There are many ways to do fine work. One approach is to do what you believe in and do what you do best. It is then to do the basics and add the brilliance.
Imagine that you want to follow this approach in a specific situation. This can involve focusing on the following themes.
You Can Do What You Do Best
Great workers aim to do what they do best. They may do this when working as an educator, designer, trusted advisor, leaders, specialist or in another professional role.
Such workers often start by focusing on belief. Belief is vital because it gives them positive energy. Bearing in mind what they can control in a situation, such people sometimes take the following steps.
They aim to do work they believe in. They may feel passionately about encouraging people, doing certain kind of work, tackling specific challenges or doing other activities.
They aim to do what they do best. They aim to build on their strengths and focus on the specific activities where they have the ability to deliver As rather than Bs or Cs.
They aim to do their best in the situation. They aim: a) to build on what they can control; b) to clarify the specific goals it may be possible to achieve; c) to then do their best to achieve these specific goals.
Imagine you want to follow elements of this approach. If appropriate, try tackling the following exercise. This invites you to do the following things.
To describe a specific situation where you want to do what you believe in and do your best;
To describe the specific goals – the real results – you want to achieve in the situation;
To describe the specific things you can do to your best to achieve these goals in the situation.
You Can Do The Basics
Imagine that you are focusing on something you believe in and are doing what you do best. Bearing in mind what you can control in the situation, you have also set what you believe to be achievable goals.
Great workers move into action. This calls for them to keep doing the basics that are required to provide the platform for doing brilliant work. They often take the following steps.
They keep following their chosen principles – such as following strategies work – on the way towards achieving the picture of success;
They keep delivering high professional standards when working towards the picture of success;
They keep embodying the concept of continuous improvement when working towards the picture of success.
Different people will perform different basics to reach their goals. The way they translate these into action depends on whether they work in sports, business, hospitality, medical care, therapy, technology or whatever.
A counsellor will help a person to feel at ease, explore what they want to achieve and then enable them to shape their future. An athlete will prepare properly – both physically and psychologically – and then do their best to achieve peak performance.
Let’s return to your chosen activity. What are the basics you need to do to create the platform for achieving success? How can you maintain high professional standards? How can you translate these into action?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. Bearing in mind the piece of work you want to do, this invites you to complete the following sentence.
You Can Add The Brilliance
Imagine that you are doing what you believe in and doing what you do best. You are also doing the basics – plus delivering high professional standards – on the way towards achieving the specific goals.
Great workers do these things and then add the brilliance. A footballer may use their skills to make a defence-splitting pass or score a remarkable goal. A surgeon may use their gifts to perform a life-saving operation in difficult circumstances.
Some workers may go beyond doing brilliant work. They may also aim to make it beautiful. Some people do this by following the principles of great design.
They create something that is simple, satisfying and successful. It is simple but in a profound way. It is satisfying on both an aesthetic and practical level. It is successful. The thing they create works and helps people to get positive results.
Different people add the brilliance in different ways. Some use their strengths to do something special to deliver success. Some may also create something beautiful that gives people positive memories for life.
Let’s return to the situation where you are aiming to achieve certain specific goals. How can you add the brilliance and, if appropriate, also add the beauty?
If you wish, try tackling the final exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Leave a Reply