- Unwavering adherence to the highest morals, ethics, principles and conduct standards;
- Careful, comprehensive listening, sharing, constructive critique and continuing education;
- Consistent methodology utilizing appropriate and excellent standards and practices;
- Evident respect for the good heritage of the Culture, Art, Practice and the Client;
- Comprehensive, correct and willing application of proven professional, technical and legal standards;
- Advocacy and contextual integration of good stewardship, innovation and creativity;
- Consistent, responsible and accountable methodology for leading or following the client;
- Consistent methodology for and application of comprehensive quality review;
- Clear responsibility for “The Last Word”;
- Fulfillment of a Client’s “program” by the work product at the highest level of form, function, aesthetics, environmental, economic and social values – timely, evident, operational and sustainable;
- Unselfish support and service to and among all involved in the challenge;
- Joyous recognition and celebration of opportunity, growth, and results; of people!
That is a very idealistic proposal, one for which many others have a less pedantic and more irenic way of communication.
If you know of one, ponder and use it!
Many people will simply say, “Why bother?”, as the obstacles are many, many mis-steps assured and fulfillment is fraught with insurmountable obstacles. Consider the following:
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” Henry Ford
Do not take your eyes off of the goal!
Let the Buyer Beware
If you are interested in achieving such a goal – and willing to commit to the required, constant Recapitulation, Reformation and Renaissance action to achieve it and then maintain it over time – Then…
A Few Caveats for Your Consideration
Yes, a great deal of work, education and experience (yours and others’) is necessary to comprehend this somewhat pedantic little compendium and effectively apply it with a reasonable level of certainty in any circumstance and over time…but none can claim to be unacquainted with any aspect of the challenge.
Yes, I know, “yes…but” statements are frowned upon, but…
Yes, a great number of acquaintances, peers, team mates, employees, larger community members, clients, “gate keepers”, bosses and competitors will claim to share or own such goals…but more often “in name only” than you if you accept the challenge with full recognition that you will stumble along the way.
Yes, striving for this goal will be of inestimable value to you and your cohort…but will also keep or boot you “off” of many teams, deny “opportunities”, foster opposition by both sabotage and open aggression, or engender denial of your honesty and integrity.
Do Yourself and Others (Including Me!) a Favor
If… your organization or collaborators do not strive for a goal of excellence and ethics in what they do and how they do it, and cannot “grow into” such practices, or hypocritically claim adherence while actually applying lesser practices and intentionally delivering a substandard product or service, or openly disdain a goal of working with integrity toward high quality results , then do yourself a favor by shaking the dust off of your sandles and getting out of there.
On the flip side, if you cannot be bothered to reach for a higher goal and higher quality, or decide that it interfers with your ambitions…
Do not impose your hubris and conceit on those who strive for a higher purpose!