Don’t Take “YES” for an Answer

Greetings.  We work so hard to get to "YES."  Thinking.  Analyzing.  Discussing. Proposing.  Brainstorming.  Refining.  Compromising.  Tweaking.  Then finally agreeing to move forward in a new and better way.  But what if "YES" isn't good enough?  Or, more importantly, what if "YES" isn't the best that we can be?

The key is not to take "YES" for an answer.  Not that "YES" is bad.  After all, the commitment to get something important done is a step in the right direction. And it's certainly better that "NO" or "MAYBE."  But if it's not the best we have to give, then maybe "YES" should simply be a valued starting point for unlocking our real brilliance and creating innovation that matters.  So the next time you and the geniuses you work with think that you've figured out the best way to do something, take a fresh sheet of paper and try to figure out an even better way.  Not the perfect solution to a critical challenge, or the solution to a great opportunity that will take forever to implement.  But a solution that is better than the one you were satisfied to use.  This commitment to really push the envelope is what separates truly great companies and organizations from the pack.  And it demonstrates a powerful desire to deliver the best value possible in meeting the needs of the customers you serve. It's also a wonderful way to really engage people.

We prosper in business and in life by challenging ourselves to be even better than we imagined.  What if you and your colleagues tried just a bit harder to be remarkable?  Maybe a good solution has put you one simple step away from being really awesome!

Cheers!