Make It Fun

What a brilliant way to change behavior. 
Reminds me of Big.  Who wouldn't want to play a piano by walking up stairs?
Make it Fun.

Intereactive State of the Union

That was totally cool, that the White House had slides and details and Twittering going during the President's remarks last night.  And a State of the Union page will continue to be online and updated for several days. 
It's an example of knowing their focus audience, providing info that the audience wants/needs, and staying current instead of static. 
Great customer service model.

I Hate That Word... Make Me Swoon

Lobscouse is a word for fisherman's stew.  Big deal.  Who needs to know that?  It doesn't make me excellent.
I am talking about something else instead.  So there, Merriam-Webster.
I recently had an absolutely outstanding experience at a ski resort, from every part of our hotel to every part of the mountain.  Now we did get something substandard off the mountain, but on the mountain we were delighted time and again.  How did this happen?  Every single employee made eye contact and smiled at me.  Most asked me how they could help, or just gave help.  They even had servers holding trays of cocoa at the top of the main lift mid-morning for us - - - free of charge!  What a delight!  They had volunteers hanging out by maps ready to visit and advise us on the best trails to ski based on our skills and desires.  The way they got all those people marching the same way, was because they set out to do it, defined it, spread the word and they did it, expected it, coached it, modeled it, and rejected anybody who didn't want to do it.  And as a customer, I was happy and I was very willing to spend money and happily experience as many aspects of the resort as I could.
Okay, that was Beaver Creek Colorado.  Fast forward one week to Las Vegas and a business trip at the Flamingo.  From the time I checked in to my flight, to the shuttle, to the hotel, to the restaurants.  Blechhh!  Lackluster and usually aggravating.  Another resort town, all sorts of professionals who weren't the least bit interested in making my experience great... and they didn't.
It's soooo easy to stand out in a world of mediocrity.  It is sad that most of the world is mediocre.  It is also sad that so few of us make constant, but easy, usually free or cheap efforts to serve our customers.  Eye contact.  Using my name.  Opening a door.  Smiling.  Asking meaningful questions.  Ahhh.  It really stands out and it makes customers swoon.  And swooning makes you money.

Telegenic

This means that you look good on TV. 
To digress just slightly, I'll take a tack at this about how important our personal image is; how we look and what we say.
It seems obvious now that we rely so heavily on television and internet that we are very visual.  Every impression we make in person as well as via the airwaves builds our image.  It's never done.  It can never be assumed or simply repeated time and time again.
Excellence requires regular and constant analysis of our brand, who we are. 
It requires us deciding and knowing what we want to portray and how the things we say are internalized by our audience. 
It requires we realize who our focus audience is. 
It requires constantly changing the way we try to entice them.

Cavalier

Originally the term described a knight of the English court, it does mean bold and fearless, but has come to include a negative connotation of recklessness. 
I think always seeking excellence, setting and resetting goals based on accomplishments and uncontrollable new rules requires me to be bold and even fearless.  Or at least ignoring my fear for a bit so I can dream and pursue.  I like the imagery of being a knight with all my coat of armor shining in the sunlight as I charge onward on my beautiful white steed.  It's a powerful way to motivate. 
Don't let the Monty Python knights creep in to disturb my beautiful fantasy with the bungling, cavalier knight who gets his legs, arms, and head cut off because he is so couragous and yes, cavalier by not realizing reality and adjusting appropriately.

Fuel Your Engine

You know how I feel about reading.  I've stumbled across Fast Company's list of the top books for business owners. 
Already have a couple in my "to read" pile and have added a few to my Amazon wish list.  Take a look and see what intrigues you... oh, and if you don't consider yourself a business owner we need to talk about Brand You.
Best Books for Business Owners

Integrity

You know how sometimes people use a word and you could "read" it one way or another?  Or how some words maybe don't illuminate, but confuse?  Not so with Integrity.  You know what it means.  It is always on the high side, it is positive, it is to be sought after.  We want it said about us.  We really want to do it.  It goes with excellence.

Snitty

M-W is really testing me with this one.  Oh well, it was my idea.
Snitty means ill-tempered.
I think we obviously don't behave that way in a world where we are striving for excellence.  What I've done and see done on a daily basis is responding in kind to someone being snitty.  That's the real challenge.  I deal and have dealt with people who come to me with a snitty attitude.  What is so easy to do is to respond in kind.  Even though I know better, many times I take the bait and do it right back.  It is not a good outcome.  It escalates a bad situation and bleeds all over every other exchange for the day.
What I'm able and really willing to do depends on what's going on and who this person is to me.
I might be able to laugh and move on.  In fact, most times I can, because laughing in uncomfortable situations is usually what I just do.
I might be able to pause and ask a better question.
I might be able to walk away... or ignore it and plow ahead regardless.
No matter what, doing something different, trying not to respond in kind is definitely the best.  It definitely moves toward excellence in me.

Gloaming

This won't seem business-like, yet excellence must permeate every part of us, not just our "9 to 5" selves.  So the term gloaming refers to a time of day, it is right at dusk.  It's a Scottish term and right when I read the word before I knew for sure what it meant, I thought of my characters from Outlander.  This is a time-travel period novel.  Yes it is a romance, but I daresay, even the estrogen-challenged among you would get a thrill reading these pages.

But, I digress.  As far as excellence goes, this writer takes me excellently to ancient Scotland while illuminating the timeless principles and human feelings of courage, fear, honor, and love. 
What I love about reading this or reading any "recreational" material is how it stretches and enlarges my mind.  That's a good thing, that's a very excellent thing.

Procrastinate

As an entrenched procrastinator, I am a little miffed that this is the first word I have to speak on.  Sigh.  I have thrown down my gauntlet and now I will respond.
I put off a lot of things, and at the same time, some things really really bother me undone.  Exercise can be done another day I tell myself, yet I abhor an unmade bed or sink of dirty dishes.  Why do I prioritize my energy the way I do, what is the payoff I imagine I am getting or postponing?
Who knows for sure.  But I see how I rationalize why I do or don't do things and that is the first sign of opposition to excellence.
Procrastination is intentionally not doing something that should be done.
I guess I am the person putting the value out there whether something should or should not be done, so in the end I am lying to myself when I procrastinate.
Since excellence isn't really a destination, but a pursuit, there is no place for procrastination by those of us dedicated to excellence.
How then not to procrastinate?  Wow, is that ever a question for the ages.  For me, it begins with acknowledging that I don't want to procrastinate.  I've got to continue on the path and make some progress.  Because procrastination steals time from me, steals progress, steals accomplishment.  It makes me a liar, it makes me cheat on myself.
Wow, when I see it in the ugliest of terms, I really can turn my back and start to walk away from it.
Now if you will excuse me there are several piles of paper and clothes lying on my treadmill.

Forced Word Exercise

With the help of Merriam-Webster, I am going to use their vocabulary word of the day to fuel my rants.  We'll see if I can tie the word to excellence or its pursuit or its demise.  Tune in to see how long before I am stumped.