A standard of excellence is something you develop – it doesn’t just happen. It takes experience, vision, discipline, a clear decision that it is important, and most of all, alignment with who you are.
These thoughts about excellence came after watching creative musicians and singers perform who have spent years refining their talent. They were all excellent. Included in this are people who organize the events, who are also standard bearers of high quality. I include Lee in both these categories. While I was here, he was in NYC, in a situation where there were average to subpar performers. It was stressful for him, reminding him of the importance of holding tight to your standards
Here are some thoughts on how to create your standards of excellence:
KNOW WHAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR FIELD
No matter what you do – service, industry, parenting, teaching, or creative arts, there are standards that define excellence. If you love what you do, you will strive to be your best.
Who are your role models, your mentors, the standard bearers? Those who have gone before you often set the standard for what is excellence. It is up to you to meet it, improve on it or improvise upon it. It is a decision and a discipline. Do you know how you are doing?
BE ALIGNED WITH YOUR TALENT AND YOUR VALUES
Excellence comes more easily if you are pursuing what you love, and what your natural gifts lead you to pursue. When it aligns with your values, you become a conduit for taking something that is uniquely yours into the world. Take this seriously.
Establishing standards of excellence ensures the best for your field. It includes holding yourself to high standards in simple things like timeliness, being prepared, working to improve your skill set, and being an ambassador for what you do. I have watched Lee raise the bar for musicians locally. No more starting late and being unprepared, as he saw happening in NYC.
BE YOURSELF – BE CONSISTENT – A PROFESSIONAL
Excellence comes when you immerse yourself in what you are doing, take it seriously and fully embody it. When you do this consistently you become known as a professional. You and what you do become synonymous. To be professional means there is no room for slipping into bad habits, bad attitudes, and inconsistency.
When you believe in what you are doing, you become a role model and spokesperson for its benefit. It’s your actions that do the speaking. As Lee says, “Every day you get up and try to do the right thing and over time you build a culture of excellence”. Think of the influence you have on others with this behavior. This is how we make the world a better place, by setting standards and holding them up for others to see and emulate. So be yourself – be consistent – and be the professional we need.
Do you think of yourself as having standards of excellence? Maybe it’s time to consider what you do and take it seriously. Know what the standards of excellence are in your field, be aligned with your talents and your values, and be yourself, with discipline and consistency. All these things make you a professional – and a standard bearer.
Does this resonate with something that you’d like to explore? Being your best means establishing standards of excellence in what you do. For support and guidance, reach out. My Transformational Coaching and Therapy can help. Go to www.spectrumtransformation.com and use my Free Consultation link to reach me. I’d love to hear from you.
