Continually Raise the Bar; You Should Not be Clearing it Every Time

Sonitrol Pacific Security Resources

By Kenny Showalter, Puget Sound Regional Field Operations Manager
Posted May 22, 2008

I’ll bet my 7th grade daughter understands this better than most service providers.

Just two weeks ago she was excited to tell me about winning the high jump at her track meet. My first reaction was to respond with “how high?” After she told me, I went on to ask her how close the competition was. She had defeated her opponents by several inches.

After an at-a-girl for winning, I explained to her why I thought she should raise the bar at the next meet. I could tell by her reaction that she understood where I was going with this. I explained to her how much better Sonitrol Pacific was when compared to the competition in our industry and why “our organization believes that we have to hold ourselves to higher standards because the competition will not.” I said I’m on my soap box now, if we stay at the same level we are today, and become reactive to the competition, we will be surpassed.

So I asked her, “Why should you raise the bar?”

She said “If I continue at the same level, the other kids will grow and start jumping higher.”

“Well done young grasshopper!” I said proudly.