performance. Of course, all of this was above and beyond the 100 or so hours of coaching and training an Operator receives with us.

      We are off to Mexico this coming week as we send all rookie Operators who produce $75,000 and Veterans who produce $85,000 to a week the Mayan Riviera, Mexico.  One full day we will be spending just with the $100k Club at XPLOR, (a fantastic all day, caving, zip lining and activity park) and then we will celebrate at a 5 Star Restaurant that evening.  It will be a great experience for a very deserving group!

     Certainly, we will be continuing this focus on this ongoing initiative this coming season and will try to make more steps to improve.  I believe we should always be looking to improve and grow.  If we do not and are not growing, we must be falling behind.  I know I like to spend my time with high performers and we are attractive to high performers because we always want to get better.  There is no such thing as having a perfect job, season or career.  We focus on progress - always making progress.  The great thing about a focus on progress is that we can always make progress even during challenging times. 

     So my for my musings..

     What we focus on with passion and commitment creates results
     Focus on progress not on perfection
     Some tips to create dynamic high performers

All the best
Chris
Head Coach
Student Works Painting