TIP 38
DO COMPLETE WORK
When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.
It may seem that the way to save time is to get the job done as quickly as possible. While that may save time in the short run, doing complete work saves time in the long run and gives you the mental space and clarity to tackle the next project. Complete work is done so well and so thoroughly that it won’t come back to haunt you.
What would that look like? Suppose a customer calls in and complains that an erroneous fee was charged to his or her account. The customer service representative politely responds, “Not a problem, I’ll have it taken care of immediately.” The customer hangs up, pleased with the service. The customer service representative does indeed reverse the charge, and a credit appears on the next statement. But there is also a new charge for that month’s statement. The representative did take care of the fee, but being pressed for time, did not get to the source of the problem. Why was the fee assessed in the first place? With a little more research, the source would have been identified: the account was not encoded correctly. But this didn’t happen, so the client calls in, this time irate, and wants to speak to the manager. Then the client writes a complaint letter to the president’s office, 10 other employees get involved from all levels of the company, and memos must be written. The solution is to do complete work the first time. Make this a personal and company policy and watch your problems disappear.
On the home front, suppose you decide to wash the car. Instead of using a bucket of soapy water, you buy long-lasting polish designed to protect the car’s finish. You polish the chrome, vacuum out the glove compartment, and put specially designed window cleaner on that repels the rain. You do a complete job. If you really go all out on a project and do a super job, it is personally fulfilling. You’ll be proud of your work. This alone is reason enough to do complete work.
You can do this in relationships too. What would your relationships be like if you said everything that needed to be said and made sure that nothing was left hanging? One of my friends always made a point of saying goodbye and hugging her parents whenever they left after dropping by for a visit. Then, one time she was hosting a party and her parents left early. She was busy handing out appetizers and didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. That night her mother died of a sudden heart attack. My friend was distraught, but never forgot it. She realized that nothing is more important than expressing your love to your family and friends. She could just as easily have taken a few moments to say goodbye and then gone back to the party. Of course, she is lucky that she had been telling her parents how much she loved and appreciated them all along. I have talked to many people who have never thanked their parents for bringing them into this world or told them that they love them. I usually ask my clients to do this.
You will free up plenty of mental space when you make a standard of doing complete work and tying up loose ends in all areas of your life.