I walked the few blocks to the local bank on my Saturday out of the city.
I realized upon seeing the empty parking lot that I’d set out too late and the bank was closed.
The side door was cocked open and a man waved as he glanced up and saw me pass. The bank manager was still at work.
The interior was covered with evidence of construction and I supposed the small bank must be undergoing a remodel. At closer look, I spied the object of the bank manager’s attention. He had a spray cleaner in one hand and a rag in the other which he was using to polish the brass handles and plaque on the doors of the customer bathrooms.
Some might say this was a waste. A misplaced allocation of his time when surely someone else could do the job. I saw it differently. I saw a man so committed to the success of his bank that he wanted even the smallest aspects to be a reflection of its commitment to excellence. I’m sure he spent most of his time and attention on the bank’s ever-growing asset base and its diverse portfolio, but on this Saturday afternoon he wanted to focus on the face his bank gave to the world.
In a hyper-paced world with a growing inattention to detail and excellence, a leader can truly distinguish herself by slowing down and looking around. Much is written about the landmine of being bogged down by perfection, but not much attention is paid to the flip side. When an opportunity presents itself to perfect something in your sphere of influence, perfect it.
A great leader passionately pursues excellence. {===> Click To Tweet} This does not equate to indecision or the inability to act quickly but rather the ability to toggle between the big picture and the details. This manager illustrates that true leadership means never considering yourself above a task. He could manage a multi-million dollar portfolio and still shine a doorknob.
Achieving excellence often requires a dose of humility. Arianna Huffington writes in her new book, Thrive, that the more successful a leader becomes, the more distanced he becomes from the skills he needs most to lead. Partnering humility with the ability remain versed in the details while keeping the course for the greater mission goes a long way to remedying that complication to success.
Never stop looking for ways to make things better. Pursue excellence.
Photo Credit: FitSugar.com
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