First, high internal standards, motivation that springs bountifully unbidden from within, drive for excellence that wells up without having to summoned.
Second, the willingness to effectively hold others accountable for performance, being able to inspire others to bring forward their best selves daily, to grow and develop. Constructive confrontation takes courage but is an act of caring. Too many selfishly choose cowardice.
Many an observation starts out saying “There are two kinds of people…”. I’m going to break with tradition and say there are THREE kinds of people.
One kind comes with built in standards of excellence that they adhere to regardless of how others around them behave.
The second kind has no or low standards and they are fine with that and will actively or passively aggressively resist any attempt to impose standards. All too often, their ceiling is your floor.
The third kind is the great middle: they mimic those around them, they go with the flow, they conform, they live up or down to expectations… as long as those standards are regularly enforced either by consequences or social pressure.
Closing Quotes:
“Acceptance of prevailing standards often means we have no standards of our own.” – Jean Toomer, 1897-1967
“Failing to hold someone accountable is ultimately an act of selfishness.” – Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
“Your life can’t rise any higher than the standards you set or the company you keep.” – Mandy Hale, ‘Just a single girl with a story to tell’
“If you’re going to be a leader, you’re not going to please everybody. You have to hold people accountable, even if you have that moment of being uncomfortable.” – Kobe Bryant, 1978-2020
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier