We all get busy in our jobs. It seems there are always more things to do than any one person could possibly get done. From meetings to special projects to covering for co-workers. The list never ends.

It's a wonder we get anything done at all!

This is why we need to remember our priorities. No matter how many things we have on our task list (or piled on our desk) there is always one priority that's more important than all others.

Our customers.

No matter what our job is, we need to be doing something that helps our customers get what they want. No matter what our role in the company is, our work needs to play a part in helping our customers accomplish their goals.

Jan Carlzon, former president of Scandinavian Airlines said this:

"If you're not serving the customer, your job is to be serving someone who is."

When we forget this, we risk deploying fewer resources to serve our customers needs. Fewer resources means we're less likely to do the best job we can for our customers. And it means we're leaving the door open for competitors who are willing to do what it takes to serve our customers better than we are.

There is no room for waste in any company. Any role or activity that does not lead to a happy customer needs to be looked at closely. Is it critical to the company or not? If not, find a way to redeploy those resources.

Running a business means helping our customers get what they came to us for. That's why we're here.