Excellence is excelling, being the very best, exhibiting greatness, high quality, or something above and beyond the accepted standard. As leaders, we are called to be excellent because we are the example others will follow. What we do becomes who we are. If we settle for mediocre in anything, it becomes a habit.
I was a new employee when my manager gave me a project. She asked me to create an Excel spreadsheet of our department projects and current status. She sent me the assignment via email. I rushed through it throwing together a quick spreadsheet without even formatting it. I sent it back to her within an hour. I thought she would be impressed because I accomplished it so quickly. Within minutes, she sent me a response; “This is a good start – now work on making it look professional.” Professional? Hmmmm…I had to think about that one. I knew how to format in Excel. At the time, I thought that was not the point of a spreadsheet, and it would take too long to make it neat and professional looking. Bosses want speed more than anything – or so I thought. I worked on it a little more, added a few things like some colored fields and borders around my tables, and sent it back just before noon. I hit send. Satisfied with myself, I went to lunch.
When I got back from lunch, I had another email from her. “Let’s talk.” Uh-oh. That probably wasn’t the “job well done talk” that I was hoping for.
With great kindness (and patience), she showed me the typos and the misspelled words I had completely overlooked in my rush to get the project done. She talked about how important it was to make sure my work reflected high quality. I will never forget what she said, “Once you put your name on something like this, it’s done. For years and years to come, someone will be looking at this, and it will have your name on it. What they see will determine what they think about you and your work ethic.”
She taught me a valuable lesson about excellence. There are times of course, when speed is a factor, but always strive for excellence in everything you do. Establish your reputation as someone who is excellent in all that you do – or don’t do it. Giving an extra “inch” will take you an extra mile.
Later on that afternoon, she asked me to stay and talk to her after others had left for the day. I had no idea what was wrong, but I knew something wasn’t going my way. She handed me a print out of the Excel spreadsheet and asked how it looked like to me. I had no idea what the right answer was.
Always strive for excellence in everything you do. ~ Ria Story
As the leader, it’s your job to be excellent while expecting the same from others. Set the standard high for everyone and even higher for yourself. Your team and even your children will rarely, if ever, give more than you do. Be the leader you wish you had.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ~ Aristotle
When you set a high standard of excellence, you raise the bar for yourself, your team, and even your customers. Raising the bar increases your influence – people are attracted to and follow those who are exceptional. No one gets excited about mediocre people or mediocre leaders. Be more.
1) GIVE THE EXTRA INCH
I saw Rorke Denver, former Navy Seal, speak at a Leadercast event several years ago. He said to everyone in the audience, “Raise both hands up as high as you can.” Instantly, everyone stuck both hands high up in the air. Then, he said, “Raise them one inch higher.” Everyone was able to reach a little higher. Then, he said, “Please give me just one inch more.” Nearly everyone sat up a little straighter and had one more inch to give.
His point was that most of us often hold something back. We hold a “reserve.” After we do as much as we think we can, we often realize we can still do more. We can and should learn to tap into that capacity without being asked. Doing so will help you establish excellence in everything you do. Take the time to showcase, polish, proofread, and spell check every area of your life, not just on the spreadsheets. Often, the little details are what will take you from mediocre to excellent and from average to exceptional.
2) GO THE EXTRA MILE
Look for ways to be excellent as a leader by going above and beyond to connect to your team members. Learn what they like, how they like to be rewarded, what they dream about, and what they dislike. Make them feel like they matter, and you will matter to them.
Look for ways to be excellent as a spouse, friend, or co-worker. Go out of your way to make someone’s day special. Drop off some sweets, send a card, or take the time to listen to them. Look for ways to deliver excellent customer service. When you over deliver the unexpected, you will find your credibility with others and your referrals by others increase dramatically.
Many companies, people, and leaders settle for being average and dull. When you are excellent, you will shine. (Note: This has been an excerpt from Ria’s book, Leadership Gems and also Leadership Gems for Women.)
WE ALL WANT, AND AT SOME LEVEL NEED, MORE INFLUENCE BECAUSE LIFE GETS BETTER WHEN WE CAN INFLUENCE OTHERS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
Leadership Speaker Ria Story, offers uniquely designed leadership development content specifically designed for women. Ria teaches leadership and success principles for women in a real, relatable, and practical way helping you increase your influence, maximize your potential, and claim the life you deserve to live. Visit RiaStory.com for resources, podcast info, programs, and books on leadership, success, and personal growth.
