Great leaders have high standards, very high ones indeed. There is a story about Henry Kissinger, who was serving as the United States Secretary of State. One day, he asked one of his close associates to submit a report on a specific area of foreign policy. The next day, the associate, fully satisfied with his work, submitted the report. Kissinger didn’t find it “good enough” and asked him to revise it! Two days passed, and the associate presented a new version of his report, but the same scenario: he was asked to revise it again! A few days went by, about a week, and a new report, the third one, was proposed to Kissinger.

This time, the associate emphasized that he had given his all and couldn’t do better. Kissinger replied: “Very well, then I will read it……. for the first time!” Kissinger managed his country’s foreign policy with extremely high standards! But this is not an isolated case; it is even a constant in the lives of great leaders—high standards, the pursuit of excellence. A leader, as the saying goes, never rests on his laurels. By this, I mean that he doesn’t settle for yesterday’s victories or past successes, whether small or large… No, far from it! He has a constant concern for improvement, for betterment, a quest for excellence in all things, including the small details. Excellence is also nourished by attention to detail.

The true leader seeks to be excellent in what is visible as well as in what is not! It is this pursuit of excellence that not only enables him to achieve his goals but to surpass them! He is at the center of a virtuous cycle: he progresses from one achievement to the next, continually improving. Every day, fortified by his learnings, he does better than the day before.

It should also be noted that excellence is not limited to final results or achieving goals; it also concerns the processes to get there, as well as communication and organizational culture. I am not only excellent in the goal pursued, but I am also excellent in the way I achieve that goal. I am excellent on the path I choose to take to get there! And even if it doesn’t seem like it, these different aspects are just as essential as achieving the goal itself! This continuous and constant pursuit of excellence is a source of evolution, improvement, and transformation… starting with oneself.

As believers, faithfulness and love for God drive us to excellence. The Bible itself presents the stories of exceptional leaders driven by excellence and their love for God. I think of Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, and many others. Their lives and actions pushed the boundaries of excellence in leadership! For yes, as believers, faithfulness and love for God should drive us to excellence and to do everything as if for God. Paul reminds us of this when he says:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23)

We are invited to do everything as if we were working for the Lord himself. This is an attitude of service and work in excellence. Service and work, when done with excellence, are acts of love toward God. Yes, the Bible encourages us to live with excellence for the glory of God and the well-being of others. So, excellence, yes, but more than a quality, it’s a way of living out leadership on a daily basis!

This text is an excerpt from the book “INFLUENCER” written by LUC DUMONT.

We invite you to read the following article “COMMUNICATION.“