Leadership Lessons From a Train That Was (Barely) Late

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I was recently in Tokyo, working with a phenomenal group of Western leaders at their annual strategic retreat, when we found ourselves engaged in a deep conversation about the aspects of Japanese culture we admired and wished we could incorporate into our own practices.

One executive shared something he'd witnessed earlier that day at the train station: A train conductor apologised—publicly, sincerely—for the train being 25 seconds late. Twenty-five seconds. 

If, like me, you’ve ever caught the ‘F’ train in New York, or tried to get back from Homebush in Sydney after a sporting event, you probably can’t quite wrap your head around that. In both instances, I’m thrilled when the train shows up… and elated if it’s only a couple of minutes delayed! 

However, in Japan, punctuality is a fundamental part of the cultural contract. Their entire rail system averages delays of just 50 seconds!! No, I did not mistype! So even though this conductor was performing better than average, he still acknowledged the gap between “great” and “truly exceptional.” 

When this story was shared with the group, it sparked a fascinating discussion. Not about punctuality (thank goodness—nobody needs that lecture), but about what happens when excellence becomes the baseline, not the exception.

It made me think: when does “good enough” quietly become the enemy of excellence?

Excellence as the Norm, Not the Exception

Most of us don’t work in train stations. But we do lead teams, shape standards, and set cultural tone—whether we mean to or not.

It’s easy to dismiss the 25-second apology as overkill. But it’s not about perfectionism. It’s about ownership. About creating a culture where small lapses don’t get brushed off—they get noticed, owned, and corrected.

Because excellence isn't just a standard of how well you do something, it's also a signal. And people are always watching for cues about what really matters around here.

Research by psychologist Robert Cialdini shows that people take their behavioural cues from what they see others doing, especially in ambiguous situations. When the cultural signal is "we own our performance, even in small things," that becomes the new normal. When it's "close enough is fine," that becomes the norm too.

In other words, it's the micro-moments—the small decisions, everyday behaviours, and quiet standards—that shape the macro-culture.

Values on Paper vs. Values in Practice

Think about it: How many times have you seen the gap between what organisations say they value and what they actually tolerate?

We say we value respect— Yet the meeting starts five minutes late… again. No acknowledgement. No apology.

We say we’re customer-obsessed— However, we copy and paste a generic reply that doesn’t solve their problem.

We say we welcome fresh thinking— Then shut down the first suggestion that challenges the usual way.

We say we prioritise people— Yet we leave the project update sitting in someone’s inbox without a response.

Individually, these moments seem small. Collectively, they become how we do things around here. Culture isn’t declared—it’s demonstrated.

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State

Building Your 25-Second Standard

This story has stuck with me because it challenges that lazy leadership reflex to shrug and say, “It’s not that big a deal.”

But in high-performance cultures, the bar doesn’t quietly lower itself for convenience. It’s held—deliberately, visibly, consistently.

That requires three things:

1. Clarity on what matters. What are you choosing to aim for? Are you holding high standards around the things that truly move the needle?

What’s one small but visible standard that reflects your team's values? Maybe it's responding to internal messages within 24 hours, or starting meetings exactly on time, or following up on commitments made.

2. A definition of excellence. What does “great” look like? How will your team know when they’ve hit the mark—or fallen short?

Pick one routine interaction (client emails, team updates, project handoffs) and define what "excellent" looks like. Share this definition with your team—not as a rule, but as a shared standard.

3. Real-time accountability. What happens when standards slip? Is there a clear acknowledgment, a reset, a cultural signal that says: This isn’t who we are.

The next time you notice a gap between your stated values and observed behaviour—including your own—address it in the moment. Not with judgment, but with ownership: "We can do better than this."

Your Monday Challenge

This week, take note of the micro-moments that are shaping your team's culture.

Take 15 minutes to ask yourself:

• What's one small standard I've let slide that actually matters?
• Where could I model the excellence I want to see?
• What would change if I treated every interaction as a signal about who we are?

Then choose one 25-second moment this week to raise the bar. Not with perfection, but with ownership.

Because culture isn't built in the big moments—it's built in the 25-second ones.