Achievement Drive - Striving to improve and seeking the benchmark of excellence

Everyone gathered around the table stared in disbelief after a young woman responded to a question about the importance of improvement, personally and professionally. She stared back and then calmly reiterated, “I’m okay with just being average.”

That group of up-and-coming leaders had every right to be dumbfounded, especially since the event they were attending had been planned by the company’s executive team to encourage their growth and development. The Q Mindset had been brought on board to provide strategic leadership support, but this potential “leader” made it clear she was quite comfortable with the status quo.

Her philosophy is completely opposite that of Achievement Drive, which defined in The Q Mindset Emotional and Social Intelligence matricies is “striving to improve or meet a benchmark of excellence.” Achievement Drive also happens to be one of twenty-five characteristics that comprise a person’s Emotional Quotient (EQ). This characteristic is critical to success in so many aspects of life, especially for leading individuals, teams, and an entire Corporate Family.

Sadly, that employee did not last long at her organization. Perhaps the executive team applied this Lou Holtz concept: “Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.” And while Coach Holtz has a point—getting rid of an underachieving individual removes one problem—this method certainly doesn’t transform anyone. And what if the absence of motivation and drive is endemic, or even epidemic? As leaders, we can’t eliminate everyone. Yet, how can people’s deficiency in Achievement Drive be turned around? What can be done to reignite the willingness to improve—or ignite the desire to strive for excellence?

At The Q Mindset, we’ve observed that exceptional leaders often excel in the EQ area of Achievement Drive. This is how many moved into positions of leadership in the first place, and that’s how they continue to meet and exceed benchmarks. Their level of Achievement Drive is also why it is often frustrating for them to lead others who aren’t as ambitious. But as an extremely-driven Bill Gates once said, “I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions, they will be moved to act.”

This is exactly what the Emotional and Social Intelligence Assessment is designed to do. After individuals take this online self-assessment, they instantaneously receive a report detailing how they score in all twenty-five EQ characteristics, including Achievement Drive. The Assessment can also be used to evaluate entire teams and their Corporate Family, providing valid and reliable data for leaders to assess critical areas like Achievement Drive that impact productivity and profitability.

Reference: https://www.leadonuniversity.com/achievement-drive-striving-improve-meet-benchmark-excellence/

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