Read this snippet from David Maister’s book “True Professionalism”.
Tom Peters once quoted Ray Croc, the founder of McDonald’s, to the effect that, to succeed at McDonald’s, “You must be able to see the beauty in a hamburger bun”. Most so-called “sophisticated” professionals laugh when they hear this, but just as a few moments of reflection should make it clear that Mr. Kroc was right. You can’t become a world leader in a business as basic as hamburgers (or any other) without truly caring, passionately, about what you do. A more recent work, Built to Last, by James Collins and Jerry Porras, supports this point. They show that truly visionary and successful companies have discovered that there is no conflict between the pursuit of profit and having a purpose beyond conflict.
The lesson is clear: Believe passionately in what you do, and never knowingly compromise your standards and values. Act like a true professional, aiming for true excellence, and the money will follow. Act like a prostitute, with an attitude of “I’ll do it for the money, but don’t expect me to care” and you’ll lose the premium that excellence earns.”
Ouch! The truth hurts and yet, that’s so real!
So, is your mind, heart and soul as engaged as your physical presence at work? If not, can you find the higher purpose in what you do? How is your work making a positive impact to the lives of your clients, colleagues, manager, subordinates and other stakeholders? How is your contribution helping make the world a better place, however small that might be? How is your example of passion and commitment building trust “within you” of yourself and making you a positive role model for others? What is the one thing you can do today to create the most massive value for your organisation?
Check out this YouTube video to hear how a taxi driver was able to see the beauty in his daily grind behind the wheel of a cab in downtown, jammed up to the armpits, gridlocked Kuala Lumpur.
Make this the most outstanding day you so deserve!
To your continued Success and Fulfilment,
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