One of the concepts we have talked to our team about this fall is that "the best way to improve the team is improve yourself." We are "process" program -- meaning we are more concerned with the journey than the destination. Being "process-oriented" is about living in the moment and working hard to control only those things you can control. As a player, I may have little or no impact in getting a teammate to improve. But I have wide-ranging ability to improve myself. If you get up every morning with the goal of making yourself better -- and you put the committed, purposeful work into doing so -- you single-handily will improve your team. And when you get an entire group to buy into this philosophy, you are about to have a special journey.
Here are some of John's thoughts on this very subject:
Frequently I'll ask a group, "What's the one thing you would change to improve the effectiveness of your organization?" Usually people name things that can be found on this list of Ps: products, promotions, policies, processes, procedures, pricing and people. Seldom does anyone say the most important and impacting of all answers: "ME! I would change me to improve our organization." Yet that seldom-heard response is the key to success. If you want to lead, you need to grow. The only way to improve an organization is to grow and improve the leaders. If you want to make an impact, start with yourself.
