Finish Strong – Together
Spring Forward Series – Excellence in Action
This is one of three reflections on how leaders can plant with purpose, prune with courage, and finish the year strong — together. Read also: Plant with Purpose | Prune for Progress | Finish Strong — Together
“Those who lift others as they climb, always reach higher.”
Spring reminds us that growth is a shared journey. The strongest teams don’t just work side by side — they rise together.
Leadership, like climbing, is not a solo sport. The summit moments — those defining peaks in business, sport, or life — aren’t achieved by lone heroes. They’re won by connected teams who share oxygen, courage, and belief.
This reflection is about the power of unity. About finishing the year strong — not by doing more alone, but by believing more together.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”
- Winston Churchill.
In 1935, a young Tenzing Norgay joined a British expedition to Mount Everest, years before he would achieve his legendary summit with Sir Edmund Hillary. On that journey, he stumbled upon a haunting sight — the frozen body of Maurice Wilson, an Englishman who had tried to conquer Everest alone.
Wilson’s dream was audacious. He had courage in spades, but he lacked preparation, partnership, and perspective. Everest doesn’t yield to individual will; it demands humility, readiness, and a team that can steady you when the wind cuts thin and the air runs short.
Climbing — like leadership — is not a solo sport. The mountain doesn’t care about ego, intention, or intensity; it only responds to truth, endurance, and unity.
Maurice Wilson’s fate is a powerful reminder: ambition without alignment can be fatal. He went with a few Sherpas but chose to ascend the final section alone — and paid the ultimate price. His story isn’t just about tragedy; it’s about the illusion of self-sufficiency.
Because no matter how gifted, driven, or determined we are, every remarkable ascent eventually demands what Wilson lacked — trust in others.
Leadership, like climbing, exposes us. It tests our balance between independence and interdependence. The summit moments — those defining peaks in business, sport, or life — aren’t achieved by lone heroes. They’re won by connected teams who share oxygen, courage, and belief.
That’s the essence of finishing strong: you don’t reach the top by proving you’re enough — you get it by pulling others up with you.
My Story: “Clearly the Best” — Leading Through Chaos
I’ll never forget that season. Hyperinflation had ripped through the economy — prices were constantly rising, and anxiety was everywhere. People were struggling to make ends meet. In a country where most had more month than money, the temptation to cut corners, take bribes, or bend the rules was everywhere.
Many good businesses folded. Some lost their way.
Within our company, we decided that we would survive together — and we would do it with our integrity intact. Our rallying cry became three simple words borrowed from one of our own iconic product brands:
“Clearly the Best.”
It became our mantra. In meetings, in emails, and in every conversation — we repeated it again and again. “Clearly the Best” wasn’t just a slogan; it became our standard.
We declared that we would be clearly the best — not just in product quality, but in conduct, in collaboration, in courage. We would hold fast to our values, protect trust with our colleagues, customers, suppliers, and government partners, and stay true to our purpose no matter how tough things got.
We drove that message across every channel — meetings, emails, visual dashboards, and daily briefings. We made it visible, tangible, and personal.
And something extraordinary happened.
The words became belief.
The belief became behaviour.
The behaviour became culture.
Teams began making smarter, more ethical decisions. Departments started sharing resources. Colleagues stepped in to help one another manage the shortages and keep operations moving. We cut waste, tightened costs, and protected the jobs we could. Every small win mattered, and we celebrated them — because each one proved that integrity and performance can coexist.
Against all odds, the company managed to survive.
That experience changed me.
It taught me that finishing strong isn’t about ideal conditions; it’s about collective conviction. When people believe in something bigger than themselves, they can move mountains — even in an economy falling apart.
The Leadership Lesson
Jim Rohn once said,
“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”
That’s excellence.
Not glamour. Not luck. Not shortcuts.
Just doing the right things, the right way, every day — together.
Finishing strong doesn’t come from pressure or panic. It comes from purpose.
And in a crisis, purpose must be louder than fear.
When you align a team around a shared belief — when integrity becomes identity — you build a culture that endures any storm.
The One Thing for You
“What’s the one thing that, if you did it today — this week — would make everything else easier or unnecessary?” – Gary Keller
As you head into the final stretch of this year, your One Thing is this:
⇨ Reignite belief and finish the year with your people, not just your projects.
Ask yourself:
What’s our “Clearly the Best”?
Who on my team needs encouragement right now — to know they’re seen, valued, and not alone?
Who’s quietly carrying more than their fair share — and how can I lighten their load or lift their spirits?
How can I make our finish line feel like ours, not mine?
Because culture isn’t built by slogans or spreadsheets — it’s built through shared effort, trust, and gratitude.
When leaders take time to encourage, appreciate, and support their people, belief turns into belonging — and belonging becomes unstoppable momentum.
Final Reflection
Spring is the season for excellence in action — to plant with purpose, prune with courage, and finish strong together.
In the hardest seasons, leadership is not about control — it’s about connection. Excellence doesn’t thrive in isolation; it’s cultivated in trust, belief, and a sense of belonging.
Finishing strong means lifting others, protecting the culture that defines you, and staying true when it would be easier to compromise.
When you choose integrity over impulse, purpose over panic, and unity over ego, you lead a team that truly is “Clearly the Best.”
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
— African Proverb.
Stay inspired and lead with excellence.
— Gary
Explore the full ‘Spring Forward: Excellence in Action Series’
Plant with Purpose — Clarity creates momentum.
Prune for Progress — Courage clears the path for growth.
Finish Strong — Together — Connection turns belief into belonging.
Three perspectives. One pursuit: Excellence in action.