How would you finish this statement: Your Company Will Only Be As Great As…………..

I’ll get to how I believe the statement should be completed at the end of this article, but if you’re not sure, maybe you’ll pick up a few obvious hints along the way

Part 5 of this article series brings to light three important things a CEO must do for his/her workforce: (1) Communicate one concise and transcendent goal; (2) Communicate an inspiring, visionary description of what success looks like when the company achieves it’s transcendent goal; and (3) Align the entire workforce (whether 3 people small or 5,000+ employees big) with the strategic business plan for achieving that one transcendent goal so that the vision for success will be truly realized via measurable results.

As a student of Collins & Porras’ book, Built To Last, I would argue the above three items represent the CEO’s ultimate role and responsibility to the organization everyday, all the time.  Put simply, its called providing direction, so that everyone can point in the same direction.  And thus, avoid confusion, cynicism, replication of efforts, the classic CYA mentality, fear to make decisions, and so on and so forth.

1) Communicate one concise and transcendent goal

Consider, as an example, the following 5-year goal and subsequent visionary description for my clean technologies venture:

Green Axis, Inc. is the world leader in providing cost-effective, green energy solutions.

• Our products are zero fuel; zero emission energy systems
• We offer a breadth of solutions that can accommodate commercial and industrial businesses, data centers, homeowners, and government agencies
• Our technologies integrate wind and solar energy, enabling homes and businesses to obtain on-demand power from renewable sources, while generating revenue from the utility company
• We eliminate customers’ recurring costs for their electrical power needs
• We have created hundreds of new green jobs
• We have become a model “leadership, growth and people company”

Now consider the following feedback Green Axis received about the “Company Vision” from a judge in a recent business plan competition:

“Overall vision comes across way to broad – sounds like you want to be everyone’s solution, which just doesn’t sound practical for a business long term objective.  Would help to see you pitch more as a proof of concept than as a business.”

Notice how the judge would’ve been more comfortable with a short-sighted vision of simply achieving a company milestone!  As the CEO of your company, you should not be comfortable with such shortsightedness.  Although “proof of concepts” and milestones may be critical, they’re only pieces of a bigger picture…your vision for success.

That said, here’s a tip for creating a transcendent goal.  Consider a simple statement of who the company is or what the company wants to become in 5 years.  Not 6 months, but 5 years.  And yes, it should absolutely be great and emotionally hook your workforce.  No doubt about it!

2) Communicate an inspiring visionary description of what success looks like when the company achieves it’s transcendent goal

What does it look like when you become the company you want to become, or achieve the revenue number you want to achieve, in 5 years?  Describing what achievement looks like will help people visualize success and their specific role in helping to achieve it.

And don’t just discuss your company’s goal and visionary description at the beginning of the year, but discuss it every day of every week to the very best of your ability.  Imagine how inspiring this could be to your workforce at an economic time like this.

If as leaders we are hesitant to speak transcendentally and uphold a vision of success for our company because we are fearful of failure, only one thought comes to mind: self-fulfilling prophecy.

3) Align the entire workforce with the strategic business plan for achieving the transcendent goal so that the vision for success will be truly realized via measurable results

I know this sounds like a mouthful, but its important to remember why aligning a workforce is so critical: So that results can actually be measured and achieved.

Once the 5-year goal and vision for success has been formally communicated, all personnel and departments must tailor their daily work activities toward achieving that goal.

Everyone should know what the 5-year goal is.  Test them…randomly ask your teams and employees throughout the year what the company’s goal is.  Further ask them what some of their personal goals for helping to achieve the larger, transcendent goal is as it pertains to their unique roles and responsibilities.

Everyone must have goals – and a clear path for achieving their goals – if they are going to get the company to the place you need and want it to be in 5 years.  No ifs, ands, or buts, about it.

Here’s a friendly reminder: this is what your management team is for.  Are they doing their job overseeing the clarification and achievement of goals in your workforce?  Furthermore, do you empower management to do this job well?

OK…so here’s my final thought on the question I posed earlier:

Your company will only be as great as your vision for success!

What’s yours??

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“We must learn to balance the material wonders of technology with the spiritual demands of our human race.”       ~ John Naisbitt

Management over the last few years has changed dramatically.  The impact of downsizing, M&As and advanced technology take huge tolls on our human capital.  And although technology improves effectiveness, efficiency and success, we cannot allow it to hoard our focus altogether.

Contemporary managers must be proficient in interpersonal skills and human development – applying their people knowledge to catch up with their technical knowledge. As technology improves, change accelerates, and people increasingly need talented managers who can help lead them through this business environment toward improved results.

Today’s workforce demands more from their managers and company. 

The reality is that people desire fulfillment, recognition and appreciation for their achievements at work (as in life).  We want to feel valued and like we are having an impact.  We need to know and understand we are appreciated and respected.  When we do, we perform at our best and generate results – first for ourselves, and then for our manager and company.  Being consumed by technology and change, managers are at risk of forgetting these basic human truths!

Managers need to make for an environment where motivation and inspiration prosper! Here are a few suggestions for managers to apply “people knowledge” and create a prosperous environment alongside technology:

Champion a corporate or team culture. 

A strong culture creates a sense of pride, identity and belonging.  Because most people desire to achieve and accomplish, a company culture fosters positive attitudes and personal performance.  If your company doesn’t have a culture, consider creating a “team culture” for you and your reports to uphold.  Together with your team, identify your core values and your purpose for why you come to work everyday.  This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your leadership to the company and genuinely lead your team.

Understand, support, and discuss your people’s personal and professional goals.

Try as we may to keep our business and personal life separate, we will fail time and again.  Having a job is very personal!  Furthermore, we bring our ‘person’ to work with us everyday. To ignore our personal goals, needs, and desires at work (or pretend to) is absolutely ridiculous.  It works the other way around as well.  If we are unhappy at work, we harbor those feelings and carry them home with us to our friends and families.  Life, in general, does not feel so good.  As human beings our performance at home and at work are lack-luster.

Here is yet another opportunity for effective managers to apply their people knowledge.  Show your people you care about all of their goals as they pertain to their personal and business life.  This will show that you care about them as a person – with unique skills and abilities- and that you value what they uniquely offer the company.  Discuss their progress and learn how you can be of service for helping them achieve their goals.

Provide random, non-monetary rewards for performance

Think about a system you would enjoy implementing to ensure you regularily recognize someone on your team. Be as creative as you like, but simply scheduling a phone call one day per month to recognize one of the people you mange and directly tell them what you valued most about their performance that month will prove a highly effective people strategy.  It will also improve the habit of doing so, and you will do it more often.  Why stop?

There’s nothing like the performance of a happy employee.  If managers don’t have people knowledge or show personal leadership to apply it, they simply aren’t going to be effective at getting results for the company.  They are not managers at all.

Technology aside, don’t forget the people!

What mechanisms have you put into place to apply people knowledge for improved results in your company?

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