I’ve never been fond of “best practices” although most of my clients profess to be constantly pursuing them. The problem is that today’s best practice is next week’s second best practice. There is a danger that in thinking we’ve identified a best practice that we quit looking for better practices.
That’s why I’ve been an advocate of better practices; looking for ways to improve on what are considered best practices.
I’ve shifted my thinking yet again. The ultimate goal should be “next practices.” Better practices improve on what’s already being done. Next practices are the innovative new things that change the game. Zappos used next practices to revolutionize online shoe buying.
Best practices are good. Better practices are…well…better. But next practices are best.
What are you pursuing in your organization?
Overall, I agree – with some clarifications – all in the spirit of good discussion:
“Best practices are good. Better practices are…better…next practices are best”…Best what? Practices?
In one way, all these things are related. Working with dozens of Fortune 500 companies and helping clients benchmark “best practices”, I’ve noticed at least two things:
1. Most long-term successful companies have current best practices that can be incredibly helpful to know when adapting (rather than adopting) to a client’s operation. Depending on the client’s current circumstance, it may be that the “best practice” to temporarily borrow is a practice the benchmark company stopped using years prior – simply because of where the client organization is at culturally/maturity-wise. The bottom line should be to execute what can best work now, and remember the potentially better/next practices that can be enacted when the circumstances warrant.
2. The real – evergreen – best practice is how best-in-class professionals/companies THINK. This is the real key. By definition, any world-class company must continuously improve to stay at the top – therefore, they are always changing. To lock on to one practice only dooms the adoptee to short-term success…until the competition improves or the customers expect more. Instead, great companies optimize their results now with best practices, while engaging employees to perpetually experiment with new improvement ideas that will add value to the quality of the product/customer experience.
Again, just splitting conceptual hairs here. I enjoy and value your thought leadership on these matters – and appreciate the opportunity to participate in this discussion with all those who care to comment.
Continued blessings,
Mark
Pretty good hair-splitting!
I agree about the key to thinking. Mindset become pervasive and either helps or hinders.
In an attempt to be clever that may not have worked, I was suggesting “next practices are the real best practices.”
Thanks for your thoughts, Mark.
Very simply, we are pursuing Continuous Improvement. The real competitive advantage for a company is its ability to IMPROVE at a rate faster than its competition. I agree that ‘Best Practices’ are dangerous. 1) Be careful who you put your bar up against in comparison, and 2) that practice may be ‘Best’ for that business, but not yours.
Well said Mark – and I don’t say that simply because I still agree with you! 😉
Hey Mark,
great insights. I agree. It is amazing how what is considered the leading edge today winds up being out of date tommorow.
Igor