5 Steps to Building a Culture of Excellence

Being a leader means a big part of your job is fostering a culture of excellence. As an employee, you want to be a part of something extraordinary. As a manager, a leader, you want employees who are engaged in something meaningful, regardless of your industry. But how?

Here are five commitments every leader needs to make if you want to create and nurture a culture of excellence among those you lead.

1. Give up on your small ambitions

Lead with vigor, infectious enthusiasm, and focused intensity.

Don’t be comfortable being the boss and raising up a team of followers. Cultivate a team of leaders and be willing to give credit generously along the way. Don’t be afraid of building up a team of individuals who will surpass you.

A generous leader is fun to work for and allows for greater creativity and innovation.

Download Now: The Innovative Leader’s Guide to Transforming Company Culture

2. Don’t stand still . . . do something

Great leaders know that to lead well you need to be growing, personally and as a team. A lack of vision leads to stagnation.

A leader helps prioritize and make sure her team is all moving in the same direction. And a leader is always moving somewhere.

What book are you reading and talking about? What article does your team need to see today?

3. Control your attitude

Good leaders score high on Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Adversity Quotient (AQ). They are smart; they are self-aware, self-regulating, and empathetic; and, they are resilient and deal with problems quickly and effectively.

A long-time leader once told me:

“When you become a manager, you’ve had your last bad day at the office.”

4. Don’t be average

Don’t ever be okay with being just okay.

Employees long to follow a leader who strives for excellence, both personally and professionally. Make big goals that stretch you as a leader and stretch your team to grow. Accomplish big goals and be quick to defer the credit to your team.

That praise will help keep them engaged during your journey to accomplish the next big thing!

5. Make mistakes a part of your recipe

All fears boil down just to two things:

1. The fear of losing something
2. The fear of not getting something

To be a great leader, you need to recognize these fears in yourself and your team. You need to lead yourself and your team in a way so as to not be ruled by fear.

Many times, mistakes lead to breakthroughs. Celebrate mistakes as learning opportunities, not opportunities to be petty, and wield your power.

In his book, The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, Author Ryan Holiday says:

“To do great things, we need to be able to endure tragedy and setbacks. We’ve got to love what we do and all that it entails, good and bad. We have to learn to find joy in every single thing that happens.”

Make these five commitments as a leader and watch your team thrive.

Transforming your organizational culture starts with yourself. Download our free workbook to start doing the work to overhaul your employee morale and build an unstoppable team.