27.2: What is it?
Many will know that a marathon is a grueling running event that covers 26.2 miles. We have all heard of “going the extra mile” but at Speedeon we consider the “extra mile” as something that we do after completing the full marathon. We have the expectation that the base requirements of our work is at a higher level than the requirements for other companies; and we further that expectation by going beyond that base. Everyone expects a runner to stop after crossing the finish line at a marathon; it takes someone special to keep going.
Why the analogy of a marathon?
Running and completing a marathon is difficult. To do it one has to do many of the same things that we do at Speedeon:
- Plan: one needs a training schedule and plan to run a marathon. You can’t just show up on race day and expect to complete it – you have to have started working towards it weeks and months prior.
- Put in the work: To run a marathon you have to put in those miles: day after day, week after week. You have to get the pace and distance to increase and you have to be willing to endure it.
- Overcome: training for a marathon is full of obstacles: injuries, bad weather, early mornings, not going to bed until the miles for that day are completed. Some of the things to overcome are external but the tough ones are in our minds.
- Elite: not just anyone can complete a marathon; not just anyone can be on the team at Speedeon.
Why not just “go the extra mile”?
“Go the extra mile” has become an empty platitude. Extra beyond what? Is getting to an appointment on time going the extra mile? Is getting there five minutes early? Unless a goal or Core Value has a definition of an expectation then going beyond it is meaningless. At Speedeon we know what the goal is: we derive our success from the success of our customers. So we know what to do and when to do it when we go beyond completing the marathon. This helps ensure that our customer’s marketing programs are the best that they can be – and that we are the best we can be.
