What does “being committed to excellence” mean to you? In the various training and lectures, I’ve conducted, I discuss the difference in being committed to excellence versus perfection. While aiming for perfection is a great goal, I don’t believe that perfection is sustainable. However, a commitment to excellence and being the best that you can be, in each moment, is sustainable – if one is committed to it.
Let me explain a little more. In my previous role as a VP of Sales, I loved being the cheerleader for our sales team members. I enjoyed going on sales calls with team members, training/developing others, mentoring, closing on a sale, exceeding customer’s operational expectations, developing business plans to increase market penetration, etc. Hence, the “perfect” week for me would be a combination of these things, ending with me praising and celebrating victories with our team(s). However, markets decline, we lose good talent to a competitor, occasionally people don’t do what they’ve committed to doing, a competitor swoops in and tries to steal a top client, etc. Dealing with these challenges were not part of my “perfect” week. However, because I am committed to excellence, and not perfection, my choice was (and is) to step up and do what is needed. In this case, being committed to excellence would show up in such as work with the team via a strategic planning meeting to re-adjust our strategy to respond to changing market conditions, find out why people are not performing to plan and offer support – then hold them accountable, etc.
I believe that as we look to the future (and present), it’s leaders that are committed to excellence that will stand out and be sought after. Why do I think this? Because individuals who are committed to excellence don’t give up when things aren’t perfect. They offer a sense of maturity that instead rises to the challenge, as they understand that it’s about obtaining the very best outcome possible, not about what they once deemed as perfection. Also, through the process of overcoming the challenge, new possibilities often present themselves that may be even better than what we once saw as “perfection.”
In the end, the best leaders understand that while things are not perfect every day, nor are we; we do have the power to make the best of each day and be committed to ensuring that we achieve the best outcome possible. That, to me, is being committed to excellence.
For additional reading on Excellence in Business, I would recommend an article written by Sherrie Campbell (2015) suggesting “10 Commitments for Excellence in Business” that include: “See the Good, Risk Failure, Work Hard, Expand, Be Consistent, Be Passionate, Maintain Self Respect, Keep Things in Balance, Nurture Relationships, Seek Feedback.”
Reference:
Campbell, S. (2015, February 5). The 10 Commitments for Excellence in Business. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242538
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