Nurture the Vital Few

When a business comes to me and asks for help in delivering consistent quality service…… I always start with the leaders. Why? It works.
The 80/20 rule (Pareto principle) is derived from Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who created a mathematical formula based on an observation that only a “vital few” of the peapods in his garden produced the majority of peas. Originally, the Pareto principle referred to the observation that 80% of Italy’s wealth belonged to only 20% of the population.
Some other examples of the Pareto principle playing out in society include:

• 20% of criminals commit 80% of crimes
• 20% of drivers cause 80% of all traffic accidents
• 80% of pollution originates from 20% of all factories
• 20% of a company’s products represent 80% of sales
• 20% of employees are responsible for 80% of the results
• 20% of students have grades 80% or higher.

In business, we would say that 20% of the inputs or activities are responsible for 80% of the outcomes or results.
So, when it comes to service, you and your team are “the vital few” in the garden that need to be nurtured. This is where 80% of your company’s efforts will come from in shifting the dial towards a culture of a service mindset.

When your leaders feel invested in, cared for, and know their potential, or how far they can grow in a business, they are not only engaged in what they are doing, but inspired to do more.

Jaquie Scammell
‘Love Being in Service’