dispatches from the new world of work

100 Ways to Succeed #164:

Excellence. Always.
If Not Excellence, What?
If Not Excellence Now, When?

I'm here because of Excellence.
That is, back in 1982 I co-wrote a book called In Search of Excellence.
A lot of people were kind enough to buy it.
And I've been "talking Excellence" for the subsequent 27 years.

(NB: Never write the word "Excellence" without capitalizing the "E." This I command—not that I have the power to do so.)

I love "Excellence"—and not just because it paid for the farm I bought in Vermont in 1984.

I love EXCELLENCE—truth is, I think you should capitalize all the letters—because Excellence is soooooo Cool. (Cap "C.")

It's so cool.
It's so heartening.
It's so soaring & inspiring.
It's so worth getting out of bed for.
(Even in the winter in Vermont.)
It's so healthy.
It's so helpful to others.
(The striving more than the arriving.)
It's so good for your morale—even on the shittiest of days.
(Especially on the shittiest of days.)

Book tour driver Bill Young says:

"Strive for excellence. Ignore success."

TP: Amen. (Love it!)

Anon.* says:

"Excellence can be obtained if you:

... care more than others think is wise;
... risk more than others think is safe;
... dream more than others think is practical;
... expect more than others think is possible."

(*Posted by K. Sriram @ tompeters.com.)

TP: Amen. (Love it!)

Asked how long it took to achieve Excellence, IBM's legendary boss Tom Watson is said to have answered more or less as follows: "A minute. You 'achieve' Excellence* by promising yourself right now that you'll never again knowingly do anything that's not Excellent—regardless of any pressure to do otherwise by any boss or situation."

(*I don't really know whether or not Watson insisted on the Cap "E"—from what I know, I wouldn't be surprised. I do know he loved the word.)

TP: Amen. (Love it!)

Regardless of the location (China, Lithuania, Miami) or industry (health care, fast food), I title all of my presentations:

Excellence. Always.
If Not Excellence, What?
If Not Excellence Now, When?

I hate the word "motivation"—surely I've told you that before.
I hate it because the idea of me "motivating" you is so outrageous—and arrogant.
To state the obvious, only you can motivate you.
What I can do (as boss or even "guru") is to Paint Portraits of Excellence.
And then we can imagine ourselves in those portraits—in Pursuit of Excellence.
"Pursuit": Excellence is not a "goal"—it's the way we live (remember Mr Watson of IBM).

Excellence. Always.
If Not Excellence, What?
If Not Excellence Now, When?

Tom Peters posted this on 05/04/09.

Comments

Your right, people can not be motivated but shouldn't someone hold them accountable to the EXCELLENCE you speak of. People like mediocrity and those who love excellence will be left weary. No man is an island and whether a corporation, institution or road side cafe, all employees need to be held to the standard of excellence. My new motto is people don't want things to be better they just want them to be better for themselves.

Posted by Kellyann Curnayn at May 4, 2009 4:55 PM

Tom . . . just sent your post along to our college women's team (rowing). They are training for a race of some importance, upcoming this weekend. The timing of your post could not be more helpful, and the explanation of the concept of "E"cellence thoughtful . . .

In fact, thought just like a rower! (That's a good thing, as you know).

Thanks, and best . . . Mike

Posted by Mike Davenport at May 4, 2009 8:23 PM

I am not convinced that people do like mediocrity. I think most people want to be the very best they can be. That they are not is often a reflection of the the environment dragging them down.

Posted by PaulH at May 5, 2009 7:31 AM

Perhaps I need to be clearer - some part of that environment might be fear within themselves. I believe that most people procrastinate not because of lazyness but because they are scared or in some way not agreeing with what they need to do.

Posted by PaulH at May 5, 2009 7:33 AM

Motivation: you taking hold of an idea and digging in your heels to try and make it happen.

Inspiration: an idea takes hold of you and there's no way in hell you can sleep if you don't do everything possible to help it happen.

Motivate me? "Yaaawwwwnnnn."

Inspire me!

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 5, 2009 8:20 AM

"I am not convinced that people do like mediocrity."

Perhaps the significance here is not whether people like mediocrity but what they're DOING to prevent such. If you're not doing something in the movement toward Excellence you are by default one who likes mediocrity.

"Inspire me!"

Inspire yourself!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 5, 2009 8:23 PM

"Pursuit": Excellence is not a "goal"—it's the way we live.

I so LOVE this!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 5, 2009 8:25 PM

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour” – Vince Lombardi

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 6, 2009 4:39 AM

“In Search of Excellence” is THE BOOK that got me ignited on the management subject matter. As my first one was getting a bit worn out and later acquired another one. The language and communication skills are productive and fun. I also hold in great regard “Passion For Excellence.”

Posted by Andres Agostini at May 7, 2009 4:42 AM