How do you respond to criticism about your business?
I was watching The Food Network the other night. It was one of those competitions between chefs. The judges were handing out criticism in large doses.
It was tough to watch. I witnessed the chefs give their best efforts in a timed performance as the clock wound down, until finally time was up. Ready or not, they were being judged by celebrity chefs and thousands of viewers across America.
Most of the competitors were trying to smile and put on a brave face while their food creations were ripped apart by the judges. One of the contestants had tried to create a towering dessert that consisted of several layers including cookies, cream, fruit and topped with a caramel sauce. It collapsed on the plate and although it probably tasted delicious, it looked a mess.
The chef with the dessert disaster listened to the judges criticism and then responded. “I don’t feel bad. Only Mediocrity Escapes Criticism“.
She was so right. If you are trying to be the best. You should expect criticism. You should even welcome it! In fact, you should even ask for it.
In business, your customers are the “Celebrity Judges”.
We recently started sending out surveys to our customers after each completed sale. The survey includes 5 questions and the answers are multiple choice: A- Excellent B- Above Average C-Average and D-Needs Improvement. We have been delighted with the results. Just about every question has been answered “Excellent”.
However, we noticed that one of the five questions was often answered “Above Average”. Good enough, some businesses might say. Although we are getting a high mark, “Above Average” in this one area, for some reason, we are not being graded “Excellent”. We’re analyzing our process and won’t be satisfied until we achieve a top mark for all 5 questions.
The journey to becoming the best can be a long and exhausting one. Criticism along the way can help keep you on the right path toward your destination. Remember, Only Mediocrity Escapes Criticism.