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Ten GOTTA DOs to be the BEST company

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When someone says, "I want to be the best at what I do," what does it really mean? When a leader says, "We are going to be the best," what exactly does that mean? On an effort scale of one to ten, is this commitment to be the best a no-compromise, whatever it takes, TEN, or something less? If it's a ten, then it's a done deal. You, or your company, will be on a quest to be the best. If it's a seven, eight or nine, it is not a done deal. There are conditions and self-imposed restrictions on the level of effort and commitment that will be expended to be the best.

Here are my TEN, No-Compromise Leadership GOTTA DO’S, to be the best:

  1. Gotta set the bar: The quest to be the best is a destination. It’s that mental picture of yourself and your company that you see and feel every day. It’s a relentless vision that you can’t shake off. It’s not only out there waiting for you; it’s beckoning you ... almost daring you ... to seize it. Call it manifestation, vision or whatever you prefer, it’s where you want to be - where you want your company to be. Define it. Describe it. Set that bar high enough and bold enough for all to see. Then go for it. Anything less is a compromise.

  2. Gotta want it bad: There’s just no reason to give something your best all-out effort if you kinda-sorta-feel like you want it. That’s when OK is good enough. When being the best at what you do ... when owning, leading or being part of the best company ever ... is what you want, that’s what fuels the fire to give it a level ten effort. You become the embodiment of words like tenacious, relentless, passionate and achiever. Anything less is a compromise.

  3. Gotta be authentic: Anything less than an effort of ten allows you to “talk” about being the best, without authentically having to “walk the talk.” Why bother if you, your team and your company are not willing to play at ten? The quest to be the best means pushing and exceeding the limits of your ability. If you’re not willing to break a sweat, feel the burn and discover breakthroughs, then don’t tout or advertise that you’re “the best” when you’re really committed to being something less. Sooner or later, your employees and your customers will figure it, and you, out. Be authentic, because anything less is a compromise.

  4. Gotta live it every day: It’s easy to give lip service to being the best, but it’s something entirely different when you “live” being the best every day. When you live it every day, it shows in your demeanor and how you approach everything you do. There’s an intensity of purpose in everything you do that sets the tone for the entire company. More importantly, how you live, being the best every day, continually reinforces the foundation of your company culture. In so many ways, it is you, the leader, that establishes the thinking and behavior of the entire company. If you don’t live it every day, why should anyone else? Anything less is a compromise.

  5. Gotta preach it: I always remind owners and leaders that they are the voice of their company. And as the voice of the company, the task of relentless communication rests on your shoulders. Relentless communication keeps the vision intact. Relentless communication keeps everyone on the all-important same page. Relentless communication is the steady drumbeat that maintains company momentum. Relentless communication persistently clarifies expectations. Being a leader is very much about being the company’s preacher. Anything less is a compromise.

  6. Gotta coach it: Great leaders bring out the best in those they lead by coaching them ... not reprimanding them. The more a leader stays in coaching mode, the more productive, consistent and self-correcting the team becomes. And the more a leader coaches, the more that leader is set free to plan and look down range to seek out new opportunities. Command and control leaders may drive some pretty impressive numbers... but those numbers often come at the expense of being the best. You are your company’s most important coach on its journey to be the best. Anything less is a compromise.

  7. Gotta keep it pure: When the quest is to be the best, good is never good enough. Indifference and mediocrity will quickly contaminate every facet of the company. Being the best is about keeping the company’s performance, standards, values and integrity pure. Simply put, it’s about keeping the company’s culture pure. This requires leaders to make tough decisions about people, systems, quality, brand identity - everything and anything that represents and embodies what the company stands for. You can’t be the best if you allow B players on your A team. You can’t be the best when you see a problem and do nothing about it. You can’t allow a double-standard that allows special privileges or get-out-of-jail cards for some and not all. Anything less is a compromise.

  8. Gotta measure it: You can’t tell how much closer you are to being the best if you don’t measure your progress during the journey. Being the best is both qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative means you can “experience” what being the best feels like in terms of shared pride and camaraderie. Quantitative means precise measurements and gains in critical numbers. To be the best, you can’t just “feel” it ... you must measure it. Anything less is a compromise.

  9. Gotta fail: The road to success is never a straight line. There will be setbacks, speed bumps and failures along the way. You know the drill ... learn and grow from your failures. If you lead your company into the fiery pit of hell, you can certainly lead it back to daylight ... if you maintain the perspective that failure and setbacks are inevitable. Being the best is really about how you react when things go sideways. Yes, it’s fine to beat yourself up. Besides, no one can beat you up as well as you can. The only way to stop feeling like crap is to re-engage, take control of what’s in your control ... and start the rebuilding process. Anything less is a compromise.

  10. Gotta keep it going: Congratulations! You and your company have become “the best.” Enjoy. Celebrate. Remember the moment. Then it’s on to the next level. Too many leaders and company’s buy into their own “we’re the best” hype, become complacent and begin the long slow slide to average. The true test of being the best is the ability to sustain it. Anything less is a compromise.


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