CONSISTENCY - doing it right every time

I had the opportunity to be part of a team commissioned to conduct a service audit of a branch of a major departmental store that operates in Ghana.

Clearly, our arrival at the premises that late morning was like the day of the Lord for the manager and staff. Although they knew we would be there, they had no knowledge of the exact day and time. So that morning was a rapturous moment for them. Their judgement day had come.

When we arrived at the store, we made some preliminary observations before revealing our identity. We discovered high room temperature which made shopping inconvenient, dirty floors, unclean product racks, empty shelves and some rotten fruits.

After we introduced ourselves, what happened in the store was fascinating. Staff got to work. All of a sudden, sales staff started cleaning. Unwholesome products were taken off the shelves and within a matter of minutes, the shop was put in good shape.

Even though they put things together, we did not assess them favorable. Against our benchmark, they scored far below average.

Could they have scored better if the store was clean with products orderly arranged by the time we go there? Certainly! From what we saw, it was obvious that the store was not cleaned on daily basis. They cleaned but not on daily basis. They lacked consistency.

Consistency is doing something the same way every time. It is making the effort to do what is right each time. Sometimes we lose our guard when no one is watching. But we cannot be always certain about when our moment of opportunity will arise. You never know when your biggest client will show up. You can never predict when the tax authorities will show up to inspect your tax receipts.

Consistency makes you ready every time. It makes you predictable. It earns you trust and admiration of your customers and colleagues. To be consistent in your life, it is important to have a recipe of character and compatibility.

Character

Do you have a dual personality? Do you project an image in public that is different from what you do in private? Does what you think differ from what you say? If you have such a personality, then you will definitely not be consistent in your affairs. One day, you will be caught pants down. The reality of your life will eventually match up to what you actually keep in your cupboard.

By making a commitment to cultivate private character that is in line with public image, you position yourself to get it right every time.

Compatibility

When you ensure that what you do meets required standard, there will be no cause for alarm. In our auditing experience, we realized that personnel at the store were well-aware of the benchmark. However, they had been careless about compliance. They only made the effort to match up when they realized that they had been caught pants down.

You must always ensure that in your field of operation, you will meet the standards. Whether you are being watched or not, make it a point to perform in a manner that is at par with the requirements. Don’t wait for the moment of reckoning before you begin to do what is expected of you.

Although our people at the store attempted to do the right thing in our presence, they could not improve their ratings. If they had consistently kept things at par, we wouldn’t have rated them poorly. If you drop your guard, you may not have the opportunity to make a better impression when it matters, even if you try. Consistency is a definite way of earning credibility for what you do.

How consistent are you? Are you consistent in telling the truth? Are you consistent in dressing appropriately? Are you consistent in keeping the promises you make to others?

© 2014 Terry Mante

CEO, Personal Development Network (PEDNET)

Accra, Ghana