Making the Case That Precision Is the Key to Success

We recently got our hands on Gillette’s newest shaving tool, the Fusion ProShield razor, and it got us thinking about precision. Here’s a razor innovation that’s been designed to maximize the quality of shaving, that most mundane and Sisyphean of daily activities, while minimizing the time and effort put towards it all. The key to the ProShield’s success is precision, which lines up pretty damn well with our personal philosophy around here.

Deadlines, high standards — regardless of their profession, in some way everyone deals with pressure, with the urgent need to perform at the top of their game. Talent helps, sure, and luck has a lot to do with it, but when it comes down to the wire, that philosophy is the “Weapon X” secret that keeps us all humming along and successful.

If my day doesn’t move forward with perfect precision, it’s a wasted day.

In planning, execution, routine and in our personal lives: crank all the precision to 11 and the result is successful relationships, successful work, successful fun. For Gillette Athlete Ambassador, Olympic gold medalist and world-record-holding decathlete Ashton Eaton, that includes a combination of perseverance, passion and the new Gillette Fusion ProShield. For the non-decathlete “daycathlete,” Gillette awards your daily labors with the closest, trimmest, smoothest and, dare we say, sexiest face your mug can foster. Beyond shaving, here are some thoughts on precision from a few of the guys at GP — it’s what makes us tick, and probably why we like each other enough to spend long hours in the bullpen together.

The Morning Commute

“My superpower is being obnoxiously punctual, but the NYC subways do their best to thwart me at every turn. But if do the exact same efficient routine in the morning I’ll always be at my desk right when I need to be. It’s those micro-adjustments that make the difference.”
Nick is definitely a creature of habit. Living off of the G train, which most people loathe, takes discipline… and a lot of patience.

Starting the Workday

“If my day doesn’t move forward with perfect precision from the moment the workday begins, it’s a wasted day. Deadlines have to be met, and the system that keeps our work churning is a delicate ballet of communication and effort.”
Matt oversees our calendar and keeps everyone at GP on track and honest about deadlines and output. It’s a lot to manage, and letting even one thing slip through the cracks could potentially derail the whole machine.

Gillette Fusion ProShield Specs

Protection: Lubrication strips on either side of the blades shield from irritation while you shave.
Pivot: Gillette’s Flexball tech allows the razor to respond to every contour on your face for an even shave.
Penta-blade: We made up that term, but there are five finely-tuned blades positioned to slice through stubble, not tug on it.
Precision: A single-blade trimmer on the back of each razor allows for accurate detailing.

Leading a Business

“Mastering the details is what inevitably separates the good and great in any endeavor. It’s a precise standard we constantly focus on here at GP, because our entire team works too hard to settle for anything less than their best work.”
Ben is always fixated on the methods and processes that will net out the most effective results. We’re a small crew, so streamlining and sharing the burden is ingrained in all we do; if we miss even the smallest of goals it can derail a lot of work.

Editing a Story

“Getting the feel of a story, a paragraph, or even a sentence just right requires a lot of gut and guesswork. But when you’ve nailed it just so, something clicks.”
As an editor, Chris’s extreme attention to quality of writing and the nuances of grammar and word choice (and much more) keeps everyone’s work on point, original and top quality.

Finally, Family Time

“My calendar is sacred to me. I have a kid and have to be precise with his schedule, have to be able to pick him up every day.”
Zach blasts through meetings and calls and emails nonstop all day. But unlike most of us, he has a family life to maintain, and compromising that time isn’t an option. Every minute of the workday has to count.

Precision isn’t just about hitting bullseyes or exactly hitting the apex on a decreasing-radius turn with a sports car. It’s part of everyday life too, whether you’re shaving, running for a train or soaking up time with your family. It’s about discipline, hard work and success, and it always pays off.

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