“The Pursuit of Excellence is not Perfection”

The pursuit of excellence is not the pursuit of perfection.  Excellence and perfection are often used interchangeable and incorrectly.  Arguably, perfection is not excellence.   The pursuit of perfection is fraught with issues.  Chief among these is wrong motives.  Motives as we know can take various forms.  It is not my intention to question motives, however consider how many incidents of taking short cuts, dishonesty, cheating, or other unethical, immoral, or illegal actions in the pursuit of perfection have been committed in the history of humankind. Weekly, from the world of sports albeit professional or amateur we learn of athletes that are accused of using performance enhancement drugs to perfect their performance, their position, or sport.

The problem with perfect or perfection may be in the words or standard we use to describe it.  Consider such terms as error free, without blemish, precise, accurate, or without fault.

How therefore does the role of improvement fit into the world of perfection?

It doesn’t.

Being perfect by its’ very nature implies there is no room for improvement. Perfect is a destination; it is arriving, work completed. Simply, being perfect is improvement free.

Yet, the pursuit of perfection has imperfections. 

What?

The pursuit of perfection can cause as previously stated short cuts.  It can also cause reluctance to risk, avoiding attempting something new or different, taking chances, or experimenting. It can create a mechanical, fixed, or rigid mindset that also influences behavior.  It can produce a “right way” only approach to life.  The pursuit of perfection can also produce obsessions, paranoia, and all sorts of phobias and fears of failure, inadequacies, and states of depression.

The pursuit of excellence is very different.  Excellence is a “how” whereas perfection is a “what”.  Excellence is all about quality, becoming exceptional, extraordinary, outstanding, and of lasting or enduring value.  The pursuit of excellence requires in everything constantly and consistently doing our best – not doing perfect.  Excellence requires seeking ways to improve, to learn from mistakes or shortcomings, to bring to our work a sense of quality of not only doing what is expected but going beyond expected to extraordinary in planning, execution, services, effort and etc.

Excellence requires a mindset that what we do and how we do it is good, true and right. 

It is an “ethic” of our work.

If we individually and cooperatively embraced the pursuit of excellence would our work be different?

Would we plan differently?

Would we implement differently?

Would we monitor differently?

Would we adjust or correct differently?

Would we reflect differently?

Would we produce differently?

I believe we would –

In fact, I believe that the pursuit of excellence in “how” we do our work would become pervasive and transmit clearly, loudly, and uncompromising to our students, parents, and community.  Further still, I believe we would authentically experience the transformation of this present work as we envision, we desire, and we so desperately want to believe it can be for each child.

Yes, the pursuit of excellence just may be the greatest shift we have complete control, complete authority to make.  To do so is a matter of choice; a matter of personal responsibility and accountability.

There is absolutely nothing in the way of pursuing excellence other than self imposed obstacles or barriers.

Leadership including myself must model as best as we can excellence in what we say and what we do.  Nowhere greater is the evidence of hypocrisy than in leaders that ask others to do what they themselves will not do.

We are at a critical point in our work to transform education.  The tipping point I firmly believe will be our ability to pursue excellence not perfection.  We are close and within our reach is the breakthrough that has the potential to catapult both teaching and learning to the highest levels.

It is critical therefore that we examine not only our motives but also the way in which we approach our work daily.

If I could unselfishly choose for you that approach, it would be the pursuit of excellence.  Moreover, if we could choose for our students, our parents, and our community their approach to education, I want to believe we would choose “excellence”

What would you choose?