James Brown didn’t mess around when it came to performance.
Before the Godfather of Soul ever sang a note or did that famous shuffle across the stage, he’d walk out with his back to the audience, hands in the air.
One hand up meant “five.”
Both hands up meant “ten.”
He wasn’t counting down to the first song. He was handing out fines.
Five dollars if your shoes weren’t shined. Ten if your suit was wrinkled or had a stain.
Why? Because James Brown believed how you looked showed how you played. If you looked sloppy, you’d play sloppy. His rules weren’t about vanity—they were about pride. About setting a tone. About quality.
And here’s the thing: quality isn’t just what people see on the outside. It’s a mindset. It’s how you show up for your work, your teammates, and your audience.
At YMC, we talk about “so much good.” But good doesn’t just happen because we want it to. It’s built through consistent expectations, little disciplines, and caring enough to sweat the details.
James Brown didn’t need a pep talk before a show. His team knew the standard. And because they all respected the craft—and each other—the result was electric.
So how do you get that kind of quality from your team?
You set clear expectations. You model what “good” looks like. You hold each other accountable. And when someone nails it, you make sure everyone knows.
Quality isn’t something you demand once and hope sticks. It’s a rhythm. It’s a culture. It’s the difference between “that’ll do” and “damn, that’s good.”
James Brown’s band didn’t just play music. They put on a show worth remembering because their leader expected nothing less.
Imagine what happens when your team knows you expect the same.