Tom Peters and Me

For a few years now, I have been sharing this mantra with clients and workshops: the quality of the work experience can be a bigger differentiator than the quality of the work product.

Some people get it. But a lot of them don't seem to understand what I'm saying.

So imagine the rush of pleasure I got the other day when I read the same thought in chapter 3 of "design," by Tom Peters. "design" is part of a 4-book group called the Essentials Series. I've already read "leadership" and "talent," and found them both enjoyable reads full of valuable insignts. But neither gave me the warm fuzzies that I got from chapter 3 of "design."

Essentially, it comes down to this:

Think of any service your firm performs, and let's assume you do high-quality work. The quality of your work differentiates you from other firms that don't produce the same high-quality product.

Now, it is pretty much a "given" that there will be at least one other firm in your market that provides the same service at a similar level of quality as your firm -- perhaps at the same price or better -- perhaps on the same schedule or faster. What differentiates your firm from that other firm?

What makes your firm the obvious selection in a market where two or three firms can provide the same work product at the same quality for the same price in the same timeframe? The difference lies in the quality of the work experience. Are you more fun to work with than another firm? Do you give your clients a stronger sense of "all bases are covered, you can sleep nights while we're on the job!"?

That's a very powerful differentiator!

It's always nice to find an idea that I've been "pushing" in the work of someone I respect. Professional validation is a wonderful thing. But finding such an idea in a Tom Peters book was a very special bonus for me. I'm hoping it will be a powerful motivator for me as well.