Basic practice versus best practice

Sure a crane would be better, but this works.

We hear things like the following all the time.

• To get maximum benefit you must exercise for at least 30 minutes with a pulse of 120 to 130.
• Eat anti-oxidants to minimize cell damage – reduce your risk of cancer. Goji berries are the ultimate superfood.
• Our oil minimizes damage to your car at start up.
• These statements all tap into our underlying fear that we are missing out on something or we are not doing something right.

In the business world we are also hit with the ultimate marketing program, best practice in project management, integrated enterprise software that takes care of every function that a company could ever want, and so on.

Am I the only one who has a problem with all this? Remember folks, the perfect is the enemy of the good.

Your key focus should be on basic practice – the fundamentals, rather than the subtle nuances involved with that extra bit of productivity.

• What are the basics that your company needs to do?
• What service do your clients need and want?
• Is your location easy to access?
• Is your website and e-commerce functionality easy to understand and use?
• Do your employees know their jobs and boundaries?
• Do your employees know who to refer to for more complicated issues or areas outside their job description?
• Do you communicate with each other effectively?
• Do you have enough staff?
• Is your marketing adequate?

This list could grow a lot longer – but you get the picture.