The best in the world are experts at something. NBA superstar Stephen Curry of the world champion Golden State Warriors is an expert at shooting a basketball. This expertise was honed by launching 500 shots every day in the offseason. During the NBA's grueling season, he fires up around 100 balls daily. More importantly, it's his approach (not the quantity of shots) that sets him apart. He is fastidious.
Fastidious: very attentive and concerned about accuracy and detail.
Years ago I had a meeting in the old Chicago stadium with the Blackhawks GM. As I entered the stadium around noon, I heard a lone basketball bouncing on the hardwood. Later that night the Bulls would play the Boston Celtics and there on the floor alone was the great Larry Bird. He dribbled two steps to his right and swiftly launched a 3-point shot. Over and over Bird shot the exact same shot with the same precision and attention to detail. After a 45-minute meeting with the late Keith Magnuson, I found Bird still shooting the same shot. Later that night I witnessed Larry Legend drain this same shot with only seconds left in the game to force the Bulls into over-time. He was fastidious.
Last week I was in Arizona for spring training baseball. There I saw MLB pitchers for the Royals, Giants and Cubs working on covering first base on an infield ground ball. Over and over they repeated this routine, even though they learned to do this in Little League.
This pitcher's basics of the game were practiced repeatedly so that under pressure there would be no conscious thought, just perfect execution. It was fastidious experts honing their craft.
To prepare for his first appearance on the Tonight Show, comedian Jerry Seinfeld did several reps of his routine. This master of detail in crafting a joke is fastidious!
The Longo Toyota dealership in El Monte, Calif. has been the best Toyota store in the country for years. They are well known for their attention to detail. Check out their legendary line-up of new and used cars, as each is spaced from each other with exact precision. They are fastidious.
In the late 70s I coached the 3rd best tennis player in the world. We spent hours and hours working on one shot -- a topspin backhand lob. This seldom used shot would definitely come in handy as Adriano Panatta's backhand was being attacked by most of the tour players. For 60 days the new shot was kept under wraps, as it was executed to precision in drills and practice matches. Finally, against No. 1 player Jimmy Connors, Panatta struck the perfect lob in the final set to defeat the world's most formidable foe. Being fastidious was the difference.
There is a cost to being great. It's paying attention to detail. What is your strength in management, sales, golf or other sport? What aspect of your business, sport or life do you need to hone?
Champions definitely have dominant aspects of their game. It is these strengths that are refined with precision, tenacity and perseverance. However, it is the approach of committing to excellence that is the difference maker.
Last week I had a meeting in Chicago's Waldorf Astoria Hotel and as I walked down the hallway I noticed a discarded piece of paper on the floor. A manager silently swept in like an eagle after a fish and with a nod and a smile placed the waste paper into his pocket. How many employees would have dismissed the paper on the floor and walked by it? Not at one of the world's great hotels. Cleanliness mattered to him. It was not his official job. This manager had pride in his work and he paid attention to detail.
This week I contracted a custom flooring company to refinish my hardwood floors. As I watched in fascination, a cohesive team executed their craft meticulously. They painstakingly sanded every corner. There were no mistakes. They cleaned the debris as they worked. When they finished, the floors looked like furniture. The craftsmen were fastidious in their commitment to excellence.
Recently I had dinner with former client and NFL All-Pro quarterback Scott Mitchell. As a rookie he played for the great Miami Dolphins coach, Don Shula. After one Wednesday practice, Scott asked the Coach, "Are we still doing the same thing this Wednesday." Shula replied, "On Wednesday in the 1970s, 1980s and the 1990s, practice has had the same schedule and routines. Any more questions?" As the coach of the only undefeated, world champion NFL team, Shula was fastidious.
New York Yankee star and long-time client Alex Rodriguez will retire in 2017 at the age of 42. He will pass Babe Ruth on the all-time HR list. A-Rod has repeated the same affirmation over 15,000 times before and during every game. "I hit solid!" he repeats to himself with confidence. His consistent, thorough and fastidious mental approach to hitting has produced excellence throughout his entire career.
Well-executed, mental and physical routines produce master chefs, Hall of Fame athletes, world-class musicians, great actors and successful entrepreneurs. What about you?
Champions in sports, business and life
tirelessly hone the basics of their craft.
What fundamental or basic in your business or sport can you hone into an expertise? Have you drained 100, four-foot putts in a row in pursuit of a dominant short game? The best putters in the world do this regularly. Do you relentlessly practice the opening and closing of your sales presentation? The greatest sales personnel do. Do you greet your "significant other" with full engagement and your most positive demeanor every time after you've been apart for a few hours or more? The best spouses never waver.
The world is tired of mediocrity. Experts are wanted and needed. It's time to practice the basics of your craft. Your approach of committed excellence will be the difference in becoming and staying a champion.
Several years ago I presented a seminar to 22 district managers of Dominick's Finer Foods, a Chicago-based grocery chain. The least tenured manager had 17 years under his belt. It was obvious they were not interested in honing their craft of managing excellence within their team. Why should they? They were veterans. What more could they learn? They knew it all. They have been there and done that. However, I intuitively knew their days were numbered. Within six months, Dominick's was purchased by national grocery chain Safeway and all managers were released. They were NOT fastidious.
Experts keep training. They strive for excellence. They hone the basics and are obsessed with accuracy, consistency, and quality. They pay attention to detail.
As I close this article, Stephen Curry is being interviewed on TV after he dismantled the LA Clippers with 33 points. Out of his mouth comes, "I have room to improve. I need to keep working hard." Will he win another MVP award? Probably. Could he be the most improved player this season after an MVP season last year? Definitely. He's fastidious.
Are you?
