In Search of the "BASF Effect"

It's not about making the product.

It's about making the product better.

Many years ago the global conglomerate, BASF, ran a television commercial with the tag line, “at BASF we don’t make the product, we make the product better.”

From a consumer perspective I had to scratch my head at that message, because not knowing exactly what BASF produced, it made it hard for me to go out and buy or support the BASF product/service line. Nevertheless, that tag line has stuck with me, and over the years I’ve come to give it new meaning - especially when working in organizations and seeing the need to “up one’s game”.

For most of us who have risen to a position of authority/responsibility, we are constantly challenged to create and increase an intrinsic value for our organization. We do this by managing the talents and resources at hand, while endeavoring to leverage upon opportunities as they present themselves.

But how often does it happen where, over time, our well-intended efforts lose steam and get stymied by our chaotic surroundings, ineffective routines, and/or just a general lack of focus on what is important? This is a condition I’ll refer to as the “mediocrity trap”, and unfortunately, it’s more prevalent than one would think – it happens within many organizations.

To avoid and rectify falling into this corporate malaise, these are the times that we as managers need to create our own “BASF effect” - by taking what we have, and truly making it better. To do this, it requires shedding complacency, embracing an outside-of-the-box approach, and often times, the need to bring in some new perspective/dynamics to the scene.

Excellence is achieved by embracing a passion to stay one step ahead of the game, with an ongoing pursuit of quality. And although it starts within ourselves, we also need to find “BASF effect-type” people for our team, those who complement and make us better by having them around.

So, here’s to BASF and their reminder of “making the product better”. Let’s take it to heart in our organizations.

PS - For the record and so you know (according to their website), BASF creates chemistry for a sustainable future, combining economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Its portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas.

But then again, even today I still don’t know where to buy a BASF product.