Over the past three weeks I have had what can only be described as a transformative life experience. Through the incomparable gift of organ donation by my brother Steve, and the courageous, loving faith of his wife Kate, I have received a kidney that has given me new life -- and with it, an interesting perspective on my businesses and customers.
I'd like to share my story with you, and I look forward to connecting with you soon to make 2011 an incredibly successful year for all of us, for our customers and our businesses.
Background and Condition
In 1999 I was diagnosed with an elevated creatinine level that indicated possible kidney troubles. An ultrasound of my kidneys showed that I had a genetic disease called Polycystic Kidney Disease, or PKD. My kidneys were growing cysts that reduced kidney function as they became larger.
PKD affects about 1 in 500 people, and devastates many families as it is inherited generation to generation. Years ago it was a silent killer as most died from stroke, caused by the disease. (PKD Cure National Kidney Foundation)
My primary symptoms were fatigue, low energy levels due to low oxygen levels, muscle aches, and difficulty concentrating. Essentially my head was in a fog, like a pretty serious hangover that got progressively worse, especially this year.
The gene had muted in me, so no other members of my family were afflicted. At the beginning of 2010 my brothers agreed to be tested for organ donation. My brother Steve ended up being a perfect match, a willing and courageous donor, and we began to prepare for a December transplant surgery.
The surgery was performed at the Brigham and Women's Hospital (Brigham or BWH) in Boston. The Brigham was where the first kidney transplant occurred in 1954. Today, the Brigham regularly ranks in the top of lists for the best hospitals for kidney transplantation in the country. (Celebrating 50 Years of Kidney Transplantation)
Outcomes and Appreciations
The impact of the transplant on me was immediate. It was as though a switch was thrown and I was clear, energized and feeling normal. My creatinine level moved from 3.7 pre-surgery to 1.5 on Friday, 1.0 on Saturday, and .94 on Sunday!
I immediately realized the degree of mental compromise I had been experiencing for probably the last three years, although I was unaware of the full effect during that period.
I am so grateful for the support of so many people, but especially for the patience and support of my family over the last few years. My business partners have really covered and supported me incredibly well in the past year. I am very grateful for their support and eager to jump fully back in the game with them.
I cannot say enough about the surgeons, the supporting staff, and especially the nursing staff at the Brigham. They are, quite simply the best! (Picture of two of my four awesome primary caregivers.)
Starting Friday, three weeks ago, I am no longer sick. I have another week of basic recovery from the surgery itself, but I have no food or travel restrictions. I have a medication regimen that, over the next six months, will taper to the lowest level of immune suppression drugs of any transplant recipient. Assuming adherence to the discipline of daily medication, my risks are extremely low and prognosis very high. I am eager to move forward with my life, my family, my business and my friends.
Business Implications and Insights
But the experience and my story goes far beyond the obvious. As a result of the inevitable reflections during such a period I have gained a new perspective on how we will conduct our marketing and sales operations, and how we will work with select customers who share our values, vision and commitments.
I have had the opportunity to experience and watch "the best" during this period when my renewed senses were especially heightened.
The Brigham and Womens Hospital regularly shares the top spot on lists for the best hospitals for kidney transplant in the country.
But it was more than the hospital quality and process, the top shelf surgical staff. I experienced this quality in care delivery from everyone who touched us. The nurses who cared for us were unique in their skills, personality and approach. But each was absolutely the best. It was impossible to place one ahead of another. As a care delivery team the result over five days was incredible.
This got me thinking: why would I go for this type of procedure to a hospital, surgeon, or medical team that was not the best?
My brother Stephen is among the very best classical trumpet players in the world. This also involves being a music arranger. He has extended that ability on a broader scale by establishing the Fulcrum Point New Music Project in Chicago. Watching him for many years, and especially dealing with the challenges of this surgery (it's much tougher on the donor), I realize it's not just that he is the best, he knows how to be the best.
During my hospital stay I had the opportunity to watch the New England Patriots play the Chicago Bears in Chicago. With an 11-2 record so far this year, and impressive wins over the Jets and the Bears, New England are the best at what they do. And they succeed 80% of the time! But they believe they are capable of succeeding 100% of the time. They've developed a process to accomplish this. And that process is embraced by everyone in the organization. When they don't embrace this operating philosophy, they are released (good by Randy Moss).
The Patriot organization is full of people who know how to be the best, from Robert Kraft, Coach Bill Belichek, and quarterback Tom Brady on down.
Over the past few years I have been working with two businesses -- Avitage and PrivateSalesCoach. Each company provides different but related services to improve the quality and level of outcomes of business-to-business marketing and sales organizations.
Most sales organizations win about 10-15% of all the deals they work. The CSO Insights study of sales opportunities that are worked all the way to completion (i.e. sales person thinks they should win the business the night before they learn of the results) indicate only a 50% success rate. The few "best" organizations hit about 65% regularly. And this is considered "normal".
Now, every game has its unique averages (in baseball, the best lifetime batters have averages from 320 to 366 (Ty Cobb). But as I Googled to find these stats I noticed this quotation:
I suspect our best sales professionals have a similar, if more positive, thinking pattern as they engage new customers.
But are 10%-15% (or 50% depending on your measure) really what our "batting averages" should be? I suspect if these "players" and "managers" were in professional sports they would be unemployed pretty quickly! (A nod to Sharon Drew Morgen who has been leading this cry for a long time!)
This got me thinking about these questions and ideas that I will be writing about over the next few weeks:
- Why would our customers want to buy from us if we aren't "the best"?
- What are we the best at? What does it mean to be "the best"?
- What impact would it have on us and our business if we regularly won 50% - 80% of the business we chased?
- What would we have to do differently to make this a reality?
Please join me in this discussion, online and within your organization. This is key to creating personal and organizational breakthoughs this year.
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