As a leader of a business in a period of growth and development, it is absolutely essential that you understand: you CANNOT be all things to all people. You’ll burn yourself out. You’ll fail in areas you should be succeeding. And you won’t hit your goals. What you need to do is take the time to focus on what you’re good at, and then develop a strategic planning model for growth and development based on that vision. That is how you’ll get to the next level.
Let’s take Dell Computers as an example. Dell is a marvel in efficiency. Customers build, order, and pay for a new computer online. So the computer is already paid for before it is ever built. Dell then consolidates those orders for a production run, and brings in the parts to build the machines from transport trucks belonging to the parts manufacturers that are sitting out in a massive holding area waiting to deliver the parts—this is the ultimate in “Just in Time Delivery!”
Dell doesn’t pay for those parts until well after the computers have been put into production! Talk about masters in cash flow management! Why then did Compaq Computers fail? Why is HP failing at making a competitive product? The Dell model is very transparent. It is easy to replicate. Others fail because they do not have the discipline and focus on carrying out a clear growth and development plan for the one service they’re best at.
Usually, what tends to happen is that when it comes to growth and development strategy in the 97 percent of mediocre organizations, they come up with a vision (usually at some executive mountain top retreat with an expensive strategy consultant). They print out the resultant vision and print it on beautiful, full-color posters, then hang the “new way of doing things” in the Boardroom and the reception area. And then… they sit back and wait for things to happen.
Next, a shiny object like a cost reduction program or corporate agenda comes along and everyone goes off chasing the new direction. The organization’s members will collectively go back to chasing their tails and not moving forward strategically.
What do the leading 3 percent organizations do that is radically different? Other than having an organization-wide, single-minded, laser beam focus and the determination of a dog going after a bone? They:
When you follow the model of the 3%, your customers will see it, feel it, and experience it. They will take your greatness viral in the new social marketplace, telling the world about you if you WOW them with simply staying focused and delivering consistently! They will crucify you if you fail to deliver the experience they have talked about to others. Remember, the world is now flat because of easy access to the Internet, social media, and transportation.
Being great is actually relatively easy because there is not a lot of competition. All it takes is figuring out what your greatness is and paying attention to every single little detail in the delivery of that greatness so it is flawless every single time.
Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, partner at Incrementa Consulting Inc., #1 Best Selling Author, and International Keynote Speaker. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
The audio version of Bob’s #1 best seller It’s Already Inside is now available on Audible.
Tags: Business, Business Strategy, Focus, Growth, It's Already Inside, Leadership, Robert Murray, Robert S. Murray, Success, Values, Vision
