Raise The Bar

"You can shout your last hurrah while they are propping up the bar”

- The Who, Cry if you Want, 1982

Continuous improvement is not a concept that belongs only in a LEAN manufacturing handbook, but applies to all facets of life. If we are not getting better every day, the world will pass us and our teams by. Be a leader raising the bar, not one celebrating the last achievement.

RAISE THE BAR

WHAT IT TAKES: Continuous Improvement is hard, but the path to get there is simple. Admiral William McRaven, provides a check list for leaders to raise the bar in his book The Wisdom of the Bullfrog, Chapter 16; When in Doubt, Overload. The path is:

1. Work Hard: This is expected from leaders

2. Work Harder: To inspire others

3. Work The Hardest: To open opportunities that didn't exist before

This book, with the subtitle Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy) is filled with incredible lessons from a man who was awarded the title "Bullfrog"; the longest active serving US Navy SEAL in 2011. Look for it on Relentless Pursuit list of recommended reading coming soon.

OPTIMAL LEARNING: Andrew Huberman, Neuroscientist & Performance Psychologist, describes the 85% rule for optimal learning by stating: "When we fail to do something, our attention levels increase. That increase can be leveraged to heighten learning capacity on subsequent attempts. Scientific findings suggest that setting the level of challenge to one where you fail ~15% of the time is ideal for learning." Tuning our goals and training programs to this mix provides an effective path to continuous improvement. Learn more here.

BUILDING THE TEAM: "If you aren't building the team up, it is falling apart" this quote from retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Ferriter on Jocko Podcast #387 illustrates the importance of continuous improvement in teams. As the commander of all USA Army Bases globally with more than 123,000 team members, Mike know how to build a team and keep it improving. As a Jit Jitsu black belt at 66 years old who is "always getting better", Michael lives the example of continuous improvement by getting better every day.

TOOL: Looking to build a team full of members that raise the bar? Consider empowering all employees with the PAPA method of management. Stop telling the actions that need to be done, instead use this method to provide a framework for team members to work within. When used effectively, the team will raise the bar.

P - Purpose: Define the purpose of what each person is working for

A - Autonomy: To accomplish the purpose

P - Principles: Foundational skills for success and guide to make decisions which align with the purpose

A - Accountable: Hold each team member accountable for their purpose with shared and visible results

Lead | Produce | Pursue

Joe House