“High Expectations are the key to everything.”
-Sam Walton
I am a big believer in setting challenging but realistic goals. Philosophically, this is just the way I am programmed to think about any meaningful opportunity or endeavor in life.
From a business standpoint, this mindset builds the framework and scheme for a culture that supports a high-performing team. Leaders must set the expectation that an environment of excellence and peak performance is business as usual, and anything less than that is a clear deviation from the norm.
I’ve had the privilege of being a part of this kind of team when I played football at the University of Missouri and also when I worked for AT&T. Let me describe the environment for the football setting. In 1969, we won nine and lost two games. Furthermore, that particular team has been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and is considered by many to be one of the best in the history of the University of Missouri. We were co-champions of our conference and played in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.
It’s the characteristics of this team that I believe warrant a closer look. Our players had great relationships with the coaches, though they worked us hard in practice and demanded perfection. The coaches sincerely wanted each of us to be the best we could be and, as a result, set very high standards for our performance in practice. Suffice it to say that we were very well prepared; I never played in a game that was anywhere near being as hard as practice. As far as my teammates were concerned, we were just like family. I cared about each person and would do anything for any of them, just as they would for me. When I played, it was not so much for myself but rather, I did not want to let them down. For any given game, we always felt that we were just supposed to win. That may sound cocky, but confidence in one’s abilities is paramount to success in any endeavor. Our preparation was top notch; we had excellent talent in every position and thus, as a team, we could beat anyone in the nation. It’s pretty special when a team comes together with that special kind of collective mindset. It’s a poise and mental tenacity based upon talent, hard work and preparation. Most importantly, we were a true team, rooted in a singleness of purpose. This mindset is an essential attribute of the kind of culture businesses should aspire to create.
