One of the most famous quotes in sports history is attributed to John McKay (former coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) when after a poorly played game, a reporter asked, “What do you think of your team’s execution, Coach?” McKay replied, “I’m in favor of it.”
From time to time, we have all experienced less than great service, or at least service that is less than it could be. Most of the time, the difference between mediocre and outstanding service comes down to execution and detail. My wife and I recently went to a local diner for breakfast and ordered basically the same meal: eggs, bacon, toast and fruit. She had fried eggs, I had scrambled. Her toast was wheat, mine was sourdough. But those aren’t the discrepancies I’m here to discuss. Our meals suddenly became very different when the fruit arrived at the table. Same ingredients (bananas, apples and blueberries), same small bowl, but two totally different presentations.
Hers was carefully arranged, with the apple slices neatly overlapping and standing around the inside of the bowl, bananas meticulously piled in the middle and the blueberries delicately placed on top. Thoughtfully presented, producing a pleasant feast for the eyes. It seemed to have been plated by a professional chef – ready for a Pinterest picture – compared to mine, which appeared to have been put together by a construction worker. A stack of apples, bananas jammed next to them and blueberries scattered as an afterthought.
Both meals were ordered at the same time, brought to the table together, and cooked in the same kitchen. But they were obviously prepared by two different cooks, or should I say “mindsets.” One was thinking about both presentation and satisfaction, the other just trying to get the food order out. Both meals did what a meal is supposed to do – satisfy hunger. But my wife’s looked so much more pleasing, appetizing and enjoyable (while mine looked edible enough).
Since when is having the right components more important than having them in the right place and in the proper order? The problem with my fruit bowl wasn’t the ingredients. It was the execution. Whoever threw it together could use a lesson in neurogastronomy (the science and study of how all of our senses stimulate the brain while we eat and how our perception of taste is affected because of it). Chefs around the world know that creating a feast for the eyes as well as the palate tricks the brain into thinking a plate is better because of how it looks and smells.
So now my question is this: Which of the two scenarios above can be said about your creative process? Are you just getting the work out? Or are you making sure that your ideas and elements work cohesively each and every time, consistently delivering your brand’s message?
If you need some help serving up satisfying results, “execution” is our middle name. Drop us a line at holler@bonfire5.com. Bon appétit!
