Those striving for excellence must see the video, Jiro Dreams of Sushi. This is the story of 86-year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. If you were to say that making sushi, has little to do with being successful in technology, or even big business you would be wrong. Even if you are a Salesforce trainer or someone interested in Salesforce training, the highest standards for excellence and commitment to quality apply.

The rules:

1. Do what you love and become an expert at it: Jiro Ono is a sushi master who earned three-stars from Michelin. He obsesses about everything. This includes the fish, marinate, rice, seaweed, the size of the sushi, the position of chairs, plates, and chopsticks. No detail is too small. Apprentices to Jiro spend 10 years in that position. Jiro is relentless in his pursuit of perfection. The high quality of his restaurant is therefore consistent.
2. Surround yourself with other experts: Becoming an expert is a journey without a destination. There is always room for improvement and you can always become more of an expert. Serving as an apprentice for 10 years is likely a record for any industry. As proficient as Jiro may be in the preparation of sushi, he still relies on other experts in tuna, squid and even rice. Since these vendors all know Jiro’s high standards, it raises the bar of the vendors as well. It can be the same in your business where you rely on partners and coworkers to collaborate and build a better product.
3. Never stop learning: There will always be new methods that improve your craft. Keep practicing and honing your skills. Certain fish is becoming extinct as a resource so you have to adapt. Having the best rice available is only half the battle. How it is prepared is what gives Jiro the edge. This type of product differentiation can work for you as well. George R. Nagamatsu, a renowned physician, practiced medicine till the age of 97 because he was always looking to perfect his craft. This was after practicing medicine for seven decades. Dr. Nagamatsu believed that only with relentless hands on experience could he become a better researcher.
4. Keep innovating: Innovation is never to accept the status quo. You must believe that there is always a better way to do things. That is why Jiro has a restaurant with the highest Michelin rating- three stars and people wait months for a reservation. Dinner is 30,000 yen or about $329.00. Jiro in paying attention to the details realizes all the components that go into a superior dining experience and is always willing to adapt and improve.
5. Stand for something: When you stand for excellence and deliver a superior product, this is your value system. Your vendors, coworkers and customers will respect and appreciate your solid performance and unwavering commitment. They will rise to your standards and become advocates. If there are 10 tunas, only one can be the best.
6. Remember that it is about people: Striving to be the best deepens your commitment to excellence. How you raise your own standards and the standards of others creates a synergy of quality. Collaboration in excellence means that everyone benefits, include apprentice, customer and you. The sum is greater than the parts.

For true success, Jiro teaches us that good or even excellent is not enough. We have to continually improve from our previous result.