That Extra Mile – The Secret Behind Exceeding Targets
March 8, 2017 |
Peeyush Sharma
Often in our professional life, we refer to ‘going that extra mile’ to serve a customer, or seek a prospect or make a sale. In my professional life, I have believed going that extra mile is first and foremost for my own self.
In all these years, it hurts my own self-image if I have done any job without going that extra mile. It is a matter of forming it as a habit, part of my very being. At the end of the day, any day, I need to face myself and say, I did my best. Not all days give the desired result, but that is not in my control. What is in my control is my effort and performance.
During those early years, when I was leading a cold calling team of salespersons, my team made it a competitive game as to who could do that extra bit beyond a set target. I am proud to say, my team and I had been known and rewarded for breaking all set records of achievement.
Allow me to explain this. If as a cold calling salesperson the company targets were to speak and present to 20 qualified business owners each day, we would divide the day into 3 parts. Before lunch, after lunch, and after the coffee break was the breakup. Most of the workers would make the divide into 8:8:4 and call it a day.
I simply asked my team to focus on 8:8:8 and see if we get extra results. By the time the week would end, my team was already ahead of others in sales figures. Once the regular business hours were over, my team found many business owners still available in their offices working in their extra time, or let’s call it ‘undisturbed time’. We found people eager to listen to our story. We hit higher targets.
Reach your goal. Exceed it.
Similarly, when I was into leading the customer services department, we would seek the opportunity to do that extra little more for the customer. What changed was that repeat business and clientele increased substantially. More so, the smile on the face of the client was our biggest reward. Also, the self-audit of our performance gave us full marks. A really good territory to be in.
No matter what business one is in, which department one works for, there is always room for that extra mile. In fact, that space gets created in one’s head and once it firmly establishes itself there, it then becomes second nature, part and parcel of one are very being. The best way is to practice it without expecting any return. If something comes along treat it as a bonus. Ultimately, one is answerable to one’s own self, own consciousness. A pleased professional performs better. It goes on round and round. It is a little paradigm shift in attitude, that is all.
Give it a shot, try it. Gradually maybe, but do try it. It will mean a change and a beautiful satisfying change.
Peeyush Sharma
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Since 1999
Excellent blog, Very enlightening….👌
Absolutely truly quoted that extra mile is first and foremost is own self. Yes, the person should be self motivated and self driven then only you can motivate and manage others.
You have truly shared that it is an habit and until or unless you are not internalizing yourself you will not be able to reach the heights of success….
There is a saying also that “Charity begins at home”,
You have so well explained in detail by sharing your own professional experiences dealing with sales team and targets….
Here one of the most important point to be noted from your write up that one should always AIM for high and if you AIM for high then accordingly you would set goals and try to attain that by doing extra efforts with committed approach by going “Extra Mile”…
Agreed here also that Extra Mile is adding fuel to accelerate your energies… and going extra mile led to repeat business and with smile on the face of client which is the boon in the profit business terms…
I “REALLY” appreciate your saying that whatever, wherever , whichever work you do, you do it full enthusiasm.
If you give your best then ultimately it is going to finally first impact your personality by satisfying yourself.
Keep sharing your valuable insights as it was really enjoyable and informative journey while going through the blog.
Thank you Madhu for appreciating.
Look at it very simply, the basic. As a child, I am in grade 8 in school, if I do not put in that extra bit, then I remain in grade 8. Only by going that extra mile, I will be promoted to grade 9. It is an obvious phenomena. Our system, schools, teachers, parents, all are pushing us to get into this habit of going the extra mile.
But when we grow up, find our profession and are comfortably placed, this habit takes a back seat. Then it becomes very difficult to re-kindle it within our own selves.
In our lives stationary is dead. We need to keep moving all the time as that is the demand of life and nature. It is said “Time and Tide wait for none”. Then, it is said that a person has aged and is not up to date with times and systems or technology etc. It is slow and gradual, but certain. To not become a fossil it is absolutely essential that one makes it a habit to always accept change and move with times while being deeply and firmly rooted to basics.
When going that extra mile becomes a second nature (with time and constant practice) then all challenges appear miniscule. I have many a times said to myself during job interviews that if the interviewing organisation does not have challenges for me with huge room for growth, then the job is just going to pull me down. It is against my very basics. I just shun those away.
No matter which profession or occupation one is in, that constant effort to grow and improve is the only way to survive and excel. And, it relates directly to ones personal being all the time in all spheres of life.
Let our endeavour be to make it a habit, a second nature of ours to always seek to go that extra mile.
Do keep sharing thoughts, I appreciate your inputs.
Well said Madhu, this write up is indeed a valuable lesson in several ways –
1. Set your goals and exceed them
2. Encourage your team to make target achievement a habit
3. Our destination does not end with goal achievement, in fact, it extends further
4. Milestones are set to encourage you to meet targets. When you reach them and still surge further ahead, you build tremendous confidence in yourself and your team
We have started implementing this in our team – with short but sure steps that exceed set targets. Its got the team all charged up!
Thanks Antara,
Life is never about yesterday. And, tomorrow is never what yesterday was. One needs to be ready to face the new challenges all the time. Only those well placed in a grave do not need to face any challenges. Thus, make it a habit to grow from within and be prepared.