Many talk about excellence because it’s the thing to do. Others dance on the high edge of average unwilling to take the leap.
Excellence shimmers like a mirage teasing in the distance. Good is acceptable because excellence frustrates.
The pursuit of excellence means
today’s best is tomorrow’s average.
Can you live with that?
One simple path:
Excellence is a path not a destination.
Average is safe because it’s known and attainable.
Excellence lays one step beyond your best.
Make plans. Determine goals and objectives. But, just before ending the meeting ask, “How could we take this to the next level?”
Eyes light up when teams develop good ideas and someone asks, “How can we do better?”
Excellence is incremental.
Five tips:
- Toss theories and excuses. Any fool can explain why something can’t be done. Wisdom finds practical expressions of better.
- Don’t settle on first answers or suggestions. Keep asking.
- Invite others in. Customers, front-line workers, new employees, and other departments poke at the stale status quo.
- Persist. Excellence is a function of persistence. Keep trying even though results disappointed the first time.
- Change methods as you pursue.
How can leaders pursue excellence?
What qualities strengthen a leader’s ability to pursue excellence?
