This month’s column is about a recent trip to New York and what I learned along the way. About a month ago, we attended the National Band and Orchestra festival at Carnegie Hall. The high school orchestra our granddaughter, Claire, plays in was invited to participate, and we were not about to miss that event! The first stop along the way illustrates improvement and excellence in a way that is consistent with our approach to Six Sigma.

As we approached the airport, I realized I had forgotten to take a jacket. We looked for a place to buy one but found nothing. I hoped to find something when we got to New York. However, there was a Brooks Brothers store inside the airport, so we stopped in; They had navy blazers, the perfect solution, but what surprised me the most was that they seemed to have one of every size—apparently many other travelers forget their jackets, too! The fit was perfect, and the price was high. We were reminded that people will pay for excellence.

Once in New York, the concert was, of course, joyous, a reminder that “practice, practice, practice” is the way to get to Carnegie Hall.

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