There once was a football coach who, every day he walked on the field, would clap his hands and exclaim, “It’s a great day to get better!”
How would you have felt if you had played for this coach, and instead of stating the above, he shouted, “It’s a great day to stay the same!” Or, “It’s a great day to just try and survive!”
There are not many people who would sign up to play for such a “status-quo” coach. Because at a deep level we all know: “It’s a great day to get better.”
Yet, have you ever heard someone succumbing to the pressures they face and state, “Mercy! I just hope I can make it to the end of the day!”
Or, do you know anyone who is:
- avoiding difficult conversations,
- delaying tough decisions,
- living to get to the weekend
- or believes they don’t have to improve today to win tomorrow?
These people are defenders of the status quo. A collection of too many such-minded people, and your company (or family) is at risk of sitting on a plateau – and falling into the abyss of irrelevance.
My friend, Dick Frisbie, is a leader within a company that develops status-quo slayers. “Continuous improvement” is an age-old idea that has lifted many organizations to the top. But when you’re at the top, how do you stay there? Dick’s team knows: You apply within. You apply within yourself and evolve the continuous improvement mindset to include people.
With “continuous people improvement” every interaction of every day is a chance to get better. This means that as we interact with others we focus on three things:
- What can I do or say that builds this person’s self-confidence and discipline?
- What will I do to build a stronger relationship with this person?
- How can I respond in a way to ensure the best long-term business results?
By applying our wisdom within, organizational improvement – and thus greater results – become the norm. Which means that today is a great day to get better.
