Elevating Your Game

: The Uncomfortable Truth About Standards

Today, I want to talk about something profoundly simple yet consistently overlooked: standards. You may think this is a soft topic, best left for self-help gurus and life coaches. But as an Oxford professor and, more pertinently, a military strategist, I can assure you that the setting and upholding of standards are not merely philosophical niceties; they are the bedrock of excellence, survival, and indeed, victory.

The ancient Stoics, ever pragmatic, had a blunt way of putting it. Epictetus, that old warhorse, observed that

"It is inevitable if you enter into relations with people on a regular basis... that you will grow to be like them.... Remember that if you consort with someone covered in dirt you can hardly avoid getting a little grimy yourself."

This isn't just about avoiding bad company, though that's a damn good start. It is about the insidious, often unconscious osmosis of norms. You become what you’re near. If your colleagues are content with 'good enough,' you'll find yourself settling for mediocrity. If the prevailing attitude is one of selfishness, you'll soon start looking out for number one with similar zeal. These shifts are gradual, almost imperceptible, until they become ingrained habits, and then, my friends, they become outcomes.

Consider this: exceptional outcomes are rarely, if ever, achieved by accident. They are almost always the progeny of higher-than-average standards. The truly successful, in any field, don't just aspire to high standards; they embody them, not least for themselves.

I recall an incident from my own past, sent to a rather remote and demanding outpost. I was explaining an operational detail in a meeting when an acknowledged expert bluntly cut me off. "Stop talking," he stated, "until you know what you’re talking about." He then proceeded to deliver a masterclass. Afterwards, he made it clear: "The standard here was you don't speak unless you know what you're talking about." A brutal but invaluable lesson. Champions, you see, don't create the standards of excellence; the standards create champions.

Look at the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick. A dynasty built not on endless talent alone, but on an almost fanatical adherence to standard. Darrelle Revis, a superstar cornerback, was sent home for being a few minutes late. No allowances, no special treatment. The team had a standard, and everyone rose to meet it. This isn't about arbitrary rules; it's about establishing a baseline of expectation that elevates everyone.

The Bane of Smart People with Low Standards

One of the most frustrating challenges a leader faces is the intelligent, yet fundamentally lazy, individual. You know the type: sharp as a tack, but perfectly willing to send out a half-baked draft, full of obvious flaws, awaiting correction from others. It’s a cunning, albeit deplorable, tactic. They exploit our innate desire to correct errors, offloading their diligence onto your plate. They get the credit, and you do the work. Smart. And utterly spineless.

I encountered such a chap once. Freshly promoted, he sent me a dreadful draft, asking for "guidance and feedback." It was a cynical ploy. I didn’t fancy spending my career babysitting his output. I remembered a tale about Henry Kissinger. A staffer submitted a memo. Kissinger asked, "Is this your best work?" The staffer, chastened, rewrote it. Again, the same question, again a rewrite. Only when the staffer, utterly exhausted, declared it his best, did Kissinger finally read it.

I adopted the Kissinger method. My reply to the email: "Is this your best work?" He responded no, took a few days, and came back with a significantly improved version. Without even opening the document, I shot back the same question. Finally, he replied, "Yes, this is the best I can do." I read that version; it was excellent. Knowing his capability and ensuring he knew I knew, I informed him that this was now the minimum standard. I was never disappointed again.

Why We Tolerate Shoddy Work

Why do we allow low standards, both in ourselves and in others? Simple: a lack of commitment to excellence. When you accept substandard work from yourself, it’s usually because you don't truly care enough about that particular task or outcome. You tell yourself it’s 'good enough' or blame time constraints. But in essence, you’re not committed to being outstanding.

The same applies when we accept it from others. If you're truly committed to excellence, you don't tolerate anyone on your team half-assing it. You set the bar high, and you expect everyone to rise to that level, or exceed it. Anything less is, frankly, unacceptable.

Look at Zhang Ruimin, who transformed the failing Qingdao Refrigerator Plant (now Haier). To signal his non-negotiable expectations, he had 76 substandard refrigerators smashed to pieces with a sledgehammer. That sledgehammer remained in the boardroom as a constant, brutal reminder of the standard.

Excellence Demands Excellence

Masters of any craft aren't content with merely checking a box. They are devoted. Their standards are almost fanatical. A master communicator wouldn’t dream of sending a rambling, incoherent email. A master programmer wouldn’t tolerate ugly, spaghetti code. Neither would accept vague explanations as understanding.

We will never achieve anything exceptional if we don’t elevate our standards. For most, this sounds like hard work. We prefer comfort, complacency, and coasting. And that's fine. But understand this: if you do what everyone else does, you will get what everyone else gets. If you desire different results, you must raise the bar.

Working directly with a master is the ultimate education; their excellence becomes a yardstick for yours. But if that’s not an option, you can still surround yourself with higher standards by devouring the works and wisdom of those who embody them. Learn from them, absorb their dedication, and let their pursuit of excellence become the catalyst for your own.

Because, in the end, your standards define your destiny. And in any theatre, be it the boardroom or the battlefield, anything less than excellence is a concession you simply cannot afford.

Life is a constant evolution, a dance with change that shapes who we are and where we’re headed. And just like life, this site is transforming once more. I don’t yet know where this journey will lead, but that’s the beauty of it—each shift brings us closer to where we’re meant to be.

Change is not a sign of uncertainty, but of growth. It’s the path we must take to uncover our true purpose. And while we may not always understand where life is guiding us, it’s in the act of seeking, of embracing the flow, that we discover our direction.

Imagine life as a river, with its tides, currents, and eddies. If we fight against the current, we tire and falter. But if we surrender to it, letting it guide us, we might just find ourselves exactly where we’re meant to be.

Event Portfolio

Street Portfolio