Now ELEVATE Your Excellence!

The tension between excellence and average is all too real. You start the day with passion, but after battling the same issue you thought you solved last week (and the week before), you slip into indifference. Yesterday, you were on top of your game. No one knew your job better than you. But today, the technology is more complex and the customers are more sophisticated. Competency fades to incompetency.

You have been the poster child for accepting change, but the speed and frequency of the changes are overwhelming, and your resilience has reached a limit. Your flexibility hardens into inflexibility. Communication used to be easy, fluid, and productive. But now it is discordant, and the mixed messages and ambiguity lead to routine miscommunications that drain you of your energy.

You took ownership of your job, your relationships, and your responsibilities. Over time, however, you realized that the rewards for going the extra mile were few and far between. So you could put in the minimum amount of work, time, and energy with basically the same rewards.

The problem is that this devolution happens insidiously and outside the boundaries of our awareness. Incident by incident, the thermostat of our definition of excellence gets reset. Before long, average has replaced excellence and we don’t even recognize the change.

Most of us do not aspire to be average. We want to be the best—that is, excellent. Whether as mom, dad, son, brother, sister, daughter, leader, manager, supervisor, employee, Sunday school teacher, quilter, or softball player, most of us want to be the best at what we do and what we are. The problem is, average quietly creeps in, and before we know it, our excellence has been kidnapped.

There is no silver bullet for maintaining excellence, but we believe that attention to the core principles put forth in Who Kidnapped Excellence? can help you to cultivate awareness and pour a foundation that will keep you moving toward a higher level of excellence. We offer the following model to ELEVATE to your best:

Examine Yourself

Live Like Dooley

Equip Yourself

Verify and Clarify

Accept Change

Take Responsibilty

Expect Improved Performance

Examine Yourself

Now it’s time for a reality check! Has your excellence been kidnapped? When you look at the aspects of your personal and work life, what is the pattern of your passion, competency, communication, flexibility, and ownership? In fact, to bring the abstract closer to reality, choose the area of your life (manager, employee, spouse, parent, etc.) you think you could improve the most, and rate yourself on the following items, with 1 being never and 10 being always:

	Never					Always
My attitude is great	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I look at opportunities with enthusiasm	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
My life is a journey of learning and discovery	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I learn something new every day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I actively listen before responding	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I look at change as “What I am gaining, not losing?”	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I am accepting of new ideas	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
If I see it, I own it and I fix it	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I act like an owner and take pride in what I am doing	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
I do my best every day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

How did you do?

Now it’s time for the real reality check. Choose a person who is part of the area of your life in which you selected to rate yourself, and ask him or her to rate you as well! This inventory check will help you to better understand yourself.

Dave took the survey and was fairly pleased with the outcome. But when his wife, at his request, rated him, he had to take a step back. He had begun keeping a journal that he had simply named “My Best!” After the survey, he wrote:

My Best! There is quite a gap between the ratings. I rated myself higher on most items than Mary did. I need to learn more about why there is this difference. Tonight I will sit down with her and ask her to tell me more. I must be on guard so that I don’t become defensive. If I am really striving for excellence, I must value input like this.

Other excerpts from Dave’s journal falling under the category of Examine Thyself include:

• Identified the “next person(s) in the process” in the important areas of my life (my spouse, my children, and my boss).

• I have a great relationship with my supervisor. Asked him to list two areas where I could improve my performance. He seemed impressed that I asked.

• Asked my family to list two areas where I could improve our relationship. It is clear that I need to be a better listener and should keep an open mind!

• Reviewed the last six months and listed items I completed successfully. After I finished reviewing the list, I learned some things I am doing well and also some areas where I could improve.

• Asked colleagues to describe to me one way in which I could help them. Recorded the ways I have fulfilled their requests. At the end of six weeks, I went to them and reviewed the list. They gave me feedback about what was most helpful.

Live Like Dooley! (Passion)
Inspires everyone with energy, enthusiasm, and caring.

Passion’s job is to create that zest for life that causes us to smile even when circumstances are against us, to go that extra mile, and to see our life and work as an opportunity, not something we have to get through.

Develop a habit of approaching each day with a great attitude. Whatever door you need to go through, do it like Dooley, like it’s the first time you’ve ever been through that door, like you can’t wait to go out and explore.

We are not talking about a pie-in-the-sky or Pollyanna mentality that ignores the realities of life. We are talking about your ability to make a choice to see each day, situation, or challenge with fresh eyes. We are talking about your ability to make the choice each day not to be burdened by the sludge of negativity—instead, to rise above it with a zest for life and a desire for personal excellence. Dave was particularly fond of this mantra. Here are some specific actions he took to Live Like Dooley:

From “My Best!”:

• Listed the items (projects) I had going on in my life. Examined them and listed the best possible outcome for each item. Then determined what steps I needed to take to get the result I desired. I made a commitment to always be ready to race out the door like Dooley.

• Realized that challenges (problems) often make me a better person. Have thought through the issues I was facing with a clear perspective of the problem, which drove me to an outcome I had not yet considered.

• Evaluated how I interact with the people around me. Dooley, like most dogs, has never missed an opportunity to greet someone enthusiastically. I will do the same.

• Have been thinking about the people who work with me and have been evaluating my social interactions with them. Playing on a team will motivate me to get out the door in the morning. Working to make others succeed is a surefire way to increase my own success.

• My environment has a tremendous impact on my attitude. When I find myself in a hostile or negative environment, I will simply remove myself from the situation. I know that criticism is contagious, and if I stay around it long enough, I will catch it.

• Someone once told me that positive actions are like buckets that are never emptied. I can pass out compliments, offer smiles, and encourage others, and the bucket will never go dry. I commit to positive actions.

• Will accept my circumstances. All the complaining in the world will not fix my situation. I will spend my time developing a strategy to overcome issues and offer solutions to those around me. My attitude will be contagious, and when others catch what I have, they will want to see the world like Dooley!

Equip Yourself (Competency)

Ensures that everyone has all the skills needed to do their best.

Competency is not just important in the technical aspects of our work and lives but also important in our relationships with one another.

Whether it is in your personal life or your professional life, competency is required for excellence. Make sure that you have the tools to deliver excellence. If you desire to be a better parent, find the resources to help with those skills. If you desire to be an excellent employee, find a manager or mentor to guide you.

Also, do not discount the competency needed in interpersonal skills to reach excellence. You may be the smartest person in the room with the highest level of technical skills, but if you do not possess the interpersonal skills that help you relate to people, you will not reach your potential. Seek out the right resources to coach yourself in this area.

Dave had several items in his journal under the category of Equip Yourself.

From “My Best!”:

• Found a mentor! Although I have thought of mentors as being older, I found that age is not as important as skill development. My mentor challenged me to grow in some specific areas of my life. We meet once a week, and his advice has been invaluable to me.

• Started keeping a notebook where I record items about the people I meet, so that I can refresh my memory when I meet them again. It takes time and energy to journal this information, but it has already proved valuable. The surprise on people’s faces when I ask about a Little League game, upcoming marriage, or job promotion encourages me to keep up my efforts in this endeavor.

• Asked my supervisor to choose a conference or training opportunity for me in an area where she would like to see me succeed. What supervisor would not want to see someone try to improve?

• Have set measurable and specific goals. I started with “I am going to be a better husband to my Mary.” But my mentor asked me, how would I know if I was actually accomplishing this? I answered, “By hearing my wife say how much she appreciates me for the little things I do. Like sending flowers on her birthday and our anniversary, having coffee with her twice a week before work, and greeting her with a smile every morning.”

• Have learned to laugh at my own mistakes. That doesn’t mean that I am not learning from them.

• I am taking my personal and professional performance seriously, but I am taking myself a little less seriously!

Verify and Clarify (Communication)

Clearly communicates roles and expectations.

Perception is everything, and perception is created by Communication. Communication respects that there is a delicate balance between listening and talking.

The road to excellence is a two-way street paved with communication. It involves active listening and the clear articulation of our thoughts and ideas.

Here is what Dave did to improve in the area of Verify and Clarify.

From “My Best!”:

• Now I close my computer and put away my cell phone and other potential distractions when I am speaking and listening.

• Try to listen to (the words and the tone of) what the other person is saying.

• Watch for body language and other visible signs from the other person.

• When my message is complex, I write it down before I give it. Next, I say it aloud to myself and/or I find a neutral party to try it on. Have begun to verify that I have heard the accurate message by using phrases such as, “This is what I think I heard you say.” Then I say what I thought I heard them say and ask, “Is that correct?” I will need to use some judgment here. I must alter my language to fit my personality, so that it does not come across as contrived or mechanical. I try to find a way to ensure that the message is received as I intended.

• I am the one responsible for ensuring that communication has been effective. I will ask if I need to clarify any points to make them crystal clear.

• When communication derails, I will take the time to understand what I can do to improve the next time. I will identify who the next person in the process is when this happens. Perhaps I will have either a teaching moment or an “Aha!” learning moment on my hands.

Accept Change (Flexibility)

Helps us respond to unique situations whenever they occur.

The only thing that remains constant is that everything changes. Flexibility understands this and helps employees to deal with and manage changes in a practical and professional manner.

The bumper sticker reads, “CHANGE IS EASY. YOU GO FIRST!” The irony here is that change is not easy, but you must “go first.” You must do your best to understand the change, determine your role, and begin moving forward. Sometimes you’re the one initiating the change, and sometimes you’re the one who is being asked to change. We do not suggest that you accept change without questioning or seeking input, but we do suggest that flexibility—your ability to manage your response in a mature, reasonable, and professional manner—is a basic tenet of excellence in your personal and professional life.

Being flexible in times of change was difficult for Dave. The following was what he did to Accept Change.

From “My Best!”:

• Will start by giving the people who are leading the change the benefit of the doubt and assume that the change was thought through. I must remember that I may go through a range of emotions when there are changes. My questions are, what it is, why now, and how will it affect me? All of these are normal.

• Will resist unfairly condemning a new practice before I hear all of the details of the change.

• When a change is occurring, I will develop a personal plan of action to implement it, and I will write it down.

• Will make a list of change items I have initiated over the past year and evaluate the list carefully.

• Will remember that the ability to initiate and accept change is something that can set me apart from everyone else.

• Will remember that I have more leverage when I do want to question a change if I am not someone who always resists changes.

• Will involve others around me when I work through a change process. The more I involve others, the more ownership they will have.

Take Responsibility (Ownership)

Ensures that everyone takes 100 percent responsibility for their job.

Ownership is a personal value that mirrors the knowledge that we have power and influence when we accept our responsibilities. Even in the face of constraints and barriers, we have the choice to operate using our judgment.

See it. Own it. Fix it. Improve it!

Dave realized the importance of an owner’s mentality, and he did the following to Take Ownership.

From “My Best!”:

• Will tell my close friends, spouse, and coworkers what I have learned about myself and ask them to help me with the changes in attitudes and behaviors I have committed to. Even owners need mentors and coaches.

• When that inner voice is creating a dialogue about the right thing to do, I will simply ask and answer the question, “What would I do if I owned it?”

• Will focus my energy on what I can do to positively affect the outcome of the situations or the challenges I am confronted with. Owners do not pass the buck!

• Will practice joint ownership. Many challenges and opportunities are best solved and seized by a collective group. I will take ownership seriously, but I won’t be selfish with it when a team approach is needed.

• Will practice preventive maintenance.

• Will be a producer and guard against the entitlement mind-set.

• Will stop myself before I say the word “they” and determine if what I am about to say is productive.

• Will go to meetings prepared. Whenever possible, I will get the agenda and objectives of the meeting in advance and come prepared to add value.

• Will maintain a keen awareness of my goals (personal and professional). And I will keep score. Then I will know where I am in relationship to the goal. If I get off track, I will get focused and/or get help!

• Whether or not it’s my responsibility, if I can make something right, I will do it!

• Will assume that someone is watching me in everything I do—because someone is!

Expect Improved Performance

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey talks about things being created twice, first in the mind and then in reality. And so it is true with excellence—excellence does not just show up on your doorstep and ask to come in! Excellence begins to show up in your life and in your work, first, with a mind-set change, and second, with the repeated practice of those behaviors that are consistent with the mind-set.

Early in the book, we stated that the characters of Performance and Excellence were often seen together. In reality, performance is improved when you elevate your excellence. Thus, excellent performance is an outcome of a high level of passion, competency, flexibility, communication, and ownership. Similarly, average performance is an outcome of mediocrity and results when you do not have high levels in all these categories consistently. As you elevate your excellence, people (your boss, your spouse, your peers, your employees, your kids, and most important, you) will begin to notice the improvement in your performance.

Unless people are or have been in therapy, they generally are uncomfortable talking about their behavior. And yet, how we behave toward one another in our relationships at home and at work is foundational to the achievement of excellence. Passion, competency, flexibility, communication, and ownership all begin with a mind-set that is manifested in the behaviors we choose.

So, what is stopping you from your choosing to take the next step toward excellence? And, for the most part, it is a choice. We recognize that at different times in our lives, we all experience unique circumstances (a death, a health issue, a significant loss, etc.), but, notwithstanding one of these major events, we all have a choice about our passion, our competency, our flexibility, our communication, and our ownership mentality.

Do not accept average in your life! Begin your journey to ELEVATE your Excellence!