Striving for excellence in MRC retirement communities

ICARE VALUE #5 – EXCELLENCE

by Ron Jennette, President & CEO

EXCELLENCE is the fifth and final value represented by the acronym, ICARE, which stands for Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence. In our system, ICARE is a primary focus for recruiting, retaining and training, along with employee evaluations and recognition. ICARE is also a platform for “hospitality with teeth”, laying the foundation for a culture where the best want to work in serving those who once cared for us.

Excellence refers to the life-long commitment to become the best of what God has intended for us. We know there was only one ever perfect individual to walk this planet, so while we are not expecting to be perfect, we are striving to close that gap between where we are and perfection.
In fact, knowing we are flawed humans tells us, by definition, we always have room to improve. And there can be great joy in making improvements, as the more we can achieve and accomplish, the better we feel about ourselves. And I believe God intended for us to feel good about ourselves when we “give” our best. The key is “giving”.

Here are some of the key points we’ve discussed internally about EXCELLENCE:

• Excellence means going the extra mile.
• Excellence means always looking for better ways to do things, even when the current or old way is not necessarily bad.
• Excellence means being the best I can be.
• Excellence means never settling for less than my best.
• Excellence means accepting we are flawed, imperfect humans, while striving to improve.
• Excellence means keeping our egos in check.
• Excellence means being or doing better today than I was yesterday, and better yet tomorrow.
• Excellence means using every day experiences to create wisdom for better future decisions.
• Excellence means being, or at least becoming, a model for others to emulate.
• Excellence requires believing in what can be, rather than tearing down what may not yet be; as we ultimately become what we think.
• Excellence allows no time for gossiping, judging or other negative behaviors toward others. Rather, we become excellent by rising above; not lowering ourselves.

It is easy to spot those seeking excellence, of which there are a great many in the MRC system. These individuals look for opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of the people we serve as well as each other. They are individuals who focus on producing the highest quality results rather than just getting it done or just getting by. These individuals understand that becoming excellent and feeling great about yourself starts with what we can give rather than what we can get. Finally, these are individuals who understand God loves us and has a plan for us to be our best.

God allowed each of us to be on this earth for a purpose. We are not here just to exist and take up space. Each of us are children of God, and regardless of any limitations, we can and will make a positive difference in this world when we seek to become the best God intended for us.