In the pursuit of business success, the focus on grand strategies and visionary goals often takes center stage. However, a critical yet sometimes overlooked factor is the meticulous attention to detail. The adage “How we do anything is how we do everything” underscores the significance of detail-oriented practices in achieving excellence across all aspects of business.
Attention to detail is not merely about avoiding errors; it’s about striving for excellence in every aspect of work. This principle can have far-reaching effects on business outcomes:
There is a lot of truth to the idea that our approach to small tasks reflects our approach to larger ones. This philosophy has been a large part of bringing well known success to others:
To truly harness the power of attention to detail, businesses can implement several practical strategies:
Attention to detail is more than just a trait; it’s a fundamental driver of business success. Reinforcing the critical role of details can transform ordinary efforts into exceptional outcomes. By focusing on the small aspects of business with the same rigor applied to larger goals, organizations can build a reputation for excellence and set themselves apart in a competitive marketplace.
Consistency is the “relentless” part of the process that brings about success. All of the work you’ve done on the other core values—courage, connection, communication, and coaching— means nothing if they are not practiced consistently. A vulnerable and courageous discussion or a great coaching session make a difference for a few days. But if what you’re doing contradicts what you’re saying, you’ll lose any ground you gained.
Here are a few things that demonstrate your consistent commitment to your team. The level of detail in the vision—everything we do matters and contributes to our image and identity There can be no cutting corners, literally or figuratively. When I played at Wisconsin, on the day after a game, we didn’t have a full practice. We did what was called a shakeout run before reviewing film. Shakeouts were done on the practice field, where the staff had set up four cones at each of the four corners of the field. We did laps consistently for an hour at our own pace. We could slow down if we needed to; we could even stop for a moment to take a breather. But what we could never do—and the coaches were there to call us out any time they saw it—was cut one of the corners. “Thompson! Get your ass back and take that corner the way it ought to be taken!”
It didn’t matter that we’d be running the same sixty minutes whether we cut corners or not. That wasn’t the point. Like every detail on Coach Alvarez’s team, it was important. Cutting corners wasn’t who we were. Once someone sees a corner cut, it opens the door to cutting more corners.
Why do employees start cutting corners? Maybe you haven’t explained why it matters
One of the things sports and the military have in common is a relentless focus on small details that wouldn’t seem to be connected to the mission. Why do drill sergeants inspect your bunk for perfect corners? Why do your shoes have to be spit shined so you can see yourself in the reflection? Why does a buzz cut make you a better Marine? Why wear a suit and tie to travel from the plane to the team hotel? Why does the NFL fine players whose uniforms aren’t perfectly tucked in?
In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas. The video of the speech immediately went viral. He shared the ten life lessons he had learned during his Navy SEAL training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his long naval career, but also throughout his life. In case you’ve missed the YouTube video, here’s his first life lesson:
“Every morning in basic SEAL training, my instructors, who at the time were all Vietnam veterans, would show up in my barracks room and the first thing they would inspect was your bed. If you did it right, the corners would be square, the covers pulled tight, the pillow centered just under the headboard and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the rack—that’s Navy talk for bed.
“It was a simple task—mundane at best. But every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALs, but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over.
“If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.
By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.
“And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made—and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
How you do anything is how you do everything
“Consistency is the true foundation of trust. Either keep your promises or do not make them.” ―Roy T. Bennett. Discipline, practiced daily in the small things, changes you at the molecular level.
You develop muscle memory for doing things right every day. And that means that when the big day comes, your muscles respond automatically. Discipline is a practice that will always yield results, in sports or in business. You might still win games with half-assed effort; everybody gets lucky once in a while. But discipline is the difference between players and champions. It’s one of the reasons I have built programs that connect collegiate athletes with businesses. You can teach business skills, but it’s hard to teach discipline.
Collegiate athletes (all athletes, really) have discipline embedded in their training every year, mostly because they experience the offseason. It’s easy to stay motivated when you’ve got a game to get ready for every week. You’ve got people cheering, people buying tickets to watch you play, people holding up signs with your name on them. You’re working hard, in part, to make sure you don’t let those people—from the coaches to the fans to the stadium security guards—down.
But the offseason is where character is built. No cheering crowds, no opponent to prepare for. Just you and your mental game, day after day, in the weight room and on all those lonely laps around the track. Athletes who practice during the offseason are working on the process, not the glory. They learn to trust the process, and that’s the kind of employee you can coach to success. Give them the process, and they will work hard at it, even if they’re not seeing results right away.
Some workers get discouraged when they don’t get a quick win. Athletes understand that the process matters more than the win. Trust the process, and the wins will come. Being mentally strong can make all the difference.
