Excellence is made up of many small things

If someone asked you “I would like to excel in …., what should I do?”. What will your answer be? Will you say work hard at it every day or study real hard or even make sacrifices? Many years ago, I learned that excellence is as simple as setting up a hi-fi set.

I heard this great sound that came from a hi-fi set in a store some years back. So I decided to buy it. Once I reached home and assembled the set, I found out that it didn’t sound as good. After hours and hours of trying to adjust the different sound quality settings, the sound was no way as good as what I have heard. For some reason which I can’t recall now, I decided that I should try to replace the standard cable with high end  “monster cable”. Instantly the sound came alive and it was exactly what I have heard at the store. I have never thought such a small component can make such a big difference.

This simple example taught me a lesson; if I wanted to excel in anything, I have to be good at it every day. Being good at something for a day is not excellence, but being consistently good at it every day is. For an organization to excel, the same rule applies. Everyone in the organization must be good at what they do and they must be good at it constantly.

So what are you doing today, to keep your team doing their best every day?

KY Loke