From Good to Great: Elevating Our Standards for Unmatched Excellence!
Mark Mathia, MBA, ACC, CPPC
Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Signature Performance and Coach to Healthcare's Brightest Talent
What if I told you – you're good. Would that be a compliment or an insult?
How should we respond to the concept of ‘good’? From my perspective, far too many organizations are interested in being good and somehow forgetting the extra ten percent it takes to be great.
Let's not stop at good but strive for greatness in everything we do.
Pursuing greatness in our work demands an unwavering commitment to excellence and a determination to go beyond the ordinary. It is about pushing ourselves to our limits, embracing innovation, and continuously striving for improvement. We recognize greatness when our efforts significantly impact and inspire those around us and endure through time. This acknowledgment often comes from an inner sense of fulfillment, the respect of our peers, and being a ‘go to’ person as the Signature Way guides us to do. The Signature Way is a set of leadership principles we follow every day to show up as our best selves.
When we reach a level of greatness, we should respond with humility and gratitude, appreciating the journey and the support of those who helped us along the way. Remember that greatness is not a final destination but a continuous journey requiring relentless dedication and passion.
Perhaps the reason I’m sensitive to being good and not great is I spent my youth being a jack of all things and an ace at none. I clearly remember the practice when I split time in high school football as a Offensive Center, Fullback and a Defensive Linebacker. Walking back to the locker room I felt accomplished and then it happened. One of my coaches tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Mathia, you’re really a jack of all these positions but an ace at none.” It was a warning shot against the bow of a fragile ego and a lesson I carry with me to this day. It’s far better to be the best at one thing than average at a lot of things. I was so grateful for that transformational locker room moment in high school.
That moment was a turning point. It was a shot across the bow of my fragile ego—a lesson that has stayed with me ever since. It was then that I realized the profound truth: it is far better to excel at one thing than to be average at many. This transformative locker room lesson taught me the value of dedication, focus, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. It instilled in me a burning desire to be the best, to strive for greatness, and to never settle for mediocrity.
As we pause for a moment and enter the fourth quarter, let's collectively measure our impact for the year—is it good or is it great? Let's take a moment to reflect on our journey and prepare for our final year-end sprint. I encourage each of us to look inward, harness our strengths, and use them daily to strive for excellence. Remember, at work, the choice between being good or great lies in our hands. Let’s aim for greatness.
Together, let's seize this opportunity to not just finish strong but to elevate our standards and leave a lasting mark. How will you commit to living the great life at work today?
Responsibility | Input | Focus | Relator | Discipline
2moAbsolutely, I resonate with that! Striving for greatness not only elevates the team's performance but also brings such a fulfilling energy to the work environment. It's inspiring to hear about the commitment to excellence at Signature Performance, Inc. Personally, I believe that aiming for greatness pushes us all to grow and find joy in what we do. It’s all about that collective drive to achieve more—it's contagious! How do you see that commitment reflected in your daily work?
Learning & Development Supervisor | Strengths Coach | Instructional Designer
2moThis is on my mind a lot lately, too, coach. Before we evaluate good or great, I think it's important to keep in mind our WHY. Sometimes there are things we need to do to keep the lights on, and for those items, GETMO (Good Enough To Move On) might be enough. But when it comes to the most important things, we need to be able to take good and make it great. Your football story is a perfect example. You could have a team filled with players who can play each position decently, and you'd probably do ok. But a team will be much more successful if each player is demonstrating greatness in their most important role.
Vice President, Talent Operations at Signature Performance
2moLove this Mark. Thank you for sharing.