As the saying goes, only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best.
Poor leaders just maintain mediocrity. Harsh words, perhaps. But in this age of sound bites and image control, true and sustainable performance excellence seems to be the exception, not the norm.
Fortunately, there are some excellent leadership practitioners out there who are willing and able to challenge mediocrity head-on. One of those practitioners is John Spence. He’s a coach and consultant for companies ranging from Microsoft, IBM, GE, and Abbott, to Merrill Lynch, AT&T, and Verizon. His book is titled Awesomely Simple: Essential Business Strategies for Turning Ideas into Action.
Effective leadership is really not that complicated: Have a clear vision, surround yourself with people who appreciate excellence, and establish crystal clear standards of accountability.
Some leaders inadvertently “enable” mediocrity. Watch out for the signs of settling for less than excellence.
A great culture lifts people up and encourages them to do their best work.
Storytelling can be one of a leader’s most effective tools for inspiring team members to do and be their best.
How can you use John’s five-step process for increasing accountability
Remember John’s “crutch in, walk out” story? How can you use such a story to connect your people more closely with the end users of your product or service
Because ambiguity breeds mediocrity, how can you ensure that performance standards are absolutely clear to your team?
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