Standards - "From Now On"

"That which we are, we are, and if we are to be any better, now is the time to begin." - Tennyson

Bill Walsh's The Score Takes Care of Itself is one of the best leadership books available. Walsh established "Standards of Performance" as critical to high performance of the 49ers, who won four NFL titles under his service as coach and later general manager.

Standards of performance applied to everyone - the person answering the phone, striping the field, assistant coaches, and players. He believed that only with high standards and accountability to them could a team become champions.

Here's an excerpt from Beyond Basketball, an MVB 'team read':

One of the most important standards is "playing present' or "next play" or "be here now." The last play, whether a winning attack or a service error... is over. Exceptional teams find a standard of playing 'in the moment'. 

Teams share many standards - identity, culture, performance, intensity, academics, teamwork. 

Identity is underrated, knowing yourself as an individual and as a team, and adhering to that. 

Confidence is a standard. Bill Parcells said, "confidence comes from proven success." 

Know and live your standards from now on.