[June 21, 2016] During one of my combat tours in the Middle East there was a U.S. Army junior-grade officer that was a poor performer by most measures. No one wanted him working for them because the time investment was so great to ensure he did his job. Our Chief of Staff took him in and shortly the lieutenant’s performance improved dramatically. It was the Chief’s philosophy of leadership to only expect excellence.
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs
Anytime we’re placed into a work environment as a leader, one thing we will always find is a variety of people with a range of skill sets. Of course that is objectively obvious but what is not so easy to see is that unless a leader establishes an environment where excellence is the expectation, truly good things will never occur. When every action of a leader shows an expectation of high standards then it sends a strong message.
How did our Chief of Staff draw out excellence from such an inadequate performer? There was no instant change. But slowly, over a period of months, the lieutenant’s ability to do things, without detailed guidance and monitoring, improved to a point that it surprised those of us who had rejected him.
Excellence is a mental state based on clearly articulated standards. This means that excellence comes about through inspiration, the drawing of achievable goals, and informal expectations. Our Chief of Staff told us that excellence means establishing it as a mindset. Just like Audie Murphy once said when he noted that winning meant “leading from the front.” That’s how our Chief explained the fact that everyone working for him performed well above the minimum required.
Leaders inspire others when they lead by their own example. It’s hard to miss it when a leader adheres to the same standards expected of others … a reoccurring theme in the study of leadership at theLeaderMaker.com. Excellence is a powerful force in the leader’s duffle bag. It produces results that cannot be achieved any other way.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker at our Facebook Page.]