I wouldn’t consider myself a foodie, but I do have a few fairly strong eating preferences. I have grown to prefer bold flavors over comfort food, particularly at dinner time. Bring on foods enhanced by seasonings and sauces. In fact, I’m a huge sauce fan – a rich tomato, a sinus clearing horseradish cocktail sauce, and a smooth marsala are some of my favorites. I’d prefer no secrets in the sauces that I eat. Likewise, I’m not interested in how tomato sauce compares itself to another condiment. I am simply drawn to a bold, well-prepared sauce that is served at its best with me (and my fellow diners) in mind. Food experiences like this don’t happen all the time, but when a chef takes the time to make a statement sauce to accompany an entrée… I take notice and make a commitment to return.

Over the past several months, our blog covered several dimensions that together help organizations determine and direct their performance and productivity. We’ve used terms such as secret sauce and competitive advantage. Ultimately, our hope is that you use the conversation topics as a means to prepare your organization to deliver the boldest, most unforgettable service or product with your employees/co-workers, customers, and stakeholders in mind. Doing so requires effort for sure – but one of the surest ways to stay on track is to declare why you do what you do and to focus your team on answering that “why” with your everyday behaviors and deliverables.

Allow excellence and sincere care for customers to set you apart. Your sauce won’t be a secret for long and your organization will gain loyal customers that take notice and make a commitment to return.