Great

28/10/2020

‘Good is the enemy of great.’ (Jim Collins)

When we look out for great qualities, talent or performance; when we attempt to codify great competencies and to recruit, develop or retain them; we need to ask ourselves seriously: ‘Great - in relation to what?’

An existential view reframes everything. If shifts our attention from, say, ‘How can we make this more profitable?’ to ‘How can we make this more purposeful?’ or, ‘What is my career trajectory?’ to ‘What is my calling?’

Good is the enemy of great? Yes, if by ‘good’ we mean mediocre, a failure to reach a true, positive potential. No, if by ‘good’ we mean those ethical-spiritual values that call us back to who and what really matter most.

How do good and great feature in your life and work, and those of your clients – and how do you/they manage the relationship between them?

36 Comments

Dr. Siva Mahendran

28/10/2020 06:36:25 pm

I view ‘good’ as something that is acceptable and ‘great’ as something that is uniquely special. Thus it is not good to be just good in life but to be great is the purpose we are born and aim for too otherwise to be just born and not to achieve greatness is just a waste of being born as is mentioned in a great Indian philosophical book “Thirukkural” : “If you are born, be born with qualities conductive to fame. From those who are destitute of them it will be better not to be born”- English translation by Rev Dr G U Pope,
Rev W H Drew,
Rev John Lazarus and Mr F W Ellis.

Nick Wright

28/10/2020 06:54:15 pm

Hi Siva. I think that perspective resonates well with that of Jim Collins in 'Good to Great', where he applies a similar philosophy to organisations. I was challenged recently when I commented, in frustration, that a young person I care about was 'wasting his life'. By that, I meant that he wasn't doing anything useful with his time, or doing anything to fulfil his considerable potential.

The person who challenged me (and it was a fair challenge!) commented that I was projecting my own values onto this person; implying that he wasn't living in a way that I consider to be useful or worthwhile because he isn't committed to the people and things I consider most important in this life and the world. That's fair enough.

So, the question this begs is who decides, and how, what our purpose is, what it would mean to be great in our own lives, cultures, organisations, societies etc. What do you think?

Dr. Siva Mahendran

29/10/2020 05:52:44 am

Anyone can decide for us initially but we are our own agents of change ultimately.

Nick Wright

29/10/2020 12:32:04 pm

Hi Siva. That principle is reflected in choice theory too. These two short related pieces may be of interest?

http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/choose
http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/choice

Kathrin Hoffmann

28/10/2020 07:21:07 pm

Ich finde, great gibt es in vielen Bereichen. Ein Beispiel:
Wenn ich zu einem Schüler "Das hast du gut gemacht" sage, dann ist es ok. Aber wenn ich zum Beispiel sage "Toll! Das hast du super gemacht!" Dann ist er mehr motiviert. Und andere Schüler möchten das auch hören.
Aber ja, nicht jeder will sich für "great" anstrengen und es reicht "gut".

Nick Wright

28/10/2020 07:48:53 pm

Hallo Kathrin. Das ist so ein interessantes Beispiel aus dem schulischen Kontext. Es weist einige Ähnlichkeiten mit Leistungsbewertungssystemen in Organisationen auf. Wenn die meisten Menschen mit "gut" und nur wenige (per Definition) mit "außergewöhnlich" bewertet werden, kann "gut" wie "durchschnittlich" klingen und sich anfühlen.

Es erinnert mich auch an einige Workshops, die ich mit studentischen Lehrern und Sozialarbeitern auf den Philippinen gemacht habe. Wir haben die Idee untersucht, was ihrer Ansicht nach Anerkennung und Belohnung verdient. Bedeutet "großartig" das erfolgreiche Erreichen von Zielen ... oder das Ausüben großer Anstrengungen ... oder das Überwinden schwieriger Herausforderungen ... oder das Ermöglichen des Erfolgs anderer ... oder eine Kombination dieser und möglicherweise anderer Faktoren?

Ich denke, hier sind ethische Dimensionen von „groß“ von Bedeutung und wie unsere Vorstellungen von „groß“ persönlich und kulturell konstruiert sind. Hier ist ein Fallbeispiel für ein radikales, ethisches Beispiel für 'Größe': http://www.nick-wright.com/a-radical-heart.html

[Hi Kathrin. That's such an interesting example from a school context. It has some similarities with performance-rating systems in organisations. If most people are rated 'good', and only a few (by definition) rated 'exceptional', 'good' can sound and feel like 'average'.

It also reminds me of some workshops I did with student teachers and social workers in the Philippines. We explored the idea of what, in their view, is worthy of acknowledgement and reward. Does 'great' mean successful achievement of goals...or exerting great effort...or overcoming difficult challenges...or enabling others to succeed...or some combination of these and, perhaps, other factors?

I think this is where ethical dimensions of 'great' are significant, and how our notions of 'great' are personally and culturally constructed. Here is a case study of a radical, ethical example of 'greatness': http://www.nick-wright.com/a-radical-heart.html]

Gwen Griffith

28/10/2020 10:20:27 pm

Nick - I’m often found settling for “good enough”. Gwen

Nick Wright

28/10/2020 10:22:07 pm

Hi Gwen. Can you say more..? There are times and situations where “good enough” = “good and enough”.

Funmi Johnson

29/10/2020 12:33:14 pm

Thank you for this Nick. It really highlights the fact that we need to reflect and re-examine, even the familiar, in order to make sure that it still means what we thought it did. Although, even if it doesn't, it's not fatal. Just another opportunity to see and do things differently.

Nick Wright

29/10/2020 03:31:27 pm

Thanks Funmi. Yes, it points to the need, importance and value of critical reflexivity and critical reflective practice - and that as an ongoing venture, not simply as a one-off activity.

Andrea Dasilva, M Ed., RCC

30/10/2020 07:17:50 pm

For me, good is great and great is good. ;)

Nick Wright

30/10/2020 07:18:51 pm

Hi Andrea. Well - that certainly keeps things simpler! Tell me - what, in your work, constitutes 'good' and 'great'? I'm curious.

Andrea Dasilva, M Ed., RCC

31/10/2020 12:24:37 am

"Good" is when a client "objectively" fulfills therapeutic tasks/homework; "great" is when the client experientially goes beyond the homework and comes in saying/reports that "it makes sense!" or "it helps!".

Nick Wright

31/10/2020 12:29:22 am

Thanks Andrea. So ‘good’ and ‘great’ represent relative degrees of success vis a vis outcomes? I was reflecting too on how, in the English language, ‘good’ can also signify ethical quality or values; e.g. in terms of who is affected and how as a consequence of a client’s chosen outcomes. Does that make sense?

Andrea Dasilva, M Ed., RCC

31/10/2020 11:41:18 pm

Well said: "degrees of success". or the extent to which therapy has yielded/contributed to a favourable outcome/difference.

Nick Wright

1/11/2020 12:20:05 pm

Thanks Andrea. I'm interested in how we evaluate outcomes ethically - not just in terms of how we have worked with a client and to what degree they have succeeded in achieving their own goals, but ethical dimensions implicit in their goals that we have therefore supported. Any thoughts?

Andrea Dasilva, M Ed., RCC

2/11/2020 10:10:18 am

Might I ask what you mean by "ethical dimensions implicit in their goals?"
In BC/Canada, mental health professionals are under ethical guideline which we must abide by; the code cane breeched only in cases where there is evidence of the abuse of a child, if the client/another person is at imminent risk of harm, or if the courts demand to see our case notes.
What is it like in the UK? I'm intrigued to learn...

Nick Wright

2/11/2020 10:19:08 am

Hi Andrea. Good question. Counsellors and therapists in the UK work within similar ethical frameworks, e.g. https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/3103/bacp-ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions-2018.pdf

Here are a couple of my own attempts to frame some wider ethical issues, particularly vis a vis the coaching professions:

*Do no harm: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/do-no-harm
*Bubbles: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/bubbles

I'm keen to learn too. Let me know what you think!

Andrea Dasilva, M Ed., RCC

2/11/2020 08:36:13 pm

Thanks, Nick!
The BACP values/standards vary little from BCACC/CPA/APA - we all have a commitment to clients and their health/safety/wellbeing. Our intentions are all largely based on those 3 words: DO NO HARM (in intention AND practice - ensuring there is a complementarity b/w the two).

I really appreciate your post Bubbles: it brings the systemic nature of clients - of us all - into view. The quote from Malcom Parlett says it all, I think: "We never really work with just an individual because human beings always exist within systems (of relationships)". We do! We are! So what may be true/resonate on one level ie during therapy may NOT resonate elsewhere ie at home/work/school.
Great insight, here!

Nick Wright

2/11/2020 08:37:52 pm

Thanks Andrea! 😃

Sharon King

31/10/2020 09:20:53 am

I feel in some contexts good is good enough. For example I’ve done what I need to do to get by. Normally this is when I’m not particularly invested in the situation or outcome. Great on the other hand is a feeling of achieving something you thought you might not be able to achieve and you have.

Nick Wright

1/11/2020 12:17:17 pm

Hi Sharon. That sounds like a useful way of differentiating between good and great, and showing how motivation and expectations can influence outcomes - and how we feel if and when we excel.

I agree that good can be enough. It's one of the ways in which we can prioritise and focus our energies, efforts resources etc. If we prioritise everything for 'greatness', nothing takes priority.

Beatie Homem de Gouveia

3/11/2020 09:35:33 am

Love this - so much insight!!! Amen!

Nick Wright

3/11/2020 09:36:37 am

Hi Beatie. Thank you for such affirming feedback! 😃

Steve Kopp

5/11/2020 09:54:18 am

One of the most helpful encouragements I received from a mentor was "Dare to be adequate." I've been clear with clients that my criteria for an adequate batch of cookies is different than what I would see as adequate surgery. For those who struggle with perfectionism, considering waht is a sufficient effort can free their energies for something that holds more importance or delight for them.

Nick Wright

5/11/2020 10:00:27 am

Hi Steve. Well said! You reminded me of a line-manager I had when I was much younger. She commented that, although my work was of a consistently high standard, my desire to do everything perfectly meant that I was sometimes giving too much attention to things that didn’t warrant it. There was an opportunity cost. It was a hard lesson to learn that sometimes ‘good enough’ really is good and enough.

Lexie Bykova

13/11/2020 08:17:18 pm

Nick, opportunity cost. Great point.

Nick Wright

13/11/2020 08:17:37 pm

Thanks Lexie!

Chris Chin

10/11/2020 12:38:58 am

Good and great are not so far apart sometimes, depending on where my north is. 🙂

Nick Wright

10/11/2020 12:40:07 am

Hi Chris. I’m intrigued... Can you say more?

Chris Chin

10/11/2020 10:14:43 am

Nick, you made the point, in relation to what? If the 'what' is what my north (I'm holding at any current moment) is....then good or great hold greater or lesser importance - opening the door somewhere else.

Nick Wright

10/11/2020 10:16:31 am

Hi Chris. Aaah - it sounds like you’re using a compass metaphor? I like that. Do you have an example from personal experience that you would be willing to share here?

Chris Chin

10/11/2020 11:10:27 am

I fear my compass metaphor might have gotten in the way! :) Here's an example. I was running a workshop on Collaborative Feedback. After the workshop, one of the clients came up to me and expressed he had a problem with sharing too much 'positive' feedback with others. He valued honesty, and if something wasn't great, he wouldn't say it was great and unfortunately, very rarely did 'great' cross his path - so often he didn't say anything at all. Clearly his current north (in this aspect of his work / life) was his own standards and expectations towards performance. And that north stopped him from potentially having some very energising conversations with the people he managed. So we had a useful discussion on the purpose of positive feedback; that it's not just recognition or even appreciation - it can be a powerful opening to collaborative learning and the articulation of decent practice, as well as the injection of energy. Once, we recalibrated 'this' north for him, he was able to see things in a very different way, which led to some very different conversations for him - which led to the flourishing of some of his relationships with the people he managed.

Nick Wright

10/11/2020 11:51:45 am

Wow, Chris - I love that example. What a great way of applying the 'North' principle to to influence a shift in perspective and practice.

Vikram Sharan

12/11/2020 07:07:20 am

Always my belief, don’t lose the good in search of greatness!!..successful performance is just working towards achieving the target, over achievement will follow!

Nick Wright

12/11/2020 07:08:54 am

H Vikram. That sounds like an interesting principle. Do you have an example from practice that you could share here? I would be interested to hear more!

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