The Foundation of a High Performance Organization

Continuously Improve

While watching a sporting event, I was reminded of just how crucial it is to continuously improve upon fundamentals. Teams who are successful never underestimate their competition irregardless of their tenure, reputation or past performance. Interestingly, this very same rule applies in business. That is to say, regardless of the longevity of your business or the tenure of your employees, there must be a consistent structured effort to improve upon current performance. For instance, think about tenured companies, like Sears and RIM, that struggle as a result of disregarding this fundamental rule.

A successful sports team is built upon a very simple foundation:

1. Individual talent
2. Collective capability
3. Strong leadership
4. A clear vision of success
5. A series of proven plays

A high performing organization is built upon a very similar foundation:

1. Individual knowledge and experience
2. Collaboration and alignment
3. Supportive leadership
4. A clear vision and mission for the organization
5. Proven and effective business processes

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Certainly, to outperform and outlast your competition, continuously improve performance in each of these five fundamental areas. Next to sales growth, improved performance in delivering products or services is the single most important focus for a business owner or executive. Consider each of the five areas above and where your weakest performance exists. Formulate a simple plan to address this weakness, making it a priority for both yourself and your employees.

Furthermore, if you don’t believe there is need for improvement in any of these areas then just sit back, relax and let the game play out. As a result, what’s the worst that can happen?

© Shawn Casemore 2017. All rights reserved.