By Lynn Thomas
I read a quote the other day, and it really struck a chord in me.
“Excellence requires some effort. You need to give your people a compelling reason to push beyond their comfort zone.” – Tony Schwartz
If we look at most companies, the above quote rings true. Most companies are average. There is nothing horrible about the company, and conversely nothing truly excellent either. If a company wants to stand out among the crowd, it needs to create “a compelling reason [for its employees] to push beyond their comfort zone”.
If we stop for a moment and think about companies that are known for delivering excellence, FedEx, L.L. Bean, Four Seasons, Disney, etc., what makes them different? Each company has its own recipe for its brand of excellence. They did not copy a competitor or leader. They gave their employees a compelling reason to push beyond their comfort zone. Each of these companies has its own feeling of success. You can literally feel it when you interact with someone at their company.
What are some of your company’s possible recipes for excellence? Your flavor of excellence needs to be a compelling reason for your people to push themselves into the uncomfortable zone. It cannot just be attractive or appealing – it must be compelling! That is a tall order, but these times call for people to create tall orders.
I suggest that you do not generate just one, two, or even three possible recipes for success. What about 20? The more options you have, the greater your chances of success. If you create one option, or only a few options, they are probably what most other companies have already developed. When you push yourselves extra hard and force yourselves to dig deep into your intelligence and creativity to generate 20 possible solutions, the last five or more will probably be truly unique and become the winning recipe.
What is your company’s flavor of excellence? Ask many people to participate in its creation. What does it look like, smell like, sound like, etc.? Make it real, and if possible, make it tangible by creating a written statement of excellence. Be sure you invite all of your employees to participate in this process. As each person stirs the recipe, their participation also increases your company's chances for success. Do not rush this organic process. You and everyone else will know when you have created your company’s success recipes. It will be clear and obvious. Be patient and keep stirring as you add in new ingredients, and delete others along the way, as you reach your company's own unique formula for excellence!