Passion and Capability - Chapter 6

I was reveling in the performance improvements that we were experiencing...I find that one of the elements that separate great leaders from mediocrity is the ability to honestly celebrate success...

I taught my mentor this...he was often too busy to stop (even for a moment) and enjoy the fleeting aroma of accomplishment...

...Although my project was not yet completely finished...we were at a place that was only a pipe dream...a "stretch goal" as they would have you believe...I didn't like that term..."stretch goal"...if you can achieve it...then it is the goal...if you can't don't attempt it...if they want that then they should tell you that they want it...

Success and achievement...is all about "stretch"...not about idling across the finish line and claiming audacious victories...and taking credit for that which can not be accomplished without "stretch"...

How silly that management method is and how pervasive it is across well meaning organizations...

Enough of that!  It was detracting from my feelings of accomplishment!

In short order, we had exceeded their expectations...and were on a path that would take this organization to being a major contributor of the corporation...not too long ago...it was a proverbial anchor!

The "marathon runner" had seemed to refocus his efforts towards leading rather than running from the problems...

As I reflected on this...I thought about how much my mentor had an impact on the way I worked...and he often admitted that I had changed him too...for the better, I hoped...

People who knew both of us...called us clones!  I took that as a compliment...

That is what happens when a friendship has that much influence...

It was not difficult...knowing him as well as I did...made emulating him easy...

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery..."

...or so I thought...until...

The day I stopped to buy fuel for my car...

I was in a hurry...ran the card through the slot and began pumping...

As I waited (impatiently) I looked around the drive and then over at the store...

He was sitting on the sidewalk...removing one his shoes and dumping what seemed like gravel or sand from them...

His usually perfectly pressed pants were torn...and I could also see that his elbows were scrapped...

His bicycle, carefully laid next to him...

"HEY!" I yelled...

He immediately took notice, tied his shoe, picked up his bike and limped over to me...

"What the heck happened to you?" I asked

"I was riding over to your house to see if you wanted to take a ride...and got off the sidewalk...into some sand...and had a little crash..." he smiled...

"You are too old to do off-roading...look at you...you are a mess" I said in the best fake, concerned voice that I could muster

"You're telling me...I almost swore!  Can you take me to your place to get cleaned up...We should also look at my wheels...I think the front one is a bit out of round!  Then we can go on our trip" 

"I think that I have a bit of your favorite medicine stashed away...perhaps we should forgo the bike ride and just take it easy today!"

As we drove...he asked that we stop by his car dealership so that he can pick up his car...

Things then became clearer to me...

He would have never ridden his bike to my house...when he had the car...

"What's wrong with your car?" I asked...

"Nothing," he replied, "It is just in for a check-up!"

As we drove, I thought about the fact that he has driven 3 cars and all of them are made by the same manufacturer...

From his stories...this was the only brand he ever drove...

"Why do you always buy those cars?"

"In my book...auto is a 3-letter word!"

"All others are imitations..." 

"I would call that quite a compliment for that company...if all of the others are imitations..."

"That is true...if they were true imitators...but they lack substance..."

"But isn't imitation the greatest form of flattery?" I asked

"Only if it is real on no a facade...otherwise it is a total insult!"  He replied

"I hope that you are not insulted when they call us clones"

"Not in the least!  I am complimented...I believe that this observation, by others, is based more on our results than on our behaviors..."

"This characteristic and this characteristic alone is the differentiator...if it provides great (altruistic) results...or at least the intended results with consistency...then it is OK"

"You and I go into organizations...and make differences...you in your way...and I in mine..."

"I know that we are not the same in any way shape or form...but we always seem to end up at the same place..."

My car (or whatever I presumed it to be) came to a stop in front of the Service Center.  The manager came running out like he was greeting an old friend...called him by name and asked him if he could get him a cup of coffee or anything...he totally ignore that he looked like he had just been processed by a food grinder and was still seeping blood from a few wounds!  I just smiled...rolled down the window and asked if I needed to wait...

The duo walked back to my car and the Service Manager introduced himself...and explained that he was so happy to have him bring his car here...he had seen it out on the road and wondered who was servicing it...

"Is this his first time here?" I asked

"Oh YES!  Previously he was taking it to the dealer in the north" the service guy explained

"See why I drive these cars?" he prodded

A few other cordialities were shared and I drove off...

As I drove I mentally planned getting the first-aid kit out...then the rum...no I should get the rum out first...

I decided that it would take a few minutes for him to arrive...so it wouldn't matter which one I got out first...

I pulled into the driveway and looked in the rear-view mirror and he was right behind me!

I got out of my car and he, his...

"I have to say that you drive fast!"

"How long did it take for you to check out?"

"I didn't have to check out...he brought the keys to me and walked me to the car as you left...he explained what they did and had a full set of documents on the seat for me to review...in case I had any questions...I could look at them...and if after that...I could call them...but from my perspective I was good to go...and that is what I have that auto for...to go...I was on the move before you left the lot..."

"NOW THAT'S SERVICE"

"That is not service...it is a part of the auto...a critical component that should be emulated by all of those auto wannabes!"

"I think that you pay for that service and attention to detail in the price of your car..." I observed

"I disagree...the more interactions that I have with this company...the more that I realize that you pay for that service in the next car you purchase from them..."

"They make the initial investment in the relationship...and it pays off with customer loyalty..."

"They only lose money if you are not a repeat customer...and then it most likely something that they did to you and deserve!"

"That is an attitude...OK...a behavior that we should all emulate...A focus on repeat sales...not just on the immediate return...but an eye on the future..."

"That company will be here long after Yugo." he smiled...

"They may never be the biggest...but they easily could become the only one!"  he laughed...

We walked into the house...I gave him a choice of consumable alcohol or topical alcohol...he chose to consume it first...then apply it...

We dressed his wounds...

...found a pair of pants for him...

...checked out his bike...and straightened his front wheel slightly...

As we focused on our somewhat rote tasks...I thought about what he was saying...and suddenly realized that this may be the conundrum that "marathon man may be in...

He runs marathons because he is imitating the behavior of someone that he aspires to be...but will NEVER be...

Now he is emulating me...I AM NOT FLATTERED IN THE LEAST!  In fact...I am insulted!

That man is giving me a bad reputation...I have to do something about that!

The man is simply a photocopier...he can not do anything original...

He throws quotes out like he said them himself...but he never really can integrate them into his own brand...he has no brand...he is a Yugo!

As we worked...I think he was watching my face...

"Murder is not one of your options," he mentioned out of the blue...

"What? Who?" I responded

"Your face looks like you want to kill someone!"

"Remind me to NEVER play poker with you..."

"You don't!"

"I know!  But if I ever consider it..."

"What got you so angry?"

"I was thinking about marathon man"

"You realized that he was simply imitating you huh?"

"Flattering wasn't it?"

 "I now see what you were talking about...if someone we respect emulates us...it is a compliment...if someone we do not respect imitates us...we are insulted..."

"So what part of that equation do you attack...you or him?"

"Hand me that alcohol..."

"Which one?  The one for the outside...or the one for the inside?"

"Are you planning on altering the environment or the behavior?"