I don't have the patience... GET EXCITED or GO HOME

Why this is important: You can't be incredible with 9-5ers. You can float and maybe keep a business running, but growth? forget it. You need all-stars who infect others with a passion for excellence.

It's generally not a "rah-rah" meeting, or series of meaningless "let's go team!" pow-wows that will do this. It isn't forcing meetings or even having "fun" (alcohol) at work and/or after work. It isn't even building team unity through what most people call outings or retreats. These are cool, but not going to get someone excited to the point where they shoot bulls-eyes and work tirelessly.

It is... appealing to their sensibility and demonstrating how effort and participation pays off. Allow everyone to contribute, know who the real stars are and give them more to handle. I don't like the phrase "going above and beyond" cause I think that should be expected. Talk to me about what you've done besides what you're SUPPOSED TO DO, then you've got my attention. Make big promises and keep them.

It is achieved by first having the right people who are intrinsically motivated, driven to obliterate their goals and contribute real value, nix that, create real value. It's selfless teamwork. It's setting examples through proven results. Expect others to be great, ask them to, specifically. Don't accept anything less than amazing. Have an attitude of excellence, it's infectious. It's never giving in, but knowing when to give up, move on. Fail, but admit it, pick yourself up and then set your sights on something else and run fast.

I don't care for the "great job" and "good work" and "way to go" comments making you feel as though you've given positive reinforcement. Some people really need this, so do it for those that need it. Understand what motivates people and how they want to be managed, find a middle ground with them based upon your style.

I can go on and on about organizational motivation, but the message is simple. Attract great, self-driven, selfless talent in the first place and the rest will all come together. Don't kuhm-by-yah and rah-rah me up and down my day or micro-manage and fear monger me towards my goals. Don't sit idly either, making excuses and blaming factors that are clearly not correlations to a lack of performance. Don't ask questions all the time, and not offering answers or paths toward success and wonder why you fall short so consistently, only following with more questions. You are a slug.

If you are not excited about what you are doing... stop. go home. Or, find a way to be an artist, a linchpin... and improve your attitude. If you wake up and don't want to go to work, don't. I don't want you here anyways. Chances are you are a poisonous person who breeds negative energy. Save yourself the gas, you'll need the extra cash soon enough. I don't have patience for mediocrity, just-enough effort and inept people. Show me your willing to strike out, but go for home-runs, you get more at-bats in my roster.

Like the great Ricky Bobby said so eloquently "...here's the deal I'm just the best there is... that simple. I wake up in the morning and piss excellence. I'm just a big, hairy, American winning machine."

Go. Make something Happen.