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Good to be Great
Written by: Geoff FlemmingArticle Overview: It seems like the market has shifted in a positive direction people in business have energy about moving forward. The media have also maintained their consistent 'doom and gloom' outlook, but now it relates to concerns about increasing interest rates! So it must be a good time to grow! Having said that there are a number of lessons to be learnt from recent times in what works and causes sustainability - and what will likely not last.
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Good to be Great
Bo
Burlingham, an editor of Inc. magazine wrote a book called "Small Giants -
Companies that chose to be Great Instead of Big". The interesting
aspect is that these companies that Bo refers to in his book chose to
build and stay at an optimum size that suited them and the market they are
in.
Simply
put, these owners and leaders chose to be great instead of big! Whilst
some of these companies are small , most are hugely profitable and are
great places to work.
There
are a number of interesting similarities between these companies:
1. The founders recognise the range of choices available - In
most cases they rejected the standard options. They innovated new possibilities
and resisted forces that would have them comply with popular beliefs. In every
case they carefully chose their market and how many, and what type of customers
to take on.
2. They overcame pressure to take the normal growth path -
Rather than growth just for the sake of it, they decided to control growth
every step of the way. They often rejected investors and 'money partners'. Most
importantly they worked to build the type of community they want to live in,
but inside their own companies.
3. They cultivate exceptional business relationships - Like
Jay Abraham's concept of 'Pre-eminence', these leaders developed
partnerships with employees, customers and suppliers. By working together in a
type of committed partnership, they create a sense of community and common
purpose among the entire supply chain. Whilst difficult to do, they
achieve a genuine mutual concern for each other's success.
4. They create intimate workplaces -
Simply put, they treat employees as human beings and address their needs.
In return they earn loyalty and superior performance. Herb
Kelleher of Southwest Airlines calls this "employees who feel cared
for in the totality of their lives" - treating people with respect,
dignity, kindness, and generosity. They have a better life for having been part
of this company.
5. They implement a new age corporate structure - They
develop innovative management systems as well as educational programs that teach
'the company way'. They teach about service as well as leadership. They choose
to reject archaic 'Command and Control' management processes in favour of more
innovative, 21st century methods.
6. The leaders keep a passion for their business - They
have a passion for their products and what they do in the market. They
are not so much professional managers, but more so they create
and maintain deep emotional attachments to their business, and especially to
their people - the employees, customers and suppliers.
These
companies have no special products or services, nor were they necessarily
founded in a boom time. The owners / founders are not really gifted nor
have specialised education or knowledge.
They
did however two things really well
- Develop and nurture their greatest asset being their people.
- They defined and executed strategy that caused them to move forward in a controlled way that maximised profitability
Article Tags: Business Coaching, Crucial Conversations, high performance teams, leadership training, motivation
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About the Author: Geoff Flemming RSS for Geoff's articles - Visit Geoff's website Geoff Flemming is the Director of Business Transformations, a well established coaching and consulting firm based in Victoria. Apart from Geoff's track record in senior management working with a range of Australian corporations, Geoff has been in the coaching field for 11 years. He has developed and delivered a range of leadership and behavioural change programs nationally through a range of industries. His specialty is in developing emerging leaders and working with fast growth organisations. Geoff has designed and successfully delivered leadership and executive coaching development programs through service industries such as retail security and salons, through to pharmacy groups and a number of franchise organisations. The primary outcome in organisations that have been through Geoff's programs is in the creation of a culture of leadership and high performance. That is teams of people who are aligned, communicate well, keep each other accountable and are intrinsically motivated to achieve the best possible result. Geoff also runs Crucial Conversations Australia / New Zealand. This organisation is part of SevenSeventeen, the licensee for VitalSmarts products in Australia and New Zealand. Crucial Conversations now runs under license in more than 40 countries around. It is the consumate program for people in all walks of life to teach how to have tought conversations - and have them go well! http://www.crucialconversations.com.au Click here to visit Geoff's website Laser Like Focus Making the Transition The End Game Whos Driving Walk of Gratitude |
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