A list of reasons to make lists

My wife makes fun of me, but I do it anyhow. Make lists, that is. I have a home list and a list for my business. The grocery list is on the refrigerator, and there are lists of future vacation sites, presents we’ll buy for next Christmas, and… well, you get the idea.

My memory is fine. But if your goal is to get it right every time, then it’s hard to beat a list. Because even if you only miss one thing out of a hundred, that’s one dinner ingredient that isn’t around when you need it …one errand you have to drive back for again…one broken promise... Sometimes the consequence can be even greater. One of my most important lists is the checklist I use to make sure my SCUBA equipment is hooked up and working properly before I dive.

Do I sometimes feel a little anal? Yes….. but that doesn’t bother me as much as disappointing a customer, friend, or family member. And I get a charge out of how lists help me pump up my productivity.

People who keep lists tend to be organized people. And organized people tend to be efficient and effective people. And efficient and effective people tend to be a pleasure to do business with. Their prices are lower, their delivery times are quicker, their service is better, and they make fewer mistakes. Think about the professionals you count on the most—airline pilots, doctors & nurses, accountants, soldiers, architects, teachers—they all depend on checklists.

Many businesses say that they want to differentiate themselves on “service” or “performance.” I am hard-put to imagine how a company can create a competitive advantage in these areas unless it is trying to dot every i and cross every t. And if you want every person in your organization maximizing every customer contact—that means you’re going to need checklists of your own.

Making a list is a commitment to quality. It says you don’t want to miss something important—from a callback to a potential customer to ordering flowers for Mother’s Day. [It’s no coincidence that one of the definitions of ‘listless’ is “indifferent.”]

So you list-makers, stand up proud. And if anyone laughs at your list, make a note to look superior the next time they forget something!