MAKE QUALITY PERSONAL

Fundamental of the Week: #2 - Make Quality Personal. Take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do. From the way you create a proposal to the way you answer the phone, from the way you research a solution to the way you fill out paperwork, always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” Remember that everything you touch has your signature. Sign in bold ink.

A common saying on the farm while I was growing up was “measure twice, cut once.” It turns out this expression is from an English proverb, but a Russian proverb says to “measure seven times, cut once.”

This proverb is a great rule for a carpenter because if he cuts a piece of wood improperly, the piece of wood may no longer be usable. But whether it’s a mistake cutting a piece of wood or making a different type of mistake, the important thing to note is that not taking the time to make sure one’s work is done correctly could cost time, money, and/or reputation.

I saw this idiom in action while I was employed at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. There were strict procedures in place to ensure that every letter and every report was formatted to the Firm’s specifications. It was important to the Firm that everything that was prepared was done in a professional manner that reflected the quality of the Firm.

At Bernhardt Wealth Management, it means making sure every application, every IPS, every letter, and every report is completed accurately. It means documents scanned for the client or our files are not scanned at an angle. It means the advice we give is the best we can offer. It means we respond in a timely manner to our clients. It means adhering to our internal processes and procedures as documented in BOMS. It means taking personal pride in the quality of our work.

Will we miss something periodically? Probably. But we will resolve to learn from it. And each day thereafter, we will take great pride in knowing we’ve done our best. We want our work to demonstrate the best we have to offer the world. As the Russian proverb says, “Measure seven times, cut once.”

Make it a great day!