Own it!
There is a lot of talk today about growth. Very early in my career one of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs told me that you are either “reading the menu or you are on the menu”. It is the story of growth and value. Since then, I have had the privilege of working as an executive leader with many talented teams of people globally who have climbed that mountain and built award winning organizations. Our success was founded on a common ground. We dreamed big dreams, we held a relentless belief in what we are doing, we were willing to stand shoulder to shoulder, and we put our values into action. We are entrepreneurs. We understood that to succeed we had to make mistakes but those mistakes would make us wiser, more effective, more successful leaders. Along the way through those partnerships I was able to strengthen my reputation and expertise in the entrepreneurial space.
Today I am helping clients across borders, across industries improve performance by designing and executing solutions that calibrate their current mix of assets, capabilities, and processes. Building something bigger. We know that organizations that experience growth will, at some point, hit a scale where the game changes. Planning, aligning, and driving results where needed. Working with experienced leaders to build and execute effective business strategies to realize short-term gains and sustainable value.
Shared Strategy
Success can be elusive. Like other successful entrepreneurs I am an advocate of lifelong learning. Over the years many books, articles, conferences, seminars, board roles, and time spent with leaders in the consulting community have given me the opportunity to expand and shape my understanding of the key levers of growth success. I share these with you in the hopes that you continue reading the menu.
Igniting growth begins with the organization’s fundamental purpose and core values. Together they form the guiding principles that determine the desired destination and how to reach it. The competitive position of an organization is determined by its strategic focus and strategic capabilities. The organization’s strategic focus is the engine of growth. It is the deep-rooted understanding of what the organization does and why it does it. Strategic capabilities are the unique combination of abilities that make the organization good at what it does and differentiates it from competitors. These combined give an organization its unique market positioning and are critical to driving sustainable value.
Our experience over 30 years suggests that growth is overwhelmingly determined by a single strategic capability. People. This is why identifying the right people and making the big moves to capitalize on your investment is critical to an organization’s success. If the organizations’ strategic focus is the engine of growth. People are the fuel. Yet many companies passively manage their human capital investment through a yearly, largely financial review and miss opportunities to support clients and improve performance. We help our clients design more effective human capital management and planning processes so that they can overcome the processes and behavioral barriers that stand in the way of growth.
While every company’s circumstances are unique, my experience is that growth companies cultivate entrepreneurship and build sustainable value by ensuring that their human capital systems reinforce their business priorities.
The “L” Word.
Our world economy is becoming more and more about relationships and connecting. My experience working at every level of business is that growth is not possible without Leadership. It starts with the people who have the creativity, energy, and passion to take an idea and make it a business. The path to success then comes from being clear about where you want to go, who you are, what you say “yes” to and what you say “no” to. It is about aligning yourself with people who share your passion and purpose where great things happen. Leadership is an obligation. Listen then you will know what your customer wants and what you need to do. Take responsibility and say what needs to be said, with care and respect.