Why It Always Pays To Overinvest in Defining "What Excellence Looks Like"

Read Time: 3 minutes.

There's a foundational leadership concept I refer to often but have yet to take the time to define:

What Excellence Looks Like

• It comes up when you're recruiting A-players.

• It comes up when you're setting expectations.

• It comes up when you're diagnosing a root cause.

Why does it come up so often?

Because it tells people how to win.

It defines the destination so your team can figure out how to get there.

If you think of business as a game (I do), then it defines the rules. And that clarity enables your team to form a collective strategy to win.

The keyword in that sentence: Collective.

One person chasing a goal is simple.
Once you add a second, things get complicated.

Talented, well-meaning people will pull in dramatically different directions unless...

They maintain a shared picture of “What Excellent Looks Like.”

Convinced? Good.

Now, let's build one.

Don’t Miss Our Free 30-Minute Workshop

Join us: September 10 @ 1 PM ET

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to excellence.

That said, there are guidelines you can follow when constructing yours that give you an outsized chance to create a picture that's both clear and compelling.

First Principles >> Second Constraints

You're defining excellence, and excellence is often impractical.

Temporarily suspend reality for this exercise. You'll layer in choices, constraints, and common sense as you determine how to pursue this ideal.

If you incorporate known limitations into your definition of excellence, you'll quickly return to the average already attained.

Contrarians don't ask "Why" at this stage.
They ask, "Why not?"

What You Aren't >> What You Are

You may not be able to define every facet of what you are building.
Don't underestimate the value of declaring what you're not.

Taking options off the table will help people focus on testing viable ones.

If you can't set exact coordinates, at least agree on a direction.
Then, pull forward the clues that will help you find your final destination.

The Right Answer >> Your Best Answer

It's easy to settle. Accept what you know and don't, and then pick.

But the best leaders don't settle.

They solve their ignorance head-on by finding creative ways to get smart people's eyes on their work—coaches, advisors, and masterminds.

Most people will deal with what they know pretty well.
It's what you don't know you don't know that'll kill you.

Money >> Time

There's a great quote from Alex Hormozi that changed how I think about paying for help:

We can always make more money.
We can never create more time.

If you can buy a higher fidelity view of What Excellence Looks Like, it's almost always a bargain, no matter the price.

Good Questions >> Great Answers

If defining excellence was straightforward, there would be little value in it.

Inexperienced leaders get lost in the challenge and turn inward.
Experienced leaders expose their conflicts outward to draw others in.

Exposing your questions can increase confidence.

Then, people won't wonder, "Do they see it?" Instead, they will devote their energy to collaborating with you on "How do we answer it?"

Adjacent >> Unconstrained

Far too many leaders are paralyzed by a blank canvas. They believe constraints restrict creativity when they actually breed it.

One tactic is to start by looking for adjacent analogies.

For example, if asked to build a training program, I'd look at

• What do the best Universities do?

• How about trade programs?

• Online learning leaders?

• Star professors?

Some characteristics might be common, and I'd be wise to include them. Other characteristics might not apply to my situation, but I can iterate until they do.

Overcommunicated >> Undercommunicated

"I don't want to be a micromanager."

A good leader is clear about where we're going.
A micromanager controls how we get there.

Don't confuse the two.

More teams have fallen short because they lost sight of what excellence looks like than those who rebelled against being reminded of it.

As one long-time CEO told me, "Right around the time I'm sick of saying it is usually the first time they really hear it."

What You Missed

Here’s what you missed from me on LinkedIn:

• Why Leaders Always Start With Questions

• Why You Need More Conflict On Your Team, Not Less

• Why The Best Leaders Never Lie, Especially To Themselves

Here’s what you missed from me on X/Twitter:

• How To Give Feedback That’s Heard

• Resolve Any Workplace Disagreement

• My 21 Leadership Lessons (I Revisit Weekly)

I’d also love to know what playbooks would be most helpful to you. Hit reply and tell me your biggest management challenge.

You’ll always remain anonymous unless you tell me otherwise.

Thank you for reading. Appreciate you!

Dave