Thursday, March 16, 2006

Mediocre becomes Excellent

As the rant below suggests I want to start a crusade against mediocrity !
So when we delegate or work with others....lets give ourselves one key thought. That task needs to be just slightly stretching their ability...that breeds motivation, breeds engagement and most of all with a sound feedback loop, breeds personal growth....mediocrity will be no more.......

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some one has said that the mediocre are always at their best. I often use that line in presentations. From my perspective you are right about a "mediocrity creeeping into business". When I work with clients to build their brand I tell them to stay out of the "mediocre middle" since that is the last place to build a profitable brand. And yet, that is where many insist on being.

Good blog, good postings!

MabelandHarry said...

I suspect that it is the safety of the middle...you won't lose share price, won't lose your job, etc....hey anyone else want to join Michael and I ?

Anonymous said...

To build on your comment - and it is a form of "false safety" isn't it? In the highly competitive marketplace how long will mediocrity allow one to be competitive?

Even big and well known brands fall prey. Here in Iowa, USA, we are watching one of our better known appliance brands Maytag fall - they are up for sale and Whirlpool is trying to get approval to buy them. Jobs have been lost and more will be. And because Whirlpool has been willing to take changes they have the resources to do it.

A good article on Whirlpool's courage to achieve design excellence can be found in Fast Company's June 05 edtion and I am sure it is avaialabe at their web site; www.FastCompany.com

MabelandHarry said...

I agree - maybe success then depends upon how you react. Do you believe it starts at the corporate level or at the individual level ? Me, I think that the lack of engagement breeds within the business. When you have driving leadership which accepts failure as part of the path to success and leaders who live "excellence" then I believe you get people who are frightened of mediocrity and aim to redefine the limits of human imagination ? I get Fast Company and read that article..excellent example.

Anonymous said...

I tend to feel like you that it breeds within the business.

A London Business School author that I have found helpful is Lynda Gratton. I've not run into any who have read her here, but they should be.

Her book, The Democratic Enterprise is a thoughtful examination of business cultures.

MabelandHarry said...

Thanks for the tip.I have Living Strategy which I have not read yet but I will take a look.