The best teams know that much of next year’s story is written today
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I grabbed a virtual coffee with a colleague yesterday. We ended up talking about a passion to “be the best”.
Our chat was a reminder of the immense power of honest, constructive dialogue. It left me all fired up.
The idea of being the best is a good aspiration and a fine team mantra. But it has to be mixed with incremental improvement and great execution.
Otherwise it will be written on the wall but not happening down the hall.
I realize now I had multiple great conversations yesterday. Another colleague and I spoke about how we often overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and underestimate what we can achieve in the long term.
That took me back to the idea of small refinements to something good to make it great over time.
What gives a team the right to be counted amount the best? I’ve been working for 24 years and can assure you it’s not a slogan or desire. It’s incremental improvements over time.
People will suddenly recognize you’re a high performing team. But that sudden recognition took years of failing, learning and building. It’s the overnight success that was years in the making.
Much of 2021’s story is written today. What are you working on today that will make your team better - not next week - but in a year from now?
Otherwise it will be written on the wall but not happening down the hall.
I realize now I had multiple great conversations yesterday. Another colleague and I spoke about how we often overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and underestimate what we can achieve in the long term.
That took me back to the idea of small refinements to something good to make it great over time.
What gives a team the right to be counted amount the best? I’ve been working for 24 years and can assure you it’s not a slogan or desire. It’s incremental improvements over time.
People will suddenly recognize you’re a high performing team. But that sudden recognition took years of failing, learning and building. It’s the overnight success that was years in the making.
Much of 2021’s story is written today. What are you working on today that will make your team better - not next week - but in a year from now?