This just arrived as today's "Postive Quote of the Day"...

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

Hmmm...he wasn't that far off, was he? :)

This just arrived as today's "Postive Quote of the Day"...
Quote: (Originally Posted by Aristotle) Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
Hmmm...he wasn't that far off, was he? :)


http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=7163&highlight=Excellence

Who is excellent and who says so? The link provided also contains another "excellence" link in the first post. I'm excellent. Why? Because, I say so! ;) :agree:

I'm excellent. Why? Because, I say so! ;) :agree:

Of course you are excellent, Energy! Never ever thought otherwise! ;)

Of course you are excellent, Energy! Never ever thought otherwise! ;)

Flattery will get you everything... :vfunny: Really, when can we be sure enough about ourselves/business to say we meet the criteria for "excellence"? Who decides and what are the guidelines? I worked for a company that had as their company logo-letterhead, "Come experience our excellence." Trust me, I spent 18 months processing their in-house rejections and Customer Complaints. They were and are something short of what I would call excellent. I really believe that the term "excellence" can only come from the Customer as it applies to your business and it's fleeting, sometimes. In my current occupation, many homeowners say things like "Excellent", "Wonderful" and "Very Pleased". Others look at you as they are forking over the check and wonder if they really got their money's worth. Customers may just consider you just average, or much worse. It makes no difference what we think of our excellence. I wonder what Aristotle used as a yardstick. His mirror? :vfunny: :agree: JMHO

That quote reminds me of something I heard a long time ago. They say it takes a child repeating a task approximately 2000 times before it becomes part of their routine.

They say it takes a child repeating a task approximately 2000 times before it becomes part of their routine.
Unless it happens to be something you do not want them to learn, that is... That happens instantly. :rolleyes:

/Claes

"Acted rightly" IMO is the key - 'rightness' decided by some prevailing standard(s)?

"Acted rightly" IMO is the key - 'rightness' decided by some prevailing standard(s)?

Excellence:
Fineness
Brilliance
Superiority
Distinction
Quality
Merit

Mediocrity (antonym)

Righteousness? :vfunny: :agree:

Good observation Claes. Quickest way to expand a young child's vocabulary is to let a curse word slip out. :o

Roxane,

I think that he pretty much got it right. Excellence is a habit, a skill that can be improved upon through repitition of good technique.

Neil,

If nobody has done it already, welcome to the Cove!!

Kevin

Or let them watch a Super Bowl Halftime show!:eek:

That quote reminds me of something I heard a long time ago. They say it takes a child repeating a task approximately 2000 times before it becomes part of their routine.

Ah hah...now we understand...this sooo explains Energy's child-like state. ;) Kidding!...honest!...oh gee, look at the time...gotta dash... :o

Unless it happens to be something you do not want them to learn, that is... That happens instantly.

And why is that? Neil's right...one wrong word slips out and that's what a person (be s/he child or adult) focuses on. An interesting trait of our species.

Excellence is a habit, a skill that can be improved upon through repitition of good technique.

I guess this explains why I have no nails...I'm an excellent nail-biter, a skill that I improved through repetition of good technique. ;)

Seriously, though, this can apply to "negative excellence", as well, can it not? Think about how many times you have heard (or might have even said yourself) "This is how we've always done it"....bad technique. It may be wrong, but we're darn good at it.

And we all know how difficult it can be to have people change their ways...it's hard enough to change our own. If excellence is a habit that requires us to change our current habit, even the most diligent of us may find it difficult to comply.

If you automate a bad process you just make junk faster.

If you standardize a bad process we all make junk the same.

Excellence is a snapshot in time - at any given time. That snapshot is reviewed by those who have interest in it.
Buying a top of the line airconditioner for $150 bucks might be an excellent buy for someone in Las Vegas, but someone in Fairbanks could see it as stupid.

Excellence is a target that is always moving and is always subjective. It's like the ESPN commercial for the PBA Tour showing 2 teams trying to use a bowling ball to play basketball. They might be "excellent" players and it might be an "excellent ball", but the 2 don't match!

Ah hah...now we understand...this sooo explains Energy's child-like state. ;) Kidding!...honest!...oh gee, look at the time...gotta dash... :o

There's only so much room to "dash" in that ideological bubble that you call home. ;) You didn't think I was going to let that slide, did you? :p You'll have to learn to be more more subtle. That only comes from mingling with the common folk! :agree:

Oh thanks Kevin, you are in fact my favourite poster. I have actually been around these forums for a long time. My post numbers are embarrassingly low because I generally only post when I am certain that I am addding value to the thread. Most of the technical questions get adequately answered here very quickly. However, lately I have been a bit more frivalous posting because Marc is considering perks based on number of posts.

Oh thanks Kevin, you are in fact my favourite poster. I have actually been around these forums for a long time. My post numbers are embarrassingly low because I generally only post when I am certain that I am addding value to the thread. Most of the technical questions get adequately answered here very quickly. However, lately I have been a bit more frivalous posting because Marc is considering perks based on number of posts. It is easy to pretend to be Energy for a minute or two. ;)Oh Boy :cool:

Oh thanks Kevin, you are in fact my favourite poster.
Now that you have come out of the closet, so to speak, and seek to kiss the ring, you’ll have to get in line with the rest of us who admire Kevin’s excellent posts and his mastery of the English language. But, if you aspire to be like Kev, know this: You would never see the following in his posts, even allowing for the differences in spelling across the border. There are not three d’s in “adding” and no a’s in “frivolous”. Shows a lack of attention to detail and also gives the impression that your values do not include accuracy or include inaccuracies. ;)

I have actually been around these forums for a long time. My post numbers are embarrassingly low because I generally only post when I am certain that I am addding value to the thread.
Really? Let’s see. Out of 77 posts, you have 37 non-business related posts and the others? Well, let’s just say that that they are not all that inspiring, as evidenced by that Karma and were so memorable that you are welcomed to the Cove as a newbee. :vfunny: When thinking about who is adddding value to a thread, remember to always put that mirror down. You can’t ever be “certain”.
Most of the technical questions get adequately answered here very quickly. However, lately I have been a bit more frivalous posting because Marc is considering perks based on number of posts.
Could be that inaccurate thing gain. Perks are not awarded for posts that are made in the Coffee Break Threads. It would be too easy for those who do not contribute to the Cove to acquire the same privileges as those that do. Know what I mean?
It is easy to pretend to be Energy for a minute or two.
Is it, Neil? You aren’t even close. First, I’m a financial contributor to the Cove. Another difference. That karma. For someone who just submits value addded posts, your karma is :o . Energy’s karma. You can achieve something similar with a renewed commitment to more value adddded posts and less public fawning. Way before Karma points, there was this funny little poll, created by a member who had a view of value adddddded posts, like you. You know, a spur of the moment poll. Probably prompted because of the thread starter’s feelings of inadequacy. Strangely, it didn’t turn out at all as some anticipated. I suspect you would have been very welcome in that group. But, alas, the deflated egos filled the room accompanied by sobbing and the sounds of gnashing teeth. Oh, those were interesting times. Check it out.
http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=5712&highlight=Poster
As the holder of that prestigious Poster of the Year Title, voted on by other members I consider much more qualified than you, I find your last remark offensive, particularly located so close to “frivAlous” posting and probably worthy of some sort of admonishment for violating posting rules regarding sarcasm or innuendo intended to attempt to make another member the object of scorn and ridicule. However, I believe my response contains some of those very same elements and consider this post value addddddded to the thread. Just like yours. So, let’s move on. May I suggest that you find another way to get noticed? Another method, perhaps, to gain the recognition you desperately seek? You may want to consider hanging out with Wallace or Roxane and hope that some of their class rubs off on you.
Tip: As for your dream of getting those perks, you better get a move on. Either that or use a dictionary/Spell-Check when accumulating those needed posts. Rumor has it that sometime in the near future, posts which contain glaring spelling errors or sub-standard grammar may not count in the offender’s post totals. This would be an ongoing effort to increase the “Excellence” of threads/posts and are not, in any way, intended to keep out underachievers. :D :madrant:

:lol: C'mon, Sheriff, tell 'em how you really feel. LMBO. Reminds me of the title of a song by the Bob Fuller Four that you hear on Oldies or Classic Rock stations from time to time.

:lol: C'mon, Sheriff, tell 'em how you really feel. LMBO. Reminds me of the title of a song by the Bob Fuller Four that you hear on Oldies or Classic Rock stations from time to time.

Gotta admit, Energy's raised some interesting points and I know he's done a good job at painting me a picture (tried to use the new icon but it came up as :paint: )

More often than not, I forget to hit preview post and end up sending something with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and just bad English. For someone who considers herself to be educated and for someone in the Quality profession (not to mention started a thread regarding thoughts on Excellence), what does this say about me?

I admit that I am pressed for time when I do some of my posts, so maybe I should hold off until I have the time I need for a meaningful post. That won't happen, of course, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't. :redface:

And it would be interesting if we did tallys to see the breakdown of our posts. Especially a "Coffee Break" vs "Work-Related" forums...where are we spending our energy (no pun/insulted intended)?

Oh my, had to delete your own first response Energy? That would have been worth seeing. My original post to Kevin was, in fact, accompanied with an emoticon suggesting a small tongue-in cheek comment. But I see this has raised the full wrath of the mighty Energy, regardless. Before blasting my already admittedly very modest contributions to Elsmar perhaps you should review your own body of work. Since you have access to all of this data, what percentage of all threads in the history of Elmar have you actually posted on? I am willing to bet that it is pretty darn high. Are we in the presence of an eclectic quality genius or is there perhaps another explanation? To suggest that I'm desperately seeking attention is nothing less than hypocrisy of the highest order.

I apologize for getting this thread off track.

If you automate a bad process you just make junk faster.

If you standardize a bad process we all make junk the same.

Excellence is a snapshot in time - at any given time. That snapshot is reviewed by those who have interest in it.
Buying a top of the line airconditioner for $150 bucks might be an excellent buy for someone in Las Vegas, but someone in Fairbanks could see it as stupid.

So "excellence" is subjective. I mulled this over for a bit and agree. I mean, it's the same thing as Customer satisfaction. What satisfies one person may not do the same for another. All depends on your circumstances and requirements. But isn't that why the standards came out? To help take away some of this subjectivity?

Jim Collins wrote a good book called "Good to Great" and in it he talks about companies that had to meet certain requirements in order for them to be deemed 'great'...however, his requirements may not mine or your or anyone else's in the Cove. I did like the book, don't misunderstand me, but I didn't take everything in it as the "only truth".

Oh my, had to delete your own first response Energy? That would have been worth seeing. My original post to Kevin was, in fact, accompanied with an emoticon suggesting a small tongue-in cheek comment. But I see this has raised the full wrath of the mighty Energy, regardless. Before blasting my already admittedly very modest contributions to Elsmar perhaps you should review your own body of work. Since you have access to all of this data, what percentage of all threads in the history of Elmar have you actually posted on? I am willing to bet that it is pretty darn high. Are we in the presence of an eclectic quality genius or is there perhaps another explanation? To suggest that I'm desperately seeking attention is nothing less than hypocrisy of the highest order.

I apologize for getting this thread off track.

You had your say and I had mine. Now, drop it. :caution: If you decide to use another member's handle in an unflattering way to get a "chuckle", you should PM them and ask first. Further posts on this particular subject will be deleted, by the "Eclectic Mighty Energy". Some people just don't get it. :agree:

So "excellence" is subjective. I mulled this over for a bit and agree. I mean, it's the same thing as Customer satisfaction. What satisfies one person may not do the same for another.

Spot on, Oh Fair One! :cool: We recently received a raving Customer Survey applauding how great we were. In the box which asks "May we use you as a reference?", the answer is "NO"! "Why?", you might ask. Because they don't want nuisance phone calls asking how good we really are. The survey was designed to do just that. So, when asked for reference, say, from a member of that particular community, we just fax a copy of the completed survey, with the "Do not bother these people.", note. "They hate calls during supper!" But the potential customer can see what they said. Neat, huh! :bonk: :vfunny:

Spot on, Oh Fair One! :cool: We recently received a raving Customer Survey applauding how great we were. In the box which asks "May we use you as a reference?", the answer is "NO"! "Why?", you might ask. Because they don't want nuisance phone calls asking how good we really are. The survey was designed to do just that. So, when asked for reference, say, from a member of that particular community, we just fax a copy of the completed survey, with the "Do not bother these people.", note. "They hate calls during supper!" But the potential customer can see what they said. Neat, huh!

I'm a wee bit confused here...could be that I haven't had my first cup of java :sleep: ...but if your Customer does not wish to be used as a reference, doesn't sending out a copy of the survey go against their wishes? Or do you take some information off so that it's not easily discernible who the Customer is?

I'm a wee bit confused here...could be that I haven't had my first cup of java :sleep: ...but if your Customer does not wish to be used as a reference, doesn't sending out a copy of the survey go against their wishes? Or do you take some information off so that it's not easily discernible who the Customer is?

We find that a lot of elderly people do not like phone calls, so we would not provide phone numbers. However, if they're listed in the phone book, they can be called. We let them see who and where and tell them the situation. Most of our Customers welcome the opportunity to praise us. :applause: For instance, a potential customer wanted references close to their home. I have two in that town. One doesn't want to be bothered, but sent a raving review. The other said yes to the reference question. I sent both with the note, "Do not disturb" and why. We'll get that job. I bet my boots on it! :biglaugh:

So "excellence" is subjective. I mulled this over for a bit and agree. I mean, it's the same thing as Customer satisfaction. What satisfies one person may not do the same for another. All depends on your circumstances and requirements. But isn't that why the standards came out? To help take away some of this subjectivity?

Jim Collins wrote a good book called "Good to Great" and in it he talks about companies that had to meet certain requirements in order for them to be deemed 'great'...however, his requirements may not mine or your or anyone else's in the Cove. I did like the book, don't misunderstand me, but I didn't take everything in it as the "only truth".

I know that somewhere I have made a comment similar, but this reminds me of something that Phil Crosby talks about in one of his books (dealing with quality as compliance to requirements). The gist of the story is that to some customers the Chevy Vega WAS a quality vehicle. It met their specific needs for an inexpensive mode of transportation, and in that sense it was as much a quality vehicle as the Rolls-Royce may have been to its customers. Excellence truly is in the eye of the beholder.
:bigwave:

Just another point, if I may. I can provide addresses for a "drive by" to look at our work. Name and address. We leave signs on the property for, at least, 3 weeks. What's to stop a potential customer from knocking on the door and asking about us? Doesn't matter that they checked "No" on the question, "May we use you as a reference?" I send my survey back saying all good things about you. I just do not want phone calls to my home. This is a no brainer. You live on a street. We provided service. You were pleased. You said so. Should I not allow someone interested in our service the opportunity to drive down that street and look at our work? C'mon Guys and Gals, this isn't the quagmire that some see it as! There is no "corporate" paranoia here. Geez. :rolleyes: ;)

One of the things I like about the Cove is that it is like peering into a Mandelbrot set - there is always another depth. I found this thread about "excellence" and what it is. Noting the various sentiments raised I am reminded of the famous remark made by Justice Potter Stewart (in Ohio, I believe) of "pornography". He said he could never "...succeed in intelligbly defining it. But, I know it when I see it."

Has anyone on the Cove seen it?

One of the things I like about the Cove is that it is like peering into a Mandelbrot set - there is always another depth. I found this thread about "excellence" and what it is. Noting the various sentiments raised I am reminded of the famous remark made by Justice Potter Stewart (in Ohio, I believe) of "pornography". He said he could never "...succeed in intelligbly defining it. But, I know it when I see it."

Has anyone on the Cove seen it?
Pornography or excellence? :lmao:

Seriously though, isn't excellence the pursuit and attainment of something greater than has been achieved before. It is like the jamaican runner on the commercial who has beat His world record like nine times. That is excellence. Beating the highest benchmarks. Setting the mark yourself. There those who are good. There are those who are better. then there are the best. Who do you want to be. Speaking for myself, I often find myself settling for the good or better stance when I desire to be the best. You have probably noticed in my posts.
Mark

Pornography or excellence? :lmao:

Seriously though, isn't excellence the pursuit and attainment of something greater than has been achieved before.

You have probably noticed in my posts.
Mark
Actually, "excellence" is a word deployed by sales, advertizing and marketing types as a puff they hope will induce innocent customers into believing the associated products or services are always defect free, never require recall, will last forever, offer terrific value for money, will create jealous neighbors, relatives and friends envious at the customers' ability to spot a real winner, enable them to experience user's Nirvana, or whatever else is in their dreams. :tg:

It is also a word often used in annual reports in the CEO/ President's section to comfort unsuspecting readers into thinking no other company before, now or in future could possibly equal the illustrious firm's offerings in the marketplace, while still having another section in the financial section or manager's report which deals with impending lawsuits and contingency funds for settling product liability claims. :eek:

It must be Friday!