Let's Give it Up for Excellence

As someone who takes his cooking seriously, there are very few moments that feel as good as that special gleam in someone's eye when they first taste a favorite recipe. I imagine that feeling is similar to the one a stand-up comic gets when the audience goes wild for a brand new routine. The standing ovation of bravos for the soprano who performed a newly learned aria. The list can go on and on.

We humans glorify greatness when we experience it. We have created rituals, i.e. a standing ovation, to communicate those feelings. We celebrate Excellence. We know the work involved, we honor the dedication of the performer, and we empathize with the sacrifice involved.

Somehow, this behavior makes us feel a connection to the performer when we do this. How often do you hear a sports fan refer to their team in the first person plural - we won last night!!!

This the Celebration component of A Community of Excellence at work. No one can be excellent alone. Even so singular a performer as a chef, a comic, or a soloist required many people to contribute to their trek along the path to their well-earned accolades. For that path requires the strife and difficulty that will only allow the cream to rise. How can we decipher who is better without a contest? Some trial that exposes the weaknesses of the aspirants and their ability to overcome those weaknesses.

This is why it is a good thing to complement goodness when we experience it. It is feedback from the community that we celebrate each other's accomplishments and help fuel the future great performances that our talents have the potential for.