James C. Williams

Excellence: Essential for Survival or Too Much Bother?

Excellence is often discussed but less frequently realized. These days, the need to excel is inextricably coupled to organizational health and long term success. Why? Because in tough times (and we at Ohio State are in the midst of these right now) organizations that have the focus on excellence are most likely to emerge as winners when times get better.

Striving for excellence requires courage by the leadership and an institutional resolve that places excellence in front of nearly everything else. In promoting excellence, leaders must exhibit the wisdom to identify the voices of mediocrity and the courage to just say “No” to them. I believe that no organization (corporate, academic or governmental) can flourish unless it has leaders who make tough decisions and deal appropriately with the consequences that these decisions evoke. Sure, it is easier to make low road decisions because these are usually less controversial. However, the hidden cost of such decisions is enormous and often unrealized for a long time because these costs are just that -- hidden.

Where governance and decision-making are concerned, universities have a special culture. This is in part because the independence of the faculty creates a diversity of opinion. This influences decisions through a bottom up process. Similar influence is seldom seen in the private sector because the top down culture often constrains it. This diversity can be an institutional strength if it is placed in the proper context.

Universities also are, thankfully, home for a high concentration of talented people. Many of these talented people also choose to work harder than their colleagues. There is a good correlation between hard work and success almost everywhere but this is especially true among faculty because output is strongly dependent on self-motivation. Today, any university that strives to be among the best must find ways to encourage its most productive faculty to refuse offers from other institutions and to continue being productive. In times of limited resources, leaders must insure that the most productive faculty receive the necessary support; to do otherwise will lead to hidden costs that will hurt the university in the long term.

An organization that strives to improve cannot do so without continuing to change. This creates a riddle, if not a paradox. I believe that Ohio State must solve this riddle as it continues to grow in stature among the nation’s best research universities. To do anything less than this cheats our students, short changes our alumni and penalizes those faculty members who are working so hard to improve our standing. A first step in solving this riddle is a demonstrated intolerance for low road decisions and a reaffirmation of our commitment to excellence. This requires that leaders demonstrate this commitment to excellence by the quality of decisions they make, not just talking about the “e-word” (excellence). I believe that this process has begun in our college and I am committed to seeing that it continues. Given the difficult times we face, we need to have the courage to accelerate this process and not become distracted by other pressures such as budget woes.

Achieving excellence is a long journey one that requires focus and dedication to purpose. History shows that change is most readily accomplished in times of crisis. The current budget situation in Ohio, and in literally every state, creates an opportunity to effect some badly needed changes and build an even stronger foundation of excellence for the future.