Alday Consulting Services

Meeting the Challenge of Excellence – Chapter 1, Personal Excellence

Posted April 17th, 2007
Personal Excellence

Excellence means when a man or woman asks of himself more than others do. Jose Ortega ´y Gasset

Take the mirror test. A mirror test is when a person looks in the mirror, evaluating how well he or she is practicing what matters in all spheres of life – spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and social. What are you asking of yourself? Do you have a clear vision, a meaningful mission, defined values, and measurable goals? I aim to meet the challenge of excellence, to improve continuously, and to practice what matters. How could a personal vision, a personal mission, and personal values combined with personal goals lead to excellence in you, using your definition of excellence? I believe an organization will not meet the challenge of excellence unless the individuals in the organization meet the challenge personally. Look at the list below and assess how well you practice the items:
1. Commit to everyday excellence daily and throughout the day.
2. Do your best every day and seek to get better the next day.
3. Be passionate about work and life, appreciating what life offers.
4. Know your business and know what it takes to excel.
5. Serve others before self, while also caring for self.
6. Be enthusiastic about life and work (Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic!).
7. Be mindful and act intelligently.
8. Do the right things for the right reasons at the right times.
9. Be reliable, be responsible, and accept authority and accountability.
10. Work safely and assess risks whether you are working alone or with others.
11. Take care of the little things while remembering the big things.
12. Practice daily integrity for long-term excellence.
13. Assess regularly your performance, intentions, and attitudes.
Although the list is numbered, no particular order is intended. A worthwhile exercise could be to make your own list, which would be more meaningful for you. Your list indicates what matters to you, and how you are choosing to work and live. Could a fourth reason to be excellent be that one chooses to be excellent? If one does not choose excellence, what choices remain? Max Lucado says that the “quest for excellence is a mark of maturity.” Although a friend told me jokingly he was striving to be mediocre, the idea of a quest for excellence is exciting for both of us. Individuals and organizations that do the things recommended in this book have chosen to meet the challenge of excellence. The marks of maturity and achievement are evident in their performance, both in individuals and in organizations. What is your choice, related to personal excellence? What is your organization choosing?
This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 at 8:12 pm and is filed under Excellence Book.
Copyright © 2006 Alday Consulting Services, Inc.