Taking Responsibility
In business school we learn that businesses exist to deliver profit to shareholders. But so many corporations have lost their pathway to actually contributing value to society. They live in a world of scarcity – I have profits, you don’t. I get 70%, you get 30%. I win, you lose. I have 15% market share, you have 3%. There is scarcity – limited resources.
Abundance is a world where we create value throughout our supply chain for the benefit of all stakeholders. Corporations living in abundance seek opportunities to embed generosity into their corporate structure and work to making the pie bigger for all parts of the supply chain. Studies have shown that this attitude benefits shareholders multiple times better than living in scarcity. This is what we are a stand for at iB.
My business partners at institute B have played important roles in the development of very successful companies. The companies we were involved with had amazing products. But so do many other less successful companies. So amazing products alone are not enough. These companies also had great marketing. But so do less successful companies. Ok, so we know marketing, therefore, is not enough. These companies had serendipitous timing in the marketplace. But they all had competition so that in itself was not enough.
What about a business model that allows for cash flow? Great people? Tight operations? Great values? Again, all important but not enough. What about all these elements together?? Products, marketing, business model, great people, values? Some companies have all these things but still fail.
So what is the common link in successful companies?
Culture. Audacious results stem from an organizational culture of execution — founded upon personal responsibility — built on relationships — grounded in abundance.
Want results? Want big results? Audacious results? Fast?
Be better. Behave differently. Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world.” Many of you are performers but do not live to the standard that you expect of your team. Your company, your team, your culture is a manifestation of you. How you behave. Corporations who are successful have built positive organizational cultures that get sh&t done seeing thousands of people working as one.
You are responsible for your company’s success, culture, brand, results, and limitations.
I work with entrepreneurs every day and I see a lot of lip service. Everybody says they want success and audacious results but few have the courage to hold a mirror to themselves and instead look outside for these results. ‘If only my designer was better.’ ‘If only this customer would use my product better.’ ‘When I get the right team together…’ They are so lost in reasons and rationalizations and excuses that they are failing as leaders.
Stop today. Hold a big mirror to yourself. Be responsible.
Written by: Darrell Kopke, Skool Principal