To be most loved and #1 in your industry, first you have to believe

Ove been thinking a lot lately, inspired by various conversations with clients, what comes with being number 1 in your industry in the eyes of the customer.  

To get to number 1 in any industry or to feel you are number 1 in your field takes a lot of commitment and considered work. Becoming the most loved airline, most loved bank, most loved café in the customer’s eyes is often the result of many actions and decisions along the way. 

But before the commitment and considered work, before the many actions and decisions, there’s one thing that needs to exist first – and that is the BELIEF. A belief that you can reach number 1 and be the most loved brand in your customers’ eyes; a belief that it’s possible. A belief that you have the people, systems and support to make it a reality. 

So, what are beliefs and why are they so potent? 

Well, simply put, a belief is a thought you have on repeat, a story you tell yourself often, that eventually over time you come to hold to be true. I would jump into all the science behind how beliefs work, but that is too much for this little blog, so let’s just say: your beliefs are the lenses through which you see the world, and they drive your actions and behaviours. 

Beliefs are potent because they can either become the foundation for your success and help you lean into your greatest potential, or they can stand in the way of your success and become a blocker for you and your team reaching your potential. 

Point being: you need to clean up your beliefs before you start striving for number 1 and most loved, and reprogram a mindset that will best support you. 

Recently, I ran into Morris, someone who has successfully taken this approach for many years. Morris is currently the General Manager of a fabulous café brand called Bellissimo in Queensland, Australia. They are well and truly on their way to becoming the most loved café.  

Before Morris flexed his service leadership skills with lattes and wholesome café food, he was in the banking industry for 43 years. During the early 2000s, he was given the task of leading his team in the institutional area of the Commonwealth Bank to reach number 1, leap-frogging the other major banks from the number 3 position.  

He shared with me the significant role belief played for him and the team during that time, and how to this day he continues to start with conversations and training sessions orientated around people’s beliefs and mindset.  

Today, the Commonwealth Bank is still number 1 – though for how much longer is yet to be seen. It’s a paradoxical game: create the belief you need to be the most loved and you can get to number 1, but the moment you believe you are number 1, you are at risk of being complacent and potentially you’re on your way to obsolescence. 

None of us can afford to rest on our laurels. To be the most loved – well, you need to be loved every day by enough customers who believe in you enough to come back to you next time, after all you are only as good as your last performance, number 1 or not.