4 Pillars of Business Excellence
The global business environment is rapidly changing. Traditional practices alone no longer suffice. Sustainability initiatives have become a critical part of business strategy and operational decision making. Successful sustainability strategies build on existing business goals and priorities and these 2 lanes merge into one impactful journey towards future success and industry wide recognition as being a world class leader. A sustainability and globally aware mindset is critical and needs to be embedded in every company's corporate DNA and culture to effect transformational change. The 4 pillars of business excellence provide the foundation and platform to begin your sustainability journey that aligns with the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Starting your journey is your first significant WIN!
As a senior business leader you are given the mandate to deliver on the company's commercial, financial, sustainability and cultural goals. Effective business operations is all encompassing across the enterprise spectrum from how work is captured in the marketplace, managed throughout the company and delivered to the client. Your organization is a cross-functional high performance business engine driven by people, processes, systems and tools. However your biggest lever lies in your desire and ability to harness the collective power of the amazing talent and capabilities of your greatest asset - YOUR EMPLOYEES. The goal of the leader is to bring all aspects of the operating business (people, processes, systems and tools) together like a championship sports team where gifted players bring unique and exceptional talents, fully commit to a system of play and exhibit team unity at all times. That is how championships are won. That is also how great companies reach their business version of the World Cup, Super Bowl or World Series.
Your company's efforts in the market are really paying off with record sales, great client product reviews and glowing accolades from the key industry influencers. This is why you have worked so hard all these years - for corporate growth, prosperity and greater business success!
So why are there so many new challenges, frustrated employees and corporate misalignment? Scaling up a business for global growth is a very difficult mission that takes great discipline and experience to plan and execute. When the volume of work increases for extended periods of time above the company's current ability to deliver, employees become fatigued, disgruntled and less performing. Strained processes are stretched to a point of failure, shortcuts are used to circumvent the cumbersome systems and tensions rise as the new corporate currency of blame game politics supersedes team spirit.
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The "scaling for growth and sustainability" journey begins long before the exciting new orders and desired global customer attention shines brightly on your brand.
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Leadership can be defined in many ways. In the corporate setting, leaders have an overarching responsibility to set the strategic direction, provide clear alignment of commercial, financial, sustainability and cultural goals across the entirety of the business and create a working environment that is empowering, energetic and fosters inspiration that leads to unimaginable team successes. A true leader serves the team, making them stronger, supporting their development, coaching their progress and creating a safe environment where new ideas and innovative initiatives are explored. Leaders are inclusive and embrace diversity tapping into the genius of all employees. Excelling at leadership will certainly be one of the most difficult responsibilities and undertakings one will ever attempt. The good news is that leaders like great athletes can further develop their skills and perfect their performance through learning, training and most importantly through the mentorship of other great leaders.
High performance management in business is akin to the successes of famous coaches in sport who knew how to connect with their team, develop the right mindset and get the best performance day in day out from their players. Great managers and coaches know how to reach their goals (win) and more importantly know what it takes to deliver at a highest of levels.
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A company's culture is the heart and soul of the business. Culture is built around a framework of values and beliefs, ways of working together, behaviours that lead to constructive interactions and sound decision-making. A great culture fosters an environment that empowers employees, promotes diversity and inclusiveness, encourages a growth mindset, increases engagement and accountability that yields stellar results.
Culture is not defined by completing a series of workshops or a brainstorming session of aspirational values and desired behaviours. Culture is lived and practiced every day at all levels of the organization.
This starts with you - the business leader. Every business follows its leaders behaviours, attitudes and how the leaders conduct themselves with employees, suppliers and clients. The executive team and leaders of the business are responsible for promoting and living the culture they seek across the organization. Culture begins at the top- it begins with you as a leader!
Remember! Every organization gets the culture it deserves.
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