Come join us at the Houston Business Journal Awards Luncheon honoring Houston's Fast 100 Companies. 

 

Learn, at the same time as we do, if we are #1 or #100!

 

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The power in exceptional performance lies within a team's ability to follow through on ideas, projects, initiatives, and the like. Yet, human nature (a.k.a. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) can make priorities subjective. To understand an individual's list of subjective priorities we must understand what motivates a person to act. 

 

Achieving a reward or goal reinforces actions.  An intrinsic reward, such as a desire to help others or learn new skills, creates its own joy just in performing the action.  An extrinsic reward, such as studying to get a good grade, means we are motivated to perform an action that produces a separate, tangible reward. Both reward systems are critical to exceptional performance.  Like athletes, business professionals, need to remember to "have fun" (intrinsic reward) in their sport and not get too caught up in winning (extrinsic reward).

 

To encourage exceptional performance, leaders must create purpose and prepare the team with worthwhile list of objectives to perform whenever the occasion presents itself. 

While I was on vacation this past week at the Del Coronado, Matt and I ran across the movie "Limitless".  Interesting concept....take a pill and all of a sudden your brain and body are faster, stronger, and more adept than typical human beings.  I couldn't help but wonder...what keeps us from performing at a limitless level?

 

A successful business owner came to my mind.  He is among the "Made My Millions" crew that I meet with for mentorship.  He said, "You are not just going to make it.  You are going to make it big."  I was of course intrigued, and said "what do you mean?" which is my classic line to open up dialog and get more information.

 

He said, "Not only do you know success...you don't care what labels other people give you on your journey there.  I've sat here for 6 months watching you.  You sit here taking notes and gently plug a statement or two to steer the ship.  It is impressive how you don't operate from the typical 'I must be this type of leader' rule book."  I was shocked - he knows my game....busted!

 

All kidding aside, if you have worked with Xcution, you probably understand our style.  Our frame of reference is not the typical mode of operations.  Rightly so, when we are invited in to companies we take on an array of labels...

• facilitator
• meeting minute taker
• project controls 
• task master

Labels do not keep us from execution.  Instead of fighting how someone labels us, we lean into it.  "Yep! We got the meeting minutes." -- <just another opportunity>   

 

What labels are preventing you from being limitless? 

 

 

Sincerely,  

 

Jane Henry 

Co-Founding Partner