Set high standards and show grace

It is easier to show grace under high standards then to raise the expectation of low standards.

The standards of behavior Jesus expects of his followers are matchless. “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (ESV, Matthew 5:48)” is his summary of an exposition on the behavior of those in his kingdom. Even if you take the word “'“mature” rather than “perfect,” as other translations use, you are left with a command to be like God. He penetrates through behavior to the inner workings of the heart and demands his followers to change there, below the skin, in their very hearts.

He sets his direction at what seems an unreachable level, but he promises that he did not come to “abolish [God’s instructions] but to fulfill them (ESV, Matthew 5:17).” Many who recognize how deeply they fail are accepted by Jesus and shown his grace, but he was unyielding in his requirements towards those who used them to justify themselves. To be like Jesus, a business should set such high standards that even the best among them must sometimes fail to meet the standard, yet show compassion and grace towards those who strive and fail. To be unlike Jesus doesn’t mean only that a business shows no grace, but that it shows neither law nor grace.

Business leaders sometimes avoid setting high standards for the behavior of their employees. There are several obstacles. The business leader may be intensely aware of their own shortcomings and reduce their standards lest they act the hypocrite. Others may be loathe to deal out the consequences of failing to achieve the established standard and undermine their employee’s perspective of the standard’s importance. Still others may mistakenly believe that their standards are clear to their employees and discourage them by unexpected consequences for behavior they weren’t aware didn’t meet the standard. A standard may be lowered, rendered useless by lack of consequence, arbitrary, or miscommunicated, but when a business leader and his other leaders typify the standard, when they respond to breaches of the standard with immediate and appropriate consequences, and when they are clearly and regularly communicated, the business grows to meet the standard. Therefore, it is critical to a business that it set standards worthy of aspiration and not easily achieved for, even if the business does not dilute the standard, it may achieve it only to find that it wasn’t high enough. When this is the case, moving the standard requires such a transformation that most businesses are unlikely ever to rise about their original standard.

The company I work for follows this approach exceptionally well. We have seven core values which are painted on the walls on every floor we occupy. Each value is easy to remember, and further detail is given that helps explain what they look like in practice. Every quarter, an individual is nominated by their peers and rewarded before the entire company as an example of one of our core values. Performance reviews are based on two measurements - results and core values. To achieve the highest rating in core values is miraculous, since it requires going beyond a personal demonstration of the core values - one must inspire and develop them across the company.

At first, the incredibly high standards were discouraging since, no matter how hard I worked, I could not achieve the highest ratings. Over time; however, I see how setting exceptional standards that only a small subset of your most dedicated employees can reach produces exceptional results. Unless I despair of growing, the exceptional standards urge me to become a better colleague and person; not just for this year, but over the course of an entire career. I would recommend to any business I consult with that, with the first year of their business, they codify their own core values and set them as the highest achievement possible.

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