Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations, team building, and golajving. This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul fella Aledo. Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast. It's episode five twenty six. Today we're taking a trip back to the wisdom of Aristotle, who said
excellence is not an act, but a habit. It's one of the most important quoted lines in leadership and personal development, but too often people hear it not in agreement and then never apply it. So for today's episode, let's break it down and make it real. Excellence isn't about one shining moment. It's not the big present you nailed, the huge deal you closed, or the one time you went
above and beyond for your team. Those are snapshots. But excellence, the kind that defines a leader, the kind that earns trust, respect and followership, comes from what you do every single day, especially when nobody's watching. Think about the athlete who doesn't just train on game day, but trains every morning at five am when the stands are empty, or the paramedic who doesn't only care about patient care when supervisors are present.
But checks their equipment thoroughly on every shift, or the pilot who never skips a checklist even when they've flown the same route a thousand times. Those aren't one time acts. Those are habits. Now Here's the hard truth. Average is a habit too. Cutting corners, showing up late, not preparing for meetings, letting little details slide. Those are habits, and if you let them build up, your people will notice.
Teams don't remember the one big speech you gave. They remember if you're consistently dependable, consistently fair, and consistently clear. So how do you turn Aristotle's wisdom into something actionable? Let me give you three takeaways. Number one, audit your daily habits. Ask yourself, are your small daily actions moving you toward excellence or away from it? Excellence doesn't hide in the big things. It's in the emails you send, the tone of your voice in tough conversations, in the
way you respond to stress. Number two, define your non negotiables. These are the habits you commit to no matter what. For me, it's preparation, whether it's a podcast, a meeting, or a training session. I don't just wing it. That's my habit. What are yours. Maybe it's being present for your people. Maybe it's never walking past a problem without addressing it. And number three, make it visible. Excellence should show up in your calendar, your schedule, and your systems.
If you believe feedback is critical, then set a weekly reminder to give it. If you believe learning is key, then block twenty minutes every day to read, study, or listen to something that sharpens you. Habits need structure in order to survive. So let me give you a challenge. Pick one habit of excellence and start it today. Just one. Don't overcomplicate it. Maybe it's greeting every team member by
name when you walk in. Maybe it's writing a five sentence reflection at the end of every day about how you showed up as a leader. Do it every day for the next thirty days. You'll see results that you can't ignore, and so will your people. Remember, habits build a culture. If your habits say average, your team will respond with average. If your habits say excellence, your team will rise to meet you. Excellence is never about one act.
It's who you are repeatedly every single day. That's Aristotle's message, and in leadership it's not optional. This has been the seven Minute Leadership podcast, and I thank you for listening. For more Paul fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com