Meticulous adherence to undeviating courtesy, honesty, and responsibility in one's dealings with customers and associates, plus a level of excellence that goes over and above the commercial considerations and legal requirements.
Volunteerism:
The practice of people working on behalf of others without being motivated by financial or material gain. Volunteering generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life.
“Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!”
“Volunteering is not a choice, it's a responsibility.”
“If you insist on measuring yourself, place the tape around your heart rather than your head.” -- Carol Trabelle
“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” --Marjorie Moore
"The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others". -- DeAnn Hollis
"The broadest, and maybe the most meaningful definition of volunteering: Doing more than you have to because you want to, in a cause you consider good". --Ivan Scheier
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve". --Albert Schweitzer
"Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud." --Helen Dyer
”We are all like one-winged angels. It is only when we help each other that we can fly.” --Luciano de Crescenzo
Excellence:
"Excellence, is never granted to man, but as the reward of labor." (Sir Joshua Reynolds)
"Those who attain any excellence commonly spend life in one common pursuit; for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms." (Samuel Johnson)
"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." -- Aristotle
*Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.” -- Booker T. Washington
“But the great difference is in sacrifice, in self-denial, in love and in loyalty, in fearlessness and in humility, in the pursuit of excellence and in the perfectly disciplined will, because this is not only the difference between men, but this is the difference between great and little men." By Vince Lombardi
Raising The Bar
1. Get a current check on performance.
Talk to those you serve, and those you serve with. Find out from them, how well you are doing in meeting their expectations. Listen to their feedback. Don't justify your current performance or blame others. Simply listen.
2. Determine the standard they want.
Again, ask others in your unit or those you serve for their input. Listen to their needs, wants and hopes.
3. Determine the standard you want and the standard CAP expects.
Remember that expectations may not be very high based on experience. Take the feedback and ideas into account, but remember that it is your responsibility to set the level of excellence you want to reach. Set the bar is high as you wish.
4. Under promise and over deliver.
Make promises based on your current capacity, not your fondest wish. Make the promise, then deliver more, then raise the level of your promise a bit the next time.
5. Ask "what's not excellent?"
This question will help you continue to find ways to improve your standards and delivery. Ask this question of yourself, of your teammates, and of other interested parties.
6. Measure YOUR performance.
As you set new standards for yourself, the only way to reach them and maintain them is to measure your performance against those standards. Don't make the measurement more difficult than necessary, but remember to measure.
It's time to raise the bar. It's time to set new standards. Standards won't raise themselves; we must raise them consciously and consistently.
