I have a fixation with yellow curbs. More precisely, I have a fixation with nicely painted yellow curbs and parking lots with freshly painted lines. As silly as it sounds, the look of curbs matter. A freshly painted yellow curb delineates the sidewalk from the street—it matters because safety is involved. A freshly painted yellow curb is visually pleasing—it matters because of its aesthetic value. And, finally, a freshly painted yellow curb matters because, well—it matters because for most of the world it doesn’t matter.
I was driving back to Iowa from Chicago not too long ago. While working my way from the neighborhood in which I was staying to the Expressway, I was struck by how much litter was in the median between the lanes. I also noted that what used to be grass was now filled with weeds, dirt, broken bottles, and even more junk. And the curbs weren’t painted. What remnant paint remained was chipped beyond recognition, and there was no separation between the median and the street. It was unsightly, dangerous, and it looked like nobody cared. And they didn’t.
My colleagues at the University of Dubuque spend most of their summer getting ready for the students who will return in August. The grounds crew prunes, mows, and plants and mulches in preparation for commencement in the spring and in anticipation of move-in day in the late summer. Our cleaning crew scrubs and cleans every residence hall room, bathroom, shower and common area, and a painting crew follows to patch and to add a fresh coat of color. This morning, two of my work colleagues were painting curbs—a final act of preparation for another school year.
Most of the new people who come to our campus won’t notice the freshly painted curbs or directional signs. Subconsciously, though, the visual impact will trigger a response. It will signal to anxious parents that we care enough about their children to try to anticipate every possible detail. That’s why our faculty have revised their syllabi in response to feedback they received the previous semester. That’s why our food service staff have reinvented their menu based upon input from previous students. That’s why our cleaning staff has shampooed carpets, washed windows, and scrubbed walls. And that’s why our team painted our curbs yellow.
What’s the point of this fixation?
It doesn’t matter whether your organization is an educational institution, insurance brokerage firm, frame shop, church or bowling alley—looks matter. Attention to detail—matters. [bctt tweet=”It doesn’t matter what type of organization you work for—looks matter. Attention to detail—matters. ” via=”no”]
Your organization’s version of “yellow curbs” is a subtle but powerful proclamation to the world that announces whether you’re ready for business or just trying to hang on. Shabby sheik just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Another great blog post! I totally agree with you about the importance of paying attention to the details that others miss, forget about, or don’t care about anymore. Thank you for your insights!