Details Make ALL the Difference

The more I watch difference makers in action, the more I appreciate the people that can live both in strategy and detailed tactics at the same time.

This combination is very obvious to keen observers of the world of athletics and the arts. However, the same principle applies to every part of our personal and professional lives.

When an NHL hockey team wins the Stanley Cup, the league’s best individual players or superstars are often not on that squad. Nevertheless, as a team, right down to every single person involved with the club, Cup winners execute with excellence on the finest of refined details. The equipment manager, as an example, prepares for every eventuality. Each player has everything needed as tools of the trade to be able to play their best. Some players even trade out their gloves two or three times during a 20 minute period. The equipment manager is aware and prepares for this. I’m sure you can find many similar examples in sports, music, the theater, etc.

In the workplace, creating a winning culture involves having well defined strategic ingredients like purpose and values. However, what distinguishes one organization from another is deep attention to defining and executing the details that support both intent and strategy. This is everyone’s job, and propelled by self-accountability. It drives me crazy to hear excuses like, “I didn’t know,” “I’m too busy,” “it’s not my responsibility,” etc.

To make a point: What if as part of the selection criteria for whether you could work for me or not, I’d get to see where and how you live. If I walk into your place (regardless of how modest or extravagant), and everything is neat, clean and orderly, you’re likely able to attend to detail. If it’s a s#*t show, that’s likely the way you’ll be in the workplace. Is this judgy? Yup. You’re darn right it is. Go work for someone who can live with sloppiness, disorder and the like. My now 94-year-old mother, when she was first married and had me, was only 20 years old and lived in a house that could qualify as a chicken coop. Still, she kept it spotless and tidy. She has always applied that principle. Thank you, Mom!

I genuinely think perfection bias is very limiting and gets in the way. However, a desire for excellence is very different. I do not want to work with micro-managing perfectionists. I do want to work with people who demand excellence of themselves, are highly self-accountable, and aspire to constantly improve.

Hey, we all deserve to binge watch a little Netflix or whatever to relax and recharge. And not every day or even month is going to be a model of our excellence. On the other hand, sometimes we just have to get up off our butts and execute on the details. That includes parenting, partnering, working, and every part of life. It’s so much easier to hope things get accomplished, or to live in some rationalized denial of the way things are. And sure, we can get depressed, etc., and need help from others. Do that. None of us can be fully excellent without help and guidance from people around us.

Attending to detail is the difference between being mediocre or excellent. Start at home first, and why not choose excellence?

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now,

- Lorne

One Millennial View: Rationalized denial is something we all partake in (to various degrees), and part of our growing necessity for instant gratification. We’ll fib to ourselves and say something like, “you know, I actually like dirty dishes in my sink. It’s called a ‘lived in’ aesthetic, get with it. In fact, the crazy people who take the time to clean immediately have too much time. Must be nice.`` The slope gets slipperier from there, and we have to catch ourselves. Surrounding yourself with those who won’t stand for rationalized denial, and instead embrace getting stuff done before instant gratification are the same people you want in your workspace.

- Garrett

Edited and published by Garrett Rubis

Details Make ALL the Difference

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