Five minutes to go you’re being ushered into the auditorium. A real buzz and sense of anticipation is building. Everyone is in their seats. One minute to go and the music kicks in. 10 seconds to go and the stage is full. Three. Two. One.

We all know when we’ve witnessed excellent. It gets talked about. They’re happy. We’re happy. It’s usually a stretch target, but one that was with reach.

The inaugural Monocle Quality of Life conference was indeed, excellent. Everything about it was above expectation. The welcome reception. The quality of conversation. The coffee and canapes.

But what amazed me most was the fanatical approach to time keeping. It was a level of obsession that I’d not expected, or experienced before. From the outside looking in, the professionalism and attentional to detail were of the highest standard.

It’s important to show people where we’re going. It gives hope. It inspires. It gives us a sense of purpose. Without a clear vision of where we’re heading it’s hard to know if we’re going in the right direction.

ACTION 6

Set the vision.

What does excellent look like for you and your train set? Does it inspire and demonstrate leadership in your field? Define a standard for where you want to go.

Write it down.