Monday, December 14, 2009

Vision

Vision

The following is from an ebook I just received and explains Vision and why it so damn important for any organization.

Vision is the lifeblood of any organization. It is
what keeps it moving forward. It provides meaning
to the day-to-day challenges and setbacks that
make up the rumble and tumble of real life.
In a down economy—particularly one that has
taken most of us by surprise—things get very
tactical. We are just trying to survive. What
worked yesterday does not necessarily work today.
What works today may not necessarily work
tomorrow. Decisions become pragmatic.
But afer a while this wears on people. They don’t
know why their efforts matter. They cannot
connect their actions to a larger story. Their work
becomes a matter of just going through the
motions, living from weekend to weekend,
paycheck to paycheck.
This is where great leadership makes all the
difference. Leadership is more than influence. It is
about reminding people of what it is we are trying
to build—and why it matters. It is about painting a
picture of a better future. It comes down to
pointing the way and saying, “C’mon. We can do
this!”
When times are tough, vision is the first causality.
Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing
we must recover.

Michael Hyatt is the CEO of omas Nelson Publishers. He blogs
on “Leading with Purpose” at MichaelHyatt.com and also Twitters
at @MichaelHyatt.

Monday, December 7, 2009

-- All companies have a culture. Some cultures are good; others are bad. Some are productive, some destructive.

When I talk to businesss owners about their pain points 9 out of 10 times "people" come up in some way.

I was talking to a business owner the other day and he grew to more than 100 people. "I didn't give the culture question much thought until I started hiring people from different companies and industries. Pretty soon I noticed that employees sometimes brought with them old habits that didn't work in my environment. "
So what is corporate culture? There are several aspects to consider.
How far will you go for a customer?
How much do you expect from employees? Do salaried staffers regularly work 40 hours a week?

How do your people treat one another? What kind of performance is accepted at the company?
"When I first started in business, I thought I should like everyone who worked for me. Then I went through a period when I figured that I didn't need to like everyone as long as they were doing their jobs.
Now I'm back to requiring 100% likability. Why?

If I don't like them, other staffers probably don't like them either, and we can't all be wrong. Today my employees are all nice, responsible and dedicated. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Building a strong culture requires hiring the right people, firing the wrong people and managing the work environment. There's an old saying: "A fish rots from the head down." Corollary: It also rocks from the top.