Getting bigger vs. getting better

In a recent press release by Progressive Produce BB #:113613, CEO Jim Leimkuhler, who is retiring at the end of March, said, “the way to success was to always get better; if we got better, we would get bigger.”

That combination of getting better certainly did make Progressive bigger—the company “grew from a local Los Angeles produce company into a year-round grower/packer/shipper with sales offices in Los Angeles, Washington, Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas.”

Becoming bigger was not prized above being better. Being better WAS the prize. Jim Leimkuhler knew which way the arrows of success point.

Success can be defined in many ways—making lots of money, growing the top line, hiring more people, going public. Indeed, these are important financial benchmarks, but being better at your craft is a true measure of success.

Knowing you have improved at what you do by doing a task to the best of your ability is a personal success benchmark that I value more highly than any other. It may not win a prize, but the fulfillment is immeasurable.

So often, business decisions are made with the sole purpose of becoming bigger. Bigger is considered by the business community as the ultimate prize. Higher earnings per share, expanded margins, and cashflow are the gold rings.

Maybe so, but I believe what Jim Leimkuhler believes: That success is defined, not by the word, bigger, but by the word, better.

Both words have the same number of letters.

One can lead to the other, as better generally leads to bigger. But bigger does not necessarily lead to better.

While both are important, satisfaction that comes from within is based on being better.

As long as businesses can pay their bills in a timely manner, trust me, better trumps bigger.