WING TIPS

Have you ever seen the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the "Thunderbirds?" Their ultra-close precision flying and daring close maneuvers have awed and thrilled millions across the country and worldwide. The team consists of 135 officers, enlisted personnel, and civilians exceptionally dedicated to the Thunderbird mission of being "Ambassadors" for the U.S. Air Force.

The striking six pilots who execute the brilliant flying tactics are the main event of the show, but if you were to look closely, you'd notice that the ground team also performs its duties with skill and excellence in a choreographed ballet before the jets ever takeoff. Their physical appearance and sharp, crisp movements, down to the final snappy salutes, clearly demonstrate that the crew-chiefs and maintenance personnel are also essential and proud members of the Thunderbirds team. They epitomize a characteristic example of an organization steeped in a culture of excellence.

ARE YOU FLYING HIGH?

How would you compare your enterprise to the Thunderbirds, especially concerning the team members who are not the stars of the show? Are the folks who are not on the front lines clear about their worth and contribution to the overall effort? Are they valued, appreciated, and proud to be a part of an exceptionally professional group? Would you or they say that they are honored to be a part of an organization dedicated to the pursuit of excellence? These are the answers you want to know.

ONE and ALL!

In an association I led, we found that our public contact people got rave reviews for their excellent service to our members. Our magazine won numerous awards for its features and the overall quality of the publication. Members and other clients were quick to sing our event staff's praises when they rented our facilities. But our IT folks, our data entry team, and the finance ladies rarely had the opportunity to be recognized by the members for their likewise outstanding service. Our senior staff made a conscious and intentional effort to acknowledge their contribution to our successes both personally and during our "All Hands" meetings.

IT'S EVERYTHING!

We most often use the word excellent as an adjective to describe something else. In business, you'll hear, "We have excellent customer service," or maybe "The sales team had an excellent quarter." And it is good to have and to recognize those specific accomplishments. But in a culture of excellence, excellence is not a descriptive adjective. It is a proper noun and is a part of, infused in, and inextricably intertwined in everything your organization does. The magic is to view excellence in a bold new way. Just like in the Thunderbird squadron, the key is to understand that excellence is an end itself.

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A QUOTE TO CONSIDER

“Culture eats strategy for lunch.”

-Peter Drucker

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