As leaders, we tend to find inspiration in unexpected places and moments. Watching the documentary Time Stand Still, which focuses on the last tour for the band Rush, provided such a moment. The level of precision the trio demands of itself, and the expectation to deliver a top-level product to its fanbase both resonated with my beliefs as an educator. The result was “Quality,” my second entry in the Leadership thread. Enjoy!

“Success doesn’t need to make excuses.”

In a documentary about the rock band Rush, drummer and lyricist Neil Peart commented that he wanted everything he produced to reflect a level of care. In other words, his output would reflect a degree of quality that he felt was worthy of his name. 

Our world is endlessly challenging and busy, and the temptation to take short cuts is strong. The critical consideration in the matter of quality is whether your work represents the best you could do considering the conditions.

The pandemic response of 2020-2022 significantly altered the educational landscape and forced leaders to make decisions based on ever changing guidelines for matters that were frequently well outside our areas of expertise. The tests weren’t necessarily about your knowledge of MERV-13 filters, Brownian motion, or how to apply byzantine close contact rules. 

No, the what you determined may not have been as significant as the how you did so. We faced great pressure and extraordinary levels of confrontation, but those forces could at least be somewhat managed if your audience had confidence in you and believed that you conducted your business with an attention to doing things the right way.

A good rule to follow in regards to the level of care put forth in anything is to consider if your name is at the top of a document. If it is, what follows should represent the best that the person attached to that name has to offer.

There are a lot of small details that contribute to a consistent air of quality. For Zoom meetings, which seemed to reveal a lot about the people with whom we coexist, always be on time by being early, especially to your own meetings. 

If it’s your meeting, get there ten minutes early, and fully expect that your app will need to update (generally quick but never timed well) or that you will get a message that it’s waiting for the host to start the meeting (from experience, yelling “I am the host” at your laptop is not an effective workaround). 

If you’re a guest, it’s best to arrive five minutes early and then let the host determine if to admit you from the waiting room. It’s doubtful that anyone is keeping score of such things, but I am nearly certain that your courtesy will help set a tone. Your expectation should be that if the host says at the established start time “We’re going to wait a few minutes for the rest of the people to sign in,” it will prove difficult to bite your tongue or not roll your eyes. 

Or find out you’re not muted after you blurt out “We’re punishing punctuality today?”

Related to that digression, it is exceedingly important to look organized and be punctual. If you have documents laid out in a manner that makes them easy to retrieve in a coordinated manner, you will convey an impression that you are prepared and know what you’re doing. Just as you’ll never hear a compliment along the lines of “I loved how you looked flushed while you were rifling through your bag,” you will similarly never hear “The quality of excuses you’ve been providing when you’re late has really improved — keep it up!” 

Lateness is a habit and it’s selfish. There are situations when it’s inevitable, but as much as you can, set an expectation that you will be prompt and prepared. It’s respectful to your audience, and allows you to enter situations with a level of calm professionalism. And eliminates the need for excuses, however creative.

Fair or not, we are being judged constantly. My response to that? Good. Let the consistent excellence you bring forth define your work and your identity, and let others judge you to their heart’s delight.

Vision Statement: If your name is on something, be sure that the work reflects the best that the person behind that name has to offer.