What makes a person or a company go from good to great? Jim Collins and his research team spent 5 years trying to answer that question and ended up writing a book on their results back in 2001 called “Good to Great”. After finishing it, I came away with a lot of information and insights, but the most profound was this question: What is it that YOU do that you do better than anyone else and is your passion?
The team decided that this was one of the important factors in creating a great company or leader, being able to not only answer that, but stick to it amidst all the fascinating distractions that can pull us individually or as a company into arenas that are not our forte. I was a little surprised that I could feel the answer to that a question instantly and saying it out loud, giving it credence, was powerful. Recognizing that diversity is not always the answer, but focus. Focus and staying true to your passion. Not that it might not change over the years and grow, I would expect it to. Like staying in the eye of the hurricane, it is calm and beautiful, but if you want to stay in that idyllic place you need to move with the hurricane.
But that is different than chasing every new trend or new thought or idea. Ask yourself, does this new thing support the thing I do best and am passionate about? If so, include it, if not, do not.
Every one has an innate gift, something they are really good at and they came into this life to express and experience, as a person or a company. It may seem intangible, most likely it will be, it may also seem like everyone else has that same quality. That is not the case. You may not recognize your own because you don’t see it as unique. But I challenge you. Ask yourself that question: What is it I do that I do better than others and is my passion?
When I heard, I help people raise their personal and professional standards to have a life that’s more fulfilling and rewarding, I realized that the work I do with companies and individuals was doing essentially that. And it made me feel right in the bull’s eye. And it also inspired me to think of more ways I can do that and felt justified in letting other venues go. What will answering that question do for you?
