Are You Wishing for Remarkable Results? Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote, “Nothing is so common-place as to wish to be remarkable.”
Everyone wishes to be remarkable and every business wants remarkable results, but few ever experience it.
It is the wish – not the realization – that remains commonplace. This is because rather than look at the core of what drives the organization, most simply benchmark against the competition and constantly chase the behaviors of those who are best in class.
We would all agree that behavior drives results. So it stands to reason that if you want to change the results you are getting, you have to change the behavior in order for it to lead to the desired results. results. It’s not quite that simple.
Behavior modification doesn’t often garner long-term results. Because behind every behavior is a belief system, a way of thinking. In remarkable companies that way of thinking is different – or should I say differentiating. Once this becomes apparent, training departments mount up efforts to instill the same knowledge base and drill the same competencies into their employees in the hopes that access to good information will do the trick. It doesn’t!
You cannot change someone’s way of thinking and resulting behavior without addressing the underlying core values. Simply stated, remarkable results come from a solid value system. People and organizations that produce remarkable results simply see and experience the world differently than those who have limited positive impact.
If you want to achieve remarkable results, the key is to identify, embrace and embody the core values that serve as the defining markers for the organization. And, I’m not talking about placing an aspirational value statement on a plaque in the lobby.
Once identified and articulated, then the organization must live out the values, hire to the values, teach the values and reinforce the values so that the defining values are constantly aligned. Aligned values will codify the belief system – or way of thinking – within the life of the organization.
This all may sound a bit complex, but it actually is very simple. If you want to do more than be remarkable, then you must do two things well. If you do these two things well, everything else will be easy. If you miss it on these two points, I promise you everything else will be hard. The two things that you must do well to get remarkable results are:
- You must hire remarkable people, and…
- You must craft a remarkable culture.
Hiring remarkable people means hiring team members whose values align with those of the organization. Here is where most miss the mark. If you want to hire for values alignment, then you have to focus on values constructs. While past experience, education and references may be of some benefit, the most important factor is whether this hire will represent those values held dear by the organization.
Crafting a remarkable culture must also be pursued with passion, because it is the single most important differentiating factor that any organization possesses.
Culture is simply the collective expression of the values, beliefs and behaviors that individuals bring to any endeavor. Wherever people gather, you are going to have a culture. The question is, “What kind of culture will your endeavor have?” You will either have a culture by design – where passion and intentionality prevail – or you will have a culture by default. The latter will most likely be an environment filled with lackluster performance, little creativity and a constant revolving door of talent.
But when you put remarkable people in a remarkable culture, you will certainly garner remarkable results. And remarkable teams are those whose values are aligned and drive the thinking and behavior of the organization.
Wishing for remarkable results is commonplace. If you want to go beyond wishing to realization, then you have to make the commitment to align values and Be Remarkable!
Dr. Randy Ross is the founder and CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of Remarkable!, sought-after International Keynote Speaker, Corporate Trainer, and Author of the best-seller Remarkable!: Maximizing Results Through Value Creation. Want to be Remarkable!? Dr. Randy Ross will show you how!! To book Dr. Randy for your next event click here: Book Dr. Randy Ross