It’s no secret that we live in a world where it seems everything is instantaneous … instant gratification with instant connectivity, instant cash, instant payments, instant answers to our questions, instant fast food, and the list goes on.  And I’m afraid we’ve lost some appreciation for patience and thoroughness.

But let me stop right there. Did somebody say food? I LOVE food, probably quite a bit more than the next person.  But unfortunately, my food habits are NOT THOROUGH … For starters, I’m too impatient for any detailed meal preparation. Peanut butter and jelly or cereal for the main course, and ice cream for dessert works great for me. And my default setting is to eat a lot and do it quickly.  Chewing every bite thoroughly is simply not in my nature (What do they say? Chew every bite ten times? Have you ever tried that? Surely they’re not serious!?)

Kind of a silly example, but my food habits are sadly characteristic of our western society. Doing things quickly and taking shortcuts cause us to often sacrifice quality and make achieving excellence almost impossible. Thoroughness requires patience and attention to detail.

Dictionary definitions of thoroughness describe it in terms of carefulness (attention to detail) and completeness (getting it done). The origin of the word is from through, as in getting to the other side or getting finished. But most think of thoroughness in terms of diligence, conscientiousness, and attention to detail, all of which have to do with the ultimate achievement of excellence.

There are a number of stories and sayings that illustrate thoroughness – The Three Little Pigs and the idea of “Going the extra mile” are examples that come to mind, but it was the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Philip Stanhope, who wrote in 1774, “Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.” Later paraphrased often as “Anything worth doing, is worth doing right,” we’ve all likely heard it many times.

And I like to say that all good character is biblical. Thoroughness is encouraged in both the Old and New Testaments in various examples and parables, but specifically, Ecclesiastes 9:10 reads “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” and Paul wrote in the letter to the Colossians, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.” (Col 3:23)

So, how can we better achieve such complete effort (thoroughness) leading to excellence?  One answer is pretty simple.  Excellence requires teamwork.

In studies of personality types, it is often stated that great outcomes are best achieved by a team effort, ideally, by a team of different personality types that complement one another.

As an example, the formal type-study called “Social Styles” identifies four primary people-types, Amiables, Analyticals, Drivers, and Expressives.  As the names imply somewhat accurately for these people-types, Amiables excel at making relationships top priority; Analyticals carefully consider the details; Drivers keep the team on task; and Expressives bring passion, creativity, and fun. That’s an oversimplification of just one personality model, but you get the picture — differently gifted people working together “cover all the bases” and achieve the best outcomes.

However, we know that teamwork isn’t easy. It was Theodore Roosevelt who said (paraphrasing) “Nothing in the world is…worth doing unless it means effort…and difficulty.” Patience and trust are not easy, but are essential to making a real team effort.

And thoroughness is not only about getting things done right, but about getting the right things done. People on a team will go the extra mile when they are clear on the importance of the mission; when they are well prepared and well taken care of; and when they are valued to contribute in their areas of expertise, in the things they are confident they do well.

Teamwork requires selflessness and humility, an attitude that cares more about getting the right things done in the right way than about who gets the credit.  This type of thoroughness is a hallmark of the City of Owasso. With core values that include Teamwork, Respectfulness, Accountability, Creativity, and Excellence, it’s only right that the people of the City walk the talk when it comes to thoroughness.

At the City of Owasso, “Good to Great” is both a topic of study and a constant goal. Pastor Charles Swindoll said, “The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail.”  I’m personally proud to have been a part of an organization that strives for excellence and practices thoroughness.

And one other thought for our fast-paced world, for those who would claim that they are just too busy for thoroughness, it was the great UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden who said, “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

Finally, the other measure of thoroughness is completion. Oftentimes, projects and programs start strong, but get sidetracked for lack of clarity or passion; or they remain unfinished in the absence of commitment and tenacity.  A saying that has always stayed with me from the time I first heard it in college is that “Very few people finish well.”  I’ve seen this to be true with projects, ballgames, jobs, and many other things, including even life itself.  Finishing all things well is important. (I’ll close by simply saying) We owe it to ourselves, our families, our Lord, and our community to be thorough and finish well!