I know those words above can lead us in many different directions. In fact, that is exactly the point of this column. In this world of attention-deficit humans, it is increasingly more possible to lose sight of why we are engaged in whatever we’re doing at any given moment. I know this seems a bit abstract for a magazine devoted to the automotive aftermarket, but just stay with me because it has applicability to our world.

Today, distractions run rampant in the workplace. In the past, the distractions were minimal and most knew how to avoid them and did. Today, they are impossible to ignore. First, there are the ground-level ones that our facility might provide. Noise, climate, co-workers — just to name a few. These are fairly manageable for those who want to persevere and do a good job. But one of our daily tools is probably the biggest culprit. Yes, it’s our trusty old friend, the computer.

You see, it’s not just the myriad of sites that are available on the computer but all the tasks that need to be done on the computer. We are all so conditioned to pay attention to the computer, that for one reason or another, it becomes the center of our day. This is the root of the problem and the potential hazard to our business. If we or our employees become so focused on one thing, they lose the direction that we have pointed them in.

Our daily mission needs to be the acquisition and maintenance of customers. That is why we are here. When our customers’ needs are met and we have a properly functioning business model, the motivation of why we work (monetary reward) comes naturally. Of course, this is over-simplified, but we need to constantly remind ourselves and our employees why we are here. It’s not the computer, the reports we run on it or the information we gather off of it. These are all activities that allow us to complete our primary function of taking care of the customers’ needs.

Be sure your team is properly focused.