Why_99_May_Not_Be_Good_Enough_But_1_is_Amazing

Many improvement books, seminars and articles have focused on why a 99% performance metric is not good enough. The statistics of what would occur if 99% WAS acceptable illustrate the reasons it isn’t good enough.  Here are some commonly used statistics that stand out.

•    12 babies will be given to the wrong parents each DAY!
•    103,260 income tax returns will be processed incorrectly this year
•    880,000 credit cards will have incorrect information on the magnetic stripe.
•    20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions will be written in the next year.

We all get the point about the 99% performance metric, but it is a little overwhelming to think about getting to 99%, let alone hitting 100% perfection!  Chances are we all have quite a bit of room between where we are now and perfection. When the gap is that daunting, it can easily lead to a feeling of “why bother?” Why don’t we take a moment to examine the other side of the improvement coin?

If we think instead about our current performance metric, and strive for an extra 1%, how does that look?  Everyone can wrap his or her mind around getting 1% better, right? 1% more leads, 1% better customer service, 1% more accuracy,… Now that sounds manageable.  If we can improve our selves, our business or some measurable metric just 1% a week, these are the corresponding results.

•    4.1% increase in a month
•    13.8% increase in a quarter
•    29.5% increase semi-annually
•    67.7% increase in a year
•    181.4% increase in 2 years

Would you like an increase in sales and profits of 67.7% over the next year? Heck yes! How about watching your commissions increase by 29.5% over the next 6 months? Would your children notice if you were more than twice the parent you were 2 years ago? Our spouses and significant others might be willing to consider a 13.8% increase in appreciation over the next quarter.

What can you do this week to improve just 1%? Pick the action and resolve to put a plan together to take it from inspiration to effective execution! Make 1% a habit every week and you’ll see amazing results!  Need help?