Organizational health is the single biggest contributor of an organization’s success. When we clearly define our organization’s vision and values, we set in motion a method for success. Success happens when team members share the company’s values, and sit in clearly defined roles with a high level of accountability to meet commitments.
When we aren’t sure who is responsible for what, or we lack confidence that our colleagues will do what they say they will do, we waste valuable time. We spend our time trying to figure out who’s responsible for what, or doing work others on the team should be doing. In unhealthy organizations, team members lose their commitment to the company’s vision and must work much harder to meet customer needs.
Leaders of successful organizations have four key behaviors in common:
- They define their core values and live them. In every successful organization, the company’s leaders set expectations for how they want team members to treat each other, their customers, and their vendors. For example, a company may decide it values a fast and accurate response to customer needs. Successful teams will hold themselves accountable for responding quickly and accurately every day, measuring and reporting performance weekly.
- They define team members’ roles with clarity, working hard to get the right people into the right seats. When roles and responsibilities are clear, everyone understands their roles and accountabilities. No duplication of efforts, no spinning wheels, just people working together effectively.
- They set clear goals in specific terms and hold themselves accountable for achieving those goals. Healthy teams work hard to establish a short list of specific goals, define those goals in measurable terms with a specific time frame, and then hold themselves accountable.
- They understand the customers they serve best and their essential needs. Every business must be clear on who its most attractive customers are and how the organization can best meet their needs. They spend time with those customers, listening carefully to their needs. They organize themselves to meet those needs more effectively than their competitors. They have a passion for making every touch point with customers memorable.
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