Build a Foundation of Excellence

Excellence means consistently delivering a superior performance. To be a truly great manager you need to consistently deliver a superior performance in all aspects of your work. In other words, you need to build a foundation of excellence that you know you can always rely on.

Divide Your Job Into Ten Parts

Think about your role and all the things you do and write down each one of them. Here is a list of tasks for you to consider:

1. Manage a P&L Statement.
2. Give public presentations.
3. Hire new employees.
4. Let go of existing employees.
5. Develop employees.
6. Promote employees.
7. Build relationships with key suppliers.
8. Build relationships with key customers.
9. Oversee multiple functions in your organization.
10. Create a customer-focused culture.

You can come up with a different ten items, but you get the idea.

Identify What You Do With Excellence Right Now

Look at your list and on another sheet of paper write down what you do at an excellent level right now. Those items are the beginning of your foundation of excellence.

Select What Task You Will Focus on Next

Now you are ready to add to your foundation of excellence. Of the remaining items on your list, which ONE item will you focus on improving until you can consistently deliver a superior performance? You still have to do the other parts of your job, but you're going to pour in extra energy and attention on one area until it becomes excellent. It may take a few years in order to become excellent at that task. Be patient and stay focused. Once you can do that with excellence, then you know you can count on it. Then you can move on to another task to focus on.

You will probably be amazed at how little progress you make in a year and how much progress you make in a decade.