Multiplying Your Influence by Striving for Excellence By Dave Kahle

As a college student, I supported myself by working in a relatively expensive men’s clothing store. It was a small local chain, with five stores around town – one big headquarters store downtown, and four suburban stores in shopping centers.

One of our premium clothing lines was named after the designer – Oleg Cassini.  He came to our city to promote his line, and the company’s executives held an evening reception for him. Even though I was just 19, I was one of the few employees from the suburban stores who were invited.

Why was that?

Even though I was young and relatively inexperienced, I was the number one salesperson among the four suburban stores.  The company wanted to recognize that excellence by including me in the reception.  It was excellence in my work that led to the reception invitation and the consequent recognition and influence.

That was my first exposure to a powerful rule of human behavior by which Christian businesspeople can create a disproportionate impact for the Kingdom: Excellence in your work inevitably leads to greater influence and that influence can create a significant impact for the Kingdom.

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Excellence in your work inevitably leads to greater influence and that influence can create a significant impact for the Kingdom.

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Since then, I’ve seen the connection between excellence and influence manifest in multiple situations, people and industries.

For example, in athletic contests, it is the outstanding player who is interviewed after the end of the game. Patrick Mahomes, to name just one, often gives credit to God in postgame interviews.  That’s a perfect example of excellence in work translating to influence for the kingdom.

In company meetings, it’s the star salesperson who is often asked to opine on the new product line or lead the discussion on strategy or tactics. In my work, I often interview some selected representatives of the sales force for a client company.  The people that management selects to talk to the consultant are invariably the best.  Those who are struggling with mediocrity aren’t considered.

In industry associations, it is the leading companies who are asked to be on the committees and chair the task forces.

There is something in human nature that attributes greater leadership character, greater insight and more reasoned intelligence to those who excel on the job. We just naturally think that those who excel on the job are inherently more substantial people than the average.

It may have to do with the recognition that those who excel may start with a greater dose of talent than the rest of the pack.  More likely, it arises from the understanding that to excel at something – anything – is not just a matter of a beginning allotment of talent, but more likely the result of years of hard work, dedication, discipline, and coaching from a village of concerned mentors along the way.

Excellence isn’t easy and is often the result of the development of character traits that serve the excellent performer well in other applications. As I write this, we are in the middle of another cycle of the American Idol TV show. It seems that this year there is a greater emphasis on the back stories of the contestants.  While every story is unique, there are some trends.  Those who are rising to the top have demonstrated years of striving for excellence, lots of hard work and dedication, and a support system that has nurtured and encouraged them along the way. Through these disciplines, they have become good people, as well as able performers. It may be that we all intuitively understand that.  They may be why we hold up the excellent for recognition and greater influence.

Regardless, the connection between excellence and influence is a principle that Christians can count on.  Jesus said we are “lights” bringing illumination to dark places.  How much more can our light shine if we have achieved a greater degree of excellence in what we do? In the parable of the talents, it was the servants who did well with their responsibilities who were rewarded with greater responsibilities and a closer relationship with the master.

Striving for excellence, then, for a Christian in the marketplace, should become a basic expectation – undergirding everything he/she experiences on the job. From my anecdotal experience, just the decision to strive for excellence will set us apart from the mass of our colleagues. Most people don’t want to excel because they recognize that it requires greater dedication, a sharper focus, greater emotional intensity and a larger  effort than they are willing to expend.

But it is not enough to strive for excellence.  We must also pinpoint the second half of the equation – influence. That means that we recognize that opportunities to influence will come our way and, as a matter of course, be prepared to say yes to them. Task forces, committees, volunteer requests of all kinds – all represent opportunities to illuminate a larger darkness. We should embrace them, not shirk from them.

Even more, we should proactively seek for opportunities to take on influential roles. We should be joining the local Chambers of
Commer, as well as the national associations and the small groups of peers meeting together once a month. Looking around us, we should study the landscape and identify opportunities to be influential.  We will discover opportunities all around us, once we decide to look for them.

The connection between excellence and influence can be an organizing principle for our workplace efforts, providing a powerful sense of fulfillment and purpose to our marketplace efforts.
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You may be interested in our XI Community (Excellence and Influence), an online community dedicated to helping our members achieve excellence and influence in the marketplace.  Check it out here!
( https://www.davekahle.com/christian-business-people/)

 

Dave Kahle
The Kahle Way 
sell better, manage better, lead better
(616) 451-9377