Another lively meeting with some good banter.

My turn to provide a short (5 min) offering. I covered the question of how our business should reflect ourselves – and understanding what business we are actually in. For example Parker thought that they were in the pens business but they found that their nearest competitor was Ronson lighters – they were actually in the quality gifts business. Black and Decker don’t sell drills – they sell the ability to make a hole in a wall, put up a shelf etc.

Then it is important to understand you and your business as a brand – which is just a customer experience of dealing with you really. So what do your customers expect – both new and repeat customers.

You have to live to your brand and vice versa – you cannot expect to get a reputation for delivering on time or communicating well if that is just not in your genes!

Finally some wise words on how you have to have this ingrained for it to work:

Watch your thoughts, as they become your words.
Watch your words, because they become your actions
Watch your actions, because they become your habits
Watch your habits, because they become your character
Watch your character, because that leads to your destiny

And all in 5 mins!!!!!