Attention to detail: Are you serious about being #1?

Posted: September 30, 2014 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Time management

“For want of a nail…the shoe was lost…for want of a shoe…the horse was lost…for want of a horse, the battle was lost.  What a sorry tale!  And all for the want of a horseshoe nail” – An old nursery rhyme

If we want to be the best, attention to details are critical.  As General Colin Powell put it, “Check small things…be demanding”.  Top achievers know and live the value of relentless attention to detail.  Everything counts.  Everything matters.

I am 65, and as a kid I have fond memories of watching “Walt Disney” every Sunday.  I looked forward to it all week.  As you may have guessed by now, the host was Walt Disney himself.  He seemed so docile and made success and the word “magic” look so easy.  In reality, Walt Disney was a demanding perfectionist who was uncompromising in his attention to the minute particulars.  I find this quality is essential to those who want to be the best.

Last month, my wife and I took a trip to Warm Springs Ranch near Boonville, Missouri.  This is where Anheuser-Busch breeds and grooms their famous Clydesdale horses.  At one point during the tour, the guide took the time to explain how the Clydesdale team prepares the horses and wagon for a parade.  It is a process that takes 6 hours!  You may ask, “What takes them so long?”  The answer is their intense focus on getting every detail correct.  Next time you see the Clydesdales in a parade or Super Bowl commercial, take a closer look at the detail.  Look at the bridle, harness, and “jewelry” that abound.  As they proudly trot along, you say “Wow!”.  The image is so powerful.  And that’s not all:  Each horse must go through extensive personality testing.  That’s right!.  Everything counts.  Everything matters.  This is what we must live and breathe if we want to be #1.

 

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