5. Stick with One System and Monitor Results Continually
Dave Sutherland, a friend and former president
of one of my companies,
believes that some organizations get into trouble by trying to mix systems. He
maintains that many kinds of systems can be successful,
but mixing different
systems or continually changing from one to another leads to failure. Dave says:
Bottom-line thinking cannot be a one-time thing. It has to be built into the
system of working and relating and achieving. You can’t just tune into the
desired result every now and then. Achieving with bottom-line thinking
must be a way of life, or it will send conflicting messages. I am a bottom-
line thinker. It is a part of my “system” for achievement. I practice it every
day. No other measurements—no wasted efforts.
Dave used to call members of his field team every night to ask the bottom-line
question they expect to hear. He continually kept his eye on the company’s
bottom line by monitoring it for every core area.
When it comes right down to it, regardless of your bottom line, you can
improve it with good thinking. And bottom-line thinking has a great return
because it helps to turn your ideas into results. Like no other kind of mental
processing, it can help you to reap the full potential
of your thinking and
achieve whatever you desire.
Thinking Question
Am I staying focused on the bottom line so that I can gain the
maximum return and reap the full potential of my thinking?
