How’s My Driving?

I’m sure you have noticed the question, “How’s My Driving?” plus a telephone number on the rear bumpers of large trucks, buses or even commercial pickup trucks and vans. I’ve wondered if maybe the drivers of those rigs really need to know they’re doing a good job.

Once I actually called one of those numbers and left this message: “I just wanted to call and tell you how your driving was. You were fantastic. You stayed completely focused and clearly knew exactly where you were going. As a suggestion, you might consider not riding so close behind us smaller cars–it can be a little intimidating. Keep up the good work and have a safe and successful day!” I hope the message got to him.

Companies put that question on their vehicles for a couple of good reasons. First, it provides a little added incentive for employees to drive carefully and prudently. If they do a good job, the boss might hear about it. If they are careless or inconsiderate of other drivers, the boss might hear about that, too.

The second reason for the question and phone number out in plain view is to tell the public that the company cares about its image and wants to know when things are done well or when mistakes are made. It’s asking for feedback that will become part of the organization’s regular evaluation of itself. Feedback from customers, clients, employees, suppliers, sub-contractors (could be a long list) is essential to achieving goals, whether organizational or personal.

Now imagine that you have a sign on your back that reads, “How am I doing? Call 1-800-123-4567.” What kind of feedback will you get? Will your loved ones call to say they never get to see you? How will your coworkers respond to the question? Are you available to them or always too busy? Will a client or customer call to say thanks for great service or to complain about being kept waiting?

Too often in today’s demanding business climate, it’s easy to lose our focus, to spread ourselves too thin, and let our personal and professional messages get fuzzy or entirely lost in the muddle. Periodically, we need to ask: “What is the message, who knows it, and are there too many messages?”

You might even ask someone you know and respect to take a half-hour and offer you some good, honest feedback. Listen carefully, take notes, and ask questions. Since you asked for the feedback, don’t be offended if it isn’t all high praise and roses. Just as I praised the truck driver for the good job he did, I also offered a bit of advice that would benefit him with other motorists. You’ll get both things from an honest appraisal. Both are helpful.

With good feedback and some introspection, you’ll likely decide it’s time to simplify your business and private lives. Your business must concentrate on what it does well, not necessarily on what the fad of the week requires. Stay focused on your product(s) and opportunity. Remember, you market overnight, but you brand over time.

On the personal side, all of us claim there is more to life than money, then we work like we don’t believe it. Our loved ones, our personal growth and development, our social responsibilities all have little or nothing to do with financial success. But, even they sometimes pull us in different directions.

In his insightful book, Good To Great, management researcher Jim Collins writes about creating a “Stop Doing” List along with your “To Do” List. He notes that we are always “…trying to build momentum by doing, doing, doing–and doing more. And, it rarely works. Those who built the good-to-great companies…made as much use of ‘stop doing’ lists as ‘to do’ lists. They displayed a remarkable discipline to unplug all sorts of extraneous junk.”

That kind of discipline is important in any business, but it is absolutely critical in the direct sales industry where so much depends upon individual effort. And, it stands to reason that the fewer distractions you have, the easier it is to discipline yourself to concentrate on the things that actually are important.

So, as the fall season begins, take a little time to ask, “How am I doing,” then making a “stop doing” list. It will be time well spent!