Reflection.
As another year comes to an end, we reflect back on the last 12 months, looking at what we learned and how we can use it to improve in the New Year. With a founding philosophy to continuously improve our company, David J. Friedman’s book, Fundamentally Different, made a big impression on Nave Newell and the interactions we have in both our personal and professional lives.
Fundamentals.
To give you a quick overview, Friedman established 30 Fundamentals as a guide for behavior. When introducing them to his own employees, he explained, “These fundamentals serve as a practical guide for our behavior; for as people, and as an organization, we are how we behave.”
Pep Talks.
Similar to the luxury hotel chain, The Ritz-Carlton, where every department in every hotel around the world starts off their shift with a meeting to share “Wow” stories, we now meet every Monday at 9:00 am for a “pep talk.” Each week our pep talk focuses on a different Fundamental from the book, including 5 of our own. Everyone is encouraged to offer their perspective on the Fundamental and share related stories they’ve experienced. Some of the stories, especially the customer service blunders, are enough to get the entire room laughing first thing on a Monday morning.
Fun Competition.
If you’ve been in our office over the last year, you may have seen the Community Board which prominently displays our Fundamentally Different teams and points. With fun competition, we have created an engaging atmosphere to recognize co-workers for exemplifying the Fundamentals and share suggestions and solutions.
2015.
While the first year of Fundamentally Different comes to a close at Nave Newell, the concept has become a big part of our culture. Doing what’s best for our client, double-checking our work and seeking to create win/win solutions have strengthened many of our relationships in 2014. A new year brings new opportunities to focus on connecting our values with our everyday behavior. We look forward to taking on this challenge!
What have you learned this year that will impact the way you will do business in 2015?