Can't Finish until you Start!

"A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time." ~ Mark Twain

A whole lot of people will be looking in the mirror as 2023 closes and we turn the page to 2024. What can I do to be better? How can I improve myself, my team, my organization?

Then comes the list making. Self-improvement includes exercise, walking more, just moving. Scale minding requires an examination of eating habits and choices. Work life balancing, spending more time with family and figuring out how to keep up with work demands will be considered.

All these things are good things to think about. And we will, for the next few months. Then if we aren’t persistent good choices will get pushed aside, life will become crowded again and before you know it, we will face that mirror once again another year older.

The common thread that makes all changes matter more begins when you put them to work. Starting the process of change by getting out on the trail, making better food choices, and committing to family opportunities more consistently.

Our work in Compliance Service is like that too. We have ideas, goals, and best practices that could really make service become more than a good thought and a recognized achievement.

It takes a commitment beyond voicing a strategy and writing it down. It starts with beginning the new work we’ve already considered. Great service begins with serving. It matches a mindset of best practice thinking. From a service perspective we must actively portray what a good experience looks like and from the customer’s point of view what it feels like.

Compliance service does revolve around resolving unpaid debt. The first step comes together when we encourage a start by our customers. It won’t always be easy. There is a reluctance by customers to take care of payments and a hesitation to trust the system. Not all will see what you are trying to deliver. But they never will unless you demonstrate a willingness to help them try. The effort will reap rewards, not only for the contributions but the recognition that great service makes a difference.

Make your reflections on this past year. Take a chance on making real change so that your best self is available. In compliance service, the model is there to make positive changes. At CIS, we are here to help you get there! Happy New Year!

Don Murphy is the Chief Executive Officer for Compliance Improvement Services (CIS) which provides consulting and training for courts and local government.  He is a Fellow with the National Center for State Courts and has over 27 years of court administration experience with Clerks in Florida.