We all know of great corporations that have reputations for excellence: Nordstrom department stores, Disney, Lands' End, and the Merck pharmaceutical company to name a few. Many books and articles have been written in the past 20 years about the factors that such companies have in common. The oft-named factors are (1) a focus on the customer, (2) an obsession with quality, (3) innovation, and (4) savvy marketing. The author believes, however, that excellence begins with each person in the organization taking "personal responsibility for excellence" at the day-to-day level. Taking personal responsibility for excellence is a selfish act. Why? Well, when everyone pitches in, work is done on time, stakeholders' complaints are fixed faster, accident rates decline, and the district is more successful--and that translates into job security and prosperity for everyone, including you. So taking personal responsibility for excellence is, in a way, a selfish act. It is also a way to make the world a better place because acts of excellence tend to inspire others to do the same.