One of my favorite days when I’m home in Middle Tennessee is Friday. It’s not just because the weekend is eminent. It’s because it’s Fake-A-Song Friday on the America’s Morning Show program on 103.3 NASH-FM.
This segment invites country music stars into the studio where they draw random words such as lotion, bear, table, moon, etc. and have 15 minutes to compose an original song that includes all of those words. I’ve yet to hear a band fail to do it. Not only do they get the words in but the song is cohesive, easy to listen to, and could probably be a hit. It’s a reminder of how amazing excellence is.
When my son was little, we caught every WWE wrestling event that hit the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. We managed to see two live Monday Night Raw shows as well as SummerSlam. These events were packed with every redneck within 100 miles of DC, had live fireworks and plenty of excitement. These were true spectacles. We also attended one “house show” on a Saturday night. House shows still had all the big stars but not all the big lights and fireworks. One thing that didn’t change though, the wrestlers treated it like it was a televised show. Entertainers yes, but absolute professionals. Excellence all over.
We look at entertainers and expect excellence but we’re still dazzled when we experience it. What would life be like if we strove for excellence in our jobs?
- What would the DMV experience be like if a clerk went out of their way to treat customers like they were checking into the Ritz Carleton?
- What would happen in a Federal agency if a GS worker pushed themselves like they were personally working for the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and their bonus depended on them adding tangible value?
- What would your presentation to a bunch of bored executives be like if your audience was a bunch of venture capitalists and your business survival depended on you getting funding?
If we’re honest, we say we aim for excellence but our preparation and attitude really only warrant “good enough.” And if we’re really honest, we’d probably discover that our benchmark is probably a mediocre standard such as “I’m at least better than she is” or “We’re the DMV, not the Ritz Carlton. You get what you pay for.”
I’m sure it would be easy for a WWE wrestler to just phone it in for a house show knowing it’s not televised, but I didn’t see it that Saturday night.
A country music star could dismiss Fake-A-Song Friday as a publicity stunt and do something silly and stupid, but I’ve yet to hear it.
In both cases, I think the motivation for excellence is simply a desire to be the best.
I’m motivated by this. I try to make each of my workshops the best knowing that for the audience, they could care less that I’ve delivered the same models, told the same stories, showed the same video clips, and drew the same diagrams hundreds of times. They expect me to treat the workshop as if they’re the only group that ever got it. It’s why I push myself.
This week, think about how you could apply the WWE house show/Fake-A-Song Friday work ethic to your job. What could it mean for your career? Your future?
