Malky Mackay is confident his Ross County side have taken on board the need for consistent performance in the Premiership.
The Staggies have made a strong start to the new campaign and sit fifth in the table after four matches.
They have also advanced to the last-eight of the Viaplay Cup, and will host Aberdeen later this month.
County are next in action on Saturday, when they host Livingston.
Mackay has overseen a summer of transition at Victoria Park, with 10 new arrivals joining up with the side.
County triumphed 1-0 against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in their most recent outing, having been defeated by Derek McInnes’ side on both trips to Ayrshire last season.
Mackay believes that triumph was an encouraging sign his side are on the right track.
He said: “To go down to Kilmarnock and get the win lends itself to us having more consistency to us than last season.
“We did OK at times last year, but there wasn’t a real consistency. That’s really what I’m striving for, more consistency within the group.
“I think a couple of the ones I have brought in have got a bit more of a level head to them in terms of that.
“Against Kilmarnock, I thought Will Nightingale, Jack Baldwin and Ryan Leak at the back looked like men.”
Staggies faced rapid turnaround
County needed a dramatic surge to avoid relegation at the end of last season, defeating Partick Thistle in a thrilling play-off which went all the way to penalties.
It meant a late finish to the campaign, with County playing their first pre-season friendly against Nairn County exactly a month after the second leg against the Jags.
Although Mackay would rather avoid the same drama this term, he reckons the sharp turnaround may have inadvertently helped them to hit the ground running this season.
He added: “We brought Scott High in on deadline day after a couple of injuries, but we did a fair bit of business early on and got boys into the team, after only having two-and-a-half weeks off.
“That’s my fault, for us getting into the play-offs rather than getting my holidays at the same time as everybody else.
“It meant we were straight back into it again, and right back into the League Cup.
“We had to hit the ground running with the League Cup as quickly as we could, which we did, and we ended up winning the group.
“We are into the next round with a quarter-final against Aberdeen.
“In the league we did well against St Johnstone and we have played the Old Firm who both beat us clearly, but I thought the performances were OK. I don’t think either of them ran away with those games.
“That should give us confidence, as they are not going to be my competition.”
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