Pursuing Excellence Is an Individual and a Team Sport

Have you been watching any of the Olympics lately? We aren’t glued to the television, but we tune in several times a day to see what’s being featured, and we also follow along on the internet. It’s been more evident than ever that for Olympians, pursuing excellence is both an individual and a team sport.

Senior Leaders and the Senior Leadership Team

One of the things I’ve always loved about the Baldrige Excellence Framework is its emphasis on senior leaders, not only as individuals but as the senior leadership team. Dr. David Spong (the retired Boeing executive who led two separate Boeing divisions in two different sectors to receive the Baldrige Award), has often been quoted that what differentiates the Baldrige Excellence Framework from other improvement methodologies is, “Leadership can’t be delegated (in Baldrige).”

Why this separate and distinct emphasis? As individuals, the personal actions of senior leaders come into scrutiny every day. Do they reflect the values of the organization? Do they serve as role models for legal and ethical behavior? Do they encourage frank, two-way communication in their interactions with employees?

However, as a senior leadership team, they need to collaborate and demonstrate their shared commitment to the organization, its workforce, and each other. They need to gain explicit agreement on what is most important to the organization, which customers and markets to pursue, and a longer- term strategy. This agreement is crucial to alignment and integration of resources, human and other kinds.

What the Tour de France and the Olympics Remind Us About the Individual and Collective Pursuit of Excellence

Glenn is a cyclist who has participated in many long rides and even served as the cyclist team member in triathlon competitions. Because of his knowledge of cycling that he has shared with me, I’ve become a huge fan of the Tour de France. This year provided brilliant examples of individual riders who pressed themselves harder than it might seem humanly possible to win stages during the event. But it also offered amazing examples of the selflessness of their supporting team members and their flawless execution of the strategy that had been developed.

We saw how the U.S. women’s gymnastics team did the same after Simone Biles dropped out of the competition, and Sunisa Lee won the Gold medal for all-around gymnast. And who was there cheering on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team and Sunisa Lee? Simone Biles showing that shared commitment to her team.

What Does All of This Mean in These Challenging Times as COVID-19 Continues to Rock Our World?

As individuals, we can’t abandon our pursuit of excellence. We may have to redefine what excellence looks like in these times, but we cannot accept good enough with COVID-19 as our excuse. As a member of a leadership team, we need to double down on our words and actions to give encouragement to our workforce, to be even more “present” for them, and to provide them with the knowledge that we are handling the rudder to steer your ship.

As an individual and a team member, how do you define “excellence,” and what’s your role in helping your organization pursue it?

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