The day that changed everything.

The department leader stood in front of his team.  It was his day to get this change started.  He had thought a lot about it and he had prepared.  Still, he hadn’t done this before.  Some guys were new, and some had been here for years.  How would they respond?  It didn’t matter.  It had to be done.  It was the right thing to do.   

Deep breath…

“Ok guys, we are trying to do something special here…we don’t want to be average…..we want to be different – a different place to work than any other, a different kind of contractor than any homeowner has experienced before, and we want you guys to all be very proud of what you do and where you do it.  It turns out that to accomplish this it doesn’t require working any harder, although working hard is what we do.  It requires thinking different and doing things a little different.  It doesn’t take any more energy to be exceptional than it does to be mediocre.  It’s an attitude, it’s communication, respect, and a love for what we’re doing. It’s doing the job with the intention of making the customer smile and comment positively on what they see we did.  We want them to say ‘Wow!’ if we can.

We need to have higher standards than others, and build the team that will trust and support each other so we can rely on each doing his or her part to make this happen.

Nobody wants to be below average.  And I don’t think anyone even wants to be average. Who wants to look in the mirror each morning and say ‘Hello Mr. Average’?  

Who wants to be above average?  Who wants to be exceptional?”

A few hands shot up, a few others were half up, and there were some audible positive responses.  

He had broken the ice, but he wasn’t there yet.  His own words energized him.  He had to go for it now.  He felt it well up in him, and there was no turning back now.  

“Guys, I’m serious.  I want to build a team of winners here.  A team of brothers and sisters who can rely on each other.  A team known as being the best at what we do.  Why not us?  If there is going to be anyone in our business who is the best, it’s going to be us.  Is anyone better than us?”  “No” they replied.  “Are we going to accept mediocrity and let them beat us?”  “No” they said in unison.

“When we go home, do we want to tell our families stories of how we are part of the winning team?”  “Yes” they shot back, the energy in the room palpable now.  “Are we willing to learn new things, try new things, invent better ways, and get out of some of the routines of the past to get to the top?”

“Yes” they said, with a little less energy than the response before, realizing that this will take some work.

“Look guys, I have never done this before.  I may make some mistakes.  But I need your help to get it right. I will fight alongside you, if you fight alongside me.  We can turn this company from a good one to a world-class one.  To the best one that anyone in our industry has ever worked at and the best one any customer has had work for them.  And I make you this promise.  As the leader, I will do my very best every day.”  

His voice went low and slow and firm.  “And I will not give up on you, if you don’t give up on me. I am asking for your commitment.”

He paused and surveyed the wide-eyed faces staring back at him.  “Who is with me?”

He looked at the energized team with a combination of gratitude and resolve.

“Let’s get to work, right now.  Let’s get started talking about how we can do this…”