the mount vernon report fall 2007 - vol. 7, no. 3

8/8/2019 The Mount Vernon Report Fall 2007 - vol. 7, no. 3

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Sir Thomas Moore, the “Man for All Seasons,” personified thethinking person. During Moore’s time, it was important to bea person of faith, and it was almost as necessary to be a personof reason and principle. Moore gave up his life to defend whatwas right, overlooking his loyalties and devotion to his king todo the right thing. A hallmark of Moore’s age was that learnedpeople had knowledge of many subjects. Even with fewereducational resources and limited access to both libraries andother centers of learning, these special people managed toacquire a breadth of knowledge in a shorter lifetime, inaddition to having plagues to contend with, sieges of kingdomsand pestilence and starvation to manage. It stands to reason thatMoore’s life was indeed harder, yet these giants managed to be

original thinkers and improve civilization with their thoughtsand deeds. Moore’s compass was the truth of the law.

Today we have no excuse for lacking knowledge. The vaststorehouse of mankind’s collective thoughts (topics like arts,science, technology, finance and even beauty) is right at ourfingertips – online, anytime, anywhere. Not only do we havefacts available on the Internet, we now have the opportunity tooffer our opinions, interpretation and critique of the facts.Weblogs or blogs allow anyone to speak to all of mankind bysimply entering his or her own thoughts on a computer screenand pressing “send.”

At the end of September, we launched a new CEO blogentitled Reputation Excellence (RepEx). The blog offers timelythoughts that complement and inspire our quarterly Mount Vernon Report. In our entries, we focus on matters of interestconcerning issues of the day and the people who are shapingand defining reputation.

In our inaugural days, we have blogged about diverse subjectssuch as the moral dilemma of casino gambling, the ethicallessons in a yard sale and the tragedy and triumph that aresynonymous with the Boston Red Sox. In the weeks ahead, weplan to continue this eclectic mix of the important, minutia andephemera of reputation.

We’d like to hear from you, our readers, contributors andfriends and invite you to become a guest blogger at RepEx.May we all gain knowledge and share it with others – improving, advancing and protecting our civilization. Blog away.Moore would have!

According to the Princeton onlinedictionary, the term excellence is

defined as: “the quality of

excelling; possessing good qualities in high

degree.” Unfortunately, in today’s society

it is often extremely difficult to find

individuals who possess this quality. When a

rare person does display this characteristic, it

is important to acknowledge the good work

he or she is doing, the message he or she is

conveying, so that others will have role models to mimic.

Joseph Campbell, that wonderful mythologist and expert on world

religions, knew something about individuals who possess excellence. A

prolific American author and editor whose works on comparative

mythology examined the universal functioof mythology in various human cultures an

examined the mythic figure in a wide ran

of literatures, Campbell was considered

be the greatest mythologist of his tim

Advocating a balance between sacrifice an

bliss, he has seen excellence in many form

Campbell recounted one story of a pol

officer who arrived at the scene of a pers

about to jump off of a cliff. Knowing he had to act, the officer grabbthe person’s hand at the last instant, consequently putting himself at gre

personal risk, but also saving the person’s life. When asked why he d

this, knowing that he, too, might be pulled over the edge, the officer sa

F a l l 2 0 0 7 v o l . 7 n o . 3

Timely Thoughts on Excellence – The Reputation Excellence Blog

“ I s su e s Af f e c t in g Repu ta t i on Manag emen t and S t r at e g i c Communi ca t i on s ”

Defining Excellence

{EX CELLENCE - continued on PG 2

Peter Morrissey can be contacted at [email protected]

Reputation Excellence: www.morrisseyco.com/blog



that he was compelled to do it; that not doing it wasn’t an option. He

simply couldn’t live with himself if he did not try to save the person.

The officer in Campbell’s story displayed true excellence. He had

honor, heroism and self-sacrifice when he chose to save the person’s life.

The officer was not thinking selfishly about what might happen to him.

While not every individual would react this way, this officer is a unique

individual – a true reflection of excellence.

Lewis Gordon Pugh also knows something about self-sacrifice. His

nickname, “Polar Bear,” is specifically linked to his call to excellence.

Pugh does things that most individuals could never conceive of, or

would ever want to do. He uses daring swimming feats, like swimming

long distances in the coldest waters of the planet, to attract attention to

environmental issues to bring about change. For Pugh, compared to his

other, more dangerous and arduous aquatic accomplishments,

swimming the English Channel was like swimming in the duck pond in

Boston’s Public Gardens. He is dauntless, looking danger in the eye and

shrugging it off. The “Polar Bear” has swum with man-eating

crocodiles, great white sharks and fearsome leopard seals. He regularly

swims with his namesake, one of the most ferocious and noble animals

on earth. Pugh, of course, gives the bear a wide berth in the frigid

waters of the polar region.

This past July, Pugh became the first human to complete a

long-distance swim at the geographic North Pole – in nothing more

than a Speedo, cap and goggles. By swimming in a region that was once

completely covered in ice, he showed the world that climate change is

happening, and we have the power to stop it. His historic feat, covered

in over 500 media outlets worldwide, established Pugh’s name and

reputation not only in history, but also a reputation synonymous with

boundary-breaking inspiration and environmental awareness.

As frightening as these self-induced dangers and risks may be, Pugh’

greatest fear is that the human race could unwittingly jump off a

proverbial cliff when it comes to the environment. He wants to save u

all from ourselves, and uses these daring symbolic acts to attract

attention about the state of the environment; an act some might refe

to as “excellence.”

Like the canary in the coal mine, Pugh puts himself in harms way to

warn us that our planet is warming up to a perilous level and that the

changes to our eco-system may become irreversible. Pugh’s swims are an

example of his great personal sacrifice and devotion to a cause

Pugh is not preachy; rather he allows his actions to speak for

themselves. Like the police officer in Campbell’s story, Pugh illustrate

how acts of excellence can bring about significant change.

Everyone can push boundaries, but in today’s environment, it’s not jus

about making a bold statement. It’s about conveying a message – in the

right way, at the right time, to the right audience. Pugh’s mission is to

protect the environment and mankind at any cost, and his goal is to

inspire people to make a difference.

~ Peter Morrissey

pg. 2

{EX CELLENCE - continued from PG 1}

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion totheir commitment to excellence, regardless of their

chosen field of endeavor.” ~ Vincent T. Lombardi



When asked to picture “excellence,” many of us imagine

figures such as Einstein, Angelou, Monet, Bach, or even

Harvard, Oxford, and the School of American Ballet.

These great thinkers, artists, and institutions represent talent refined to

near perfection. But it wasn’t inherent flawlessness or a single perfect

achievement that earned their names such high regard; it was hard work,

dedication, and, above all, resilience.

Life is wrought with unexpected obstacles. It’s not about being perfect;

it’s about having the courage and wisdom to be “remarkably good” (the

very definition of excellence in American Heritage Dictionary). The

Buddhist teaching “70 percent is perfection” evokes an interesting dilemma.

To most Americans, 70 percent seems mediocre, at best. Is the lesson,

then, to expect less of ourselves? To settle for a C+? Not even close.

The lesson is to distinguish human excellence from categorical perfection

and embrace setback as inextricable from success.

Take Einstein, for example. It is well known that the mathematician

struggled with speech impediments, possible dyslexia and shyness at a

young age. His teachers designated him a “slow learner,” and, after grad-

uating from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich, the

22-year-old was unable to secure a teaching post in his chosen field of

physics. Einstein was a far cry from the “perfect student.”

Yet as Einstein matured and his body of work accrued, others began toview his peculiar learning style and eccentric personality as evidence of

rare genius. One biography refers to his quirks as the likely result of the

“significantly rare and unusual structure of his brain,” and countless

others claim he functioned on a “different level.”

What caused the shift in perception? His achievements, certainly, but

also much more.

Einstein possessed outstanding natural brilliance – that much is obvious.

He also had the courage to prove it. What if the great thinker had conceded

to the belief that he was challenged and slow? Dismissed his ideas

as ridiculous? Determined his “disabilities” too difficult to overcome?With perseverance, Einstein radically – and actively – altered his legacy,

establishing himself as one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.

The same is true of a great many cultural figures. The French Academy

originally dismissed Cezanne, Monet, Renoir and other impressionists as “a

bunch of lunatics,” and centuries earlier, the Catholic Church

condemned Galileo to house arrest for heliocentrism. But, with

continued commitment, these “outrageous” and “blasphemous” offenders

of art and God earned reputations among the most esteemed in history.

Granted, these are extreme examples, but their stories have everyday

value for all. We all want to be innovative and different, think of the

next groundbreaking idea, be “the best” in our field, but we hinde

ourselves with misconstrued notions of humanity and fear of failure

There are innumerable proverbs to remind us of our mortality – Practicmakes perfect; learn from your mistakes; nothing is perfect; if at first you don’t succeed

try, try again – yet we continue to waste inordinate amounts of energy

concealing our flaws, hiding behind what we know to be “right.”

In a corporate environment we are even tougher on ourselves and each

other, often immediately dismissing unconventional ideas as “absurd”

and regarding failure as an utter embarrassment. But if we neve

challenge ourselves or work with failure, can we change? Can we

improve? Can we achieve excellence? Not likely. Achieving excellence

requires mistakes and improvements along the way.

Benjamin Franklin once proclaimed: “Without continual growth and

progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no

meaning.” By necessity, room for improvement drives progress, and

progress leads to excellence. Perfection is unyielding and timeless

excellence requires the fluid cyclicality of time, existence, and human

ingenuity.

The key is not to always succeed, but rather to appreciate excellence for

what it is: remarkably good. Great thinkers and doers are not perfect. Theytake new approaches, challenge new ideas, learn by doing, and find value

in even the harshest criticisms and the most devastating defeats. It is a

rough road that leads to heights of greatness. Strive for 70 percent and

you will find yourself far beyond what you imagined 100 could be.

~ Emilee Pierce

pg. 3

Excellence and the Value of Challenge:Striving for 70 Percent

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement,

and success have no meaning.” ~ Benjamin Franklin



The Mount Vernon Report ™ is published and copyrighted 2007 by Morrissey & Company, an independent Reputation Management and Public Relations firm headquartered at 121 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA 02108. Permission to copy and distribute is granted, provided that full attribution is given to Morrissey & Company. Further commentary or response to any of the topics discussed in this issue is welcome and should be directed to 617-523-4141 or via e-mail to peter @morrisseyco.com.

Printed on recycled paper. In an effort to conserve natural resources we have altered the format of the Mount Vernon Report to omit the use of an envelope.

Please visit us on the World Wide Web at: http://www.mountvernonreport.com RepEx Blog: www.morrisseyco.com/blog

pg. 4

Morrissey & Company121 Mount Vernon StreetBoston, MA 02108

The Reputation Advisor

Words of Leadership and WisdomParaphrased from Sir Ernest Shackleton

Never lose sight of the ultimate goal and focus energyon short-term objectives. Err on the side of action.

•Set personal example with visible,

memorable symbols and behaviors.•

Instill optimism and self-confidence,but stay grounded in reality.

•Take care of yourself: maintain your stamina

and let go of guilt.•

Minimize status differences and insist on courtesyand mutual respect.

•Find something to celebrate and something to

laugh about.•

Never give up – there will always be another move.

Excellence Under PerilOn December 5, 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and 27 menboarded the Endurance with a burning goal: to become the first to

cross the Antarctic Continent. But after just 45 days, disasterstruck: ice trapped the Endurance , leaving the crew stranded for

what seemed certain demise. In one of history’s most famoushuman feats, Shackleton rallied his men under the common will to

survive, and on August 30, 1916, every man was saved.

Shackleton’s story – and the outcome of his expedition – speaks

for itself. Today, Shackleton’s vision, actions, and philosophy of leadership apply to our contemporary professional and personal

climate of competition and constant change. Below are someinsights intended to guide individuals and organizations to peak

performance and excellence.

~ Margaret Brady

Recommended ReadingEinstein’s Business: Engaging Soul, Imagination, andExcellence in the Workplace edited by Dawson Church, Ph.D.(Ingram, Baker & Taylor)

Einstein’s Business is a primer for twenty-first century leadership. Fifty of the

most innovative and brilliant authorities of our time show that business leaders can be activists, improving society and the environment without sacrificing income or growth.

The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainabilityby Paul Hawken (HarperCollins Publishers)

The Ecology of Commerce outlines the environmentally destructive aspects of many current business practices, but offers the vision of businesses adopting new

practices to promote environmental restoration.

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers(Anchor Books, Random House)

Based on a six-part PBS television series hosted by Bill Moyers, this series is especially compelling because of its engaging question-and-answer format,creating an easy, conversational approach to complicated and esoteric topics.

Among his many gifts, Joseph Campbell’s most impressive was the unique ability to take a contemporary situation, such as the murder and funeral of President John F. Kennedy, and help us understand its impact in the context of ancient mythology.

Excellence: Inspiration for Achieving Your Personal Bestby J. Pinochot (Cyan Communications)

This collection contains more than 400 insights from a diverse group of remarkably successful people on how to achieve excellence both at home and at work. Respected individuals from the fields of business, politics, sports, and arts and entertainment – including J. K. Rowling, Rupert Murdoch, Tiger Woods,Bill Gates and Jon Stewart – provide inspiration and guidance on attainingdistinction in their discussions of ambition, innovation, responsibility, and the hazards of mediocrity. Motivational text accompanies the quotes and prefaces of each thematic section, providing additional reflection on what “excellence” means and how to successfully manage this ultimate personal goal.

~ Margaret Brady

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