June 2024
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Sir Isaac Newton 1643-1727
“Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.” ― Vince Lombardi
I am sure that Coach Lombardi believed that environmental factors, passion, zeal, and persistence all played crucial roles in attaining excellence. William Shakespeare told us not to be “…afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
In his book titled “Good to Great,” Jim Collins points out that some people and companies make the leap from good to great while others do not. I read the book a couple of times, highlighted it, and then went back and copied my highlights. While the book is short, only a bit over 200 pages, it became obvious that the entire book came down to one word: WHO. The people WHO not only maintain the culture and understand the vision but WHO also contribute to the journey on which we are all traveling! As I worked with groups, my first question was always, “Who are your WHOs?” I found that to be a great conversation starter, and most people were eager to talk with great pride about the WHOs they worked with!
Collins goes on to say, “The enemy of great is being good. The complacency that often comes from being good prevents us from taking the next steps required for greatness.” Collins then points out that, “Maybe we should ask ourselves: what can we not do better than anyone else, and what things do not fit our economic denomination?” We should do what we do well and do it with great passion. I have come to believe that we should all focus on doing what we do better than anyone while also considering those things that we do not, and maybe never did, fit our economic welfare. How often do we settle for good? Is “good” enough? Certainly, the journey to greatness and excellence requires focused and inspiring leadership. We should always be looking to identify our WHOs, as well as looking for new WHOs. I always wanted to wear a name tag that said, “I’m a WHO!” … Ha, maybe not! (smile)
Offered here for your consideration: Omar Bradley, U.S. General during WW2, is quoted as saying, “Amateurs talk strategy and professionals talk logistics.” Thirdly, I would add, comes operations! That is training, mastering skills, knowledge of the “battle” areas, and support for each other. Demonstrating strength in these three areas can provide a plan for success. Leading others to grasp this formula is itself leadership.
Strategy + Logistics + Operations = Winning Battles
In the mid-1800s, very stressful times for France, the newly elected president was asked, “Now you are president, what will you do next?” He responded, “I must find out where my people want to go so that I can lead them there.”
Make failure and feedback safe to build team trust.
“Leaders build trust with their teams when they create a culture that encourages honest inquiry and feedback where mistakes can be acknowledged and seen as opportunities to learn and improve.”
Karen Hebert-Maccaro, General Manager of Education at Morning Brew.
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