Fourth and Great: Going Beyond Good Enough
October 2026
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Sir Isaac Newton 1643-1727
Recently I was watching one of my favorite college football teams, as I do every weekend. It’s fun to be a fan. My team is really good, but when they play another very good team, they sometimes seem to lack ability to turn up the heat to the “next level.” I wish I knew why this happens, because it seems that it happens a lot in our own lives too, not just in sports.
With that thought in mind, I came across an article in the Boston Globe that Target stores were starting a training program for their employees, teaching them “how to be friendly,” using the “10-4 guest engagement program.” These new rules point out that within a certain distance from a customer they are to acknowledge the customer, within closer range they are to speak to the customer. They are to smile and make eye contact with customers. What they are trying to do, it seems, is to significantly bring their team a few “levels higher.” It is obvious that in many cases, sports or retail, or in whatever field you work, there is a “higher level” that is attainable.
Following this I had a conversation with a restaurateur. I told him about Target and my favorite football team. He reminded me of something I said years ago: “Anybody can serve good food; if they don’t then they are probably already out of business, although they may not yet know it.” The difference is the “experience” provided to customers/guests/clients AND our team members (the internal gusts).
Which brings me to a book I read many years ago, “The Experience Economy,” by Gilmore and Pine. The book impresses on its readers that no matter what you are selling, there is not just a value in the product or service, but also a huge value in the experience.
If Target is selling a $20 dress placed in a pleasant store, with an attractive display, and friendly people that pay attention to the customers/clients or guests, they might be able to sell that same dress at a higher price than if they did not meet the “higher level” standards. With the same thought, a store that is “boring,” has little visual attraction, and a “not so friendly” staff may struggle to sell that dress at any price.
If we want to increase sales and profits, we need a strong team member base. We must all play at a “higher level.” Indeed, not only does the product and/or service we provide have value, but the very “experience” that we deliver also has a significant value, contributing to profits.
Company leader or football coach, the value of the experience is real and very significant. As leaders we need to provide our teams with an understanding of not only the value but how to perform at that “higher level.” Get them on your shoulders and make it happen.
“There is a tide in human affairs which waits for nobody, and political mariners ought to watch it and avail themselves of its advantages.”
John Jay | 1883 | Inspired by WIlliam Shakespear
“Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal.”
Ernest Hemingway
Michael M. Carney mr.mikecarney@gmail.com
A special thank you to my support team!
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