The best organisations do what they do best. They also encourage their people to do what they do best. They then aim to keep performing at their best. Let’s explore these themes.
They Do What They Do Best
Great organisations build on their strengths. This focus on the specific activities where they deliver As rather than Bs or Cs. This often involves taking the following steps.
They focus on the things they do best;
They focus on the kinds of customers with whom they work best;
They focus on providing great service in the things they do best.
Such organisations continue to build on their strengths. This also involves taking the next step.
They Encourage Their People
To Do What They Do Best
Great organisations build on their people’s strengths. They also put people in the places where they can deliver As rather than Bs or Cs. This often involves taking the following steps.
They communicate the organisation’s purpose, principles and picture of success;
They make clear contracts with people about their best contributions towards achieving the picture of success;
They then encourage their people to perform superb and do their best to achieve the picture of success.
Some organisations don’t encourage people to play to their strengths. Sometimes this is done with the best of intentions, but it can result in average performances.
One organisation told their best sales people to spend most of their time managing their team rather than being with customers. This was the equivalent of a football team taking their best goal scorers off the pitch. It led to a decline in sales and morale.
This produced a wake-up all. The organisation finally got round to putting its best leaders, organisers and specialists in the right places. They then coordinated people’s strengths to achieve success.
They Keep Performing At Their Best
Great organisations continue to perform at their best. This calls for consistently delivering high professional standards and, when appropriate, being pacesetters. Some do this by taking the following steps.
They continue to create a positive environment in which motivated people can deliver peak performances;
They continue to embody the concept of continuous improvement for individuals and the organisation;
They continue to be pacesetters by staying ahead of the game and achieving ongoing success.
Bearing in mind their strengths, such organisations may develop new approaches to doing what they do best. They then apply these to help both themselves and their customers to achieve success.
Let’s return to your own work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of this approach? You may want to do this as a leader, manager or in another role.
How can you focus on what you, your colleagues or your organisation does best? How can you translate this into action? What may happen as a result of taking these steps?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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