Sears Roebuck and Company was once a leading provider of goods and varied services to virtually every corner of the United States. Today, they have become a fading vision of times past. Amazon was an unknown retailer when it began in a garage just outside of Seattle in 1994 but has become a widely known virtual, worldwide operation.

Similar stories may be told of Boeing, IBM and even small scale entrepreneurial operations that exist in nearly every corner of our world.

Despite size, location or product/service provided, it is evident that effective organizations have twelve (12) common keys that can impact whether or not they will be effective in the marketplace. The ability to embody these keys and allow them to work unrestricted, constitutes a very strong foundation for building success in organizations. As businessman Arnold Glasow said, “Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.”

(1) The first key for organizational success proclaims: the effective organization must have a clearly defined vision and mission. Organizations are not viable unless they can define what they are attempting to build and within what time-frame. Further, each must without hesitation proclaim exactly why their organization exists. Unless these areas can be defined so that even the uninformed are able to understand, the organization should regroup and re-evaluate their reasoning for business operation. These critical business realities are by and large the cornerstones of foundational growth for any organization. Once vision and mission is mastered and the realities put into action, the balance of the pyramid of success structure will more naturally come.

(2) The effective organization has a viable business plan. You can’t simply show up at the face of Mount Rainier and expect to climb to the top. It takes planning to scale the 14.411 feet of monstrous terrain. You have to insure you have the proper clothing, equipment, support, etc. before you engage, not afterwards. The same is true in an effective organization. You have to insure you have credible goals, workable action plans and result-oriented strategies that support your vision and mission. Simply showing up, while commendable, normally will not accomplish much without some direction in the work to be done and how it is to be achieved. Organizations without viable business plans are like a stationary vehicle with the motor running. It will not be long before the fuel is depleted and engine stops with nothing accomplished but lost time and fuel wasted. A business plan puts a driver in the seat and allows the vehicle to move forward on a course of action so that time invested and fuel purchased works for a rightful cause.

(3) The effective organization has immovable values. Rotary International has perhaps one of, if not the, very best of approaches to immovable values. It’s their 4-Way Test. Directly it conveys:

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build good will and better friendships?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Rotarians operate their professional and private lives by these simple guidelines. If you examine what each question asks and in turn demands, it is easy to conclude that any organization who directs its efforts in accordance with the framework of this simple yet powerful guide will in turn find itself operating from a immovable position of ethical and value-driven strength. Strength in that its business is honest in its approach; fair in its presentation; delivered in a manner that attracts not repels others; and, provides solutions or comfort to all who are impacted by its product or service delivery, whether public in nature or completely obscured from view.

In turn, those who are part of such an organization cannot help but be highly influenced by its approach. When an organization stands strong with its method of operation, regardless of the circumstances it faces or the demands customers may place upon it, that conveys a message that filters the minds of those who are involved daily with its operation. The relentless repetition of such a directive soon becomes a norm for all. It is as others may say, “The way we do business around here.”

(4) The effective organization has positive-minded leadership. Leaders most often set the course for organizations. What they think, say or do impacts virtually every part of organizational functions. Therefore, effective organizations have leadership that takes the viewpoint failure is not failure but actually successfully finding out what does not work.

• They expect the best.
• They believe in people and the corporate pathway.
• They strive to build others up and utilize the gifts of people and the culture of the organization, so each is leveraged for the common good.

This positive approach becomes a valuable norm, which encourages unified action and promotes a determination for success from all viable impacted parties. It promotes possibilities, that in turn stokes the fire of positive value-driven enthusiasm. Where these elements are evident, success will soon follow and the organization will flourish.

Next Month - 4 More Keys!