“Greatness is a decision. It must be chosen.”
- Joe Calloway, Author of Be The Best At What Matters Most
Have you ever pursued something “great”? If so, it likely started as a dream you knew would stretch you, your family, or your company beyond what might even seem possible. It developed out of wonder or excitement for the future or maybe just a necessary move to remain relevant. Then the dream evolved into an idea, a concept, or a strategy. Meetings were held, conversations were had, and plans were made. You critiqued it, talked about it, and ultimately decided to go for it.
So where do things sit now? Did you achieve what you wanted to? Too often, the answer is sadly “sort of” or “not entirely”.
There are several reasons this happens:
- Lack of clarity. You haven’t painted a clear picture to your team of what, how, and especially “the why” for your major initiative. Clarity brings buy-in and speed to changes and decision making. Without it, you are spinning your wheels.
- Collaboration hasn’t occurred. You use command and control leadership versus influence and inclusion as you design your game plan. You make it feel like your plan versus our plan.
- True commitment is missing. You say all the right things, but aren’t accountable to the vision. There is a reason why so few go from good to great. Not everyone has the stomach to make the tough calls.
As my friend Joe Calloway says in a blog post, “It’s one thing to take a vow of progress. It’s quite another to begin the courageous work of executing strategies that will help ensure that what was talked about will ultimately become reality.”
What’s The Risk?
The risk is that you might be on the cusp of greatness, but sadly won’t get there because you didn’t fully commit to it. You’ll be frustrated and disappointed. You won’t understand why things didn’t seem to go your way. But if you’re willing to look more closely you’ll likely find that clarity, collaboration, or commitment was missing. Resolve to see it through, no matter what. Because that’s what it takes to be great.
