Business Companion - More 'C 'Words

C is for… 

Cores – Whatever they may be for your company, be fiercely disciplined to sticking to them – core focus, core values, core customers/market, core competence. Far too commonly, entrepreneurial minds, those with hundreds of ideas at any given time, are tempted to stray from their established core. Distractions from the agreed-upon core can confuse the team, spread resources thinly, and confuse the market.

Core Focus is comprised of the organization’s mission/cause/purpose, which establishes the WHY it does what it does, along with its core competence or niche, which lays out what it does better than the competition. Staying true to the core is critical for process, consistency, scalability, and profitability. Straying from the core in the face of the temptation of bright and shiny things can upset the flow of the organization. Rather than providing advantage, can disrupt high-level execution.

Now, this is not to say that staying true to one’s core should be rigid and never change. Rather, quarterly or at least annually, the core commitments must be put under the microscope to ensure that the advantages continue to deliver, that competitive advantage is not eroding, and that opportunities are being seized, with intention and a strong fit for the company’s vision and big picture strategy. If they are consistent and we are nimble enough, then we can respond accordingly.

Floating around like leaves in the wind moving in one direction, then another, and another can have serious consequences on business performance, brand identity,y and profitability.

Do not confuse this with being rigid, having blinders on, or damping down innovation – this is about execution, alignment, measuring, adjusting as needed, and achieving results.

Compromise – It seems that we have lost sight of the advantages that compromise can bring and become deeply entrenched in rigid dualism. This can be found in business, politics, communities, and families. Rather than be open to listening to the opinions of others or to consider facts different from ours, the opportunities to learn and grow are shut down without real consideration.

Compromise is not weakness. Rather, it is a willingness to appreciate that no one position represents the entirety of reality itself. There is no perfect viewpoint, no absolute truth to any one situation.

Rather than becoming entrenched in ‘either-or’ thinking, a willingness to listen to the positions of others, opens the possibility for even better solutions. The potential solutions that ‘both-and’ thinking can provide, while not easy to reach, can be greater than any solution obtained through consideration of any one viewpoint.

True and lasting strength can only be found through the exploration of diverse views, beliefs, skills, and talents. The goal is to find unity from diversity rather than forcing a false uniformity.

Consensus – While nice to achieve, the endless pursuit of consensus is futile. It is nearly impossible for all parties to an issue to fully agree on one outcome that fully satisfies everyone. “Wait a minute”, you rightly say, “didn’t you just go on about the virtues of compromise?”

Well, yes, and here is how I see the difference between the two. Compromise requires all parties to be willing to move off their point in search of better solutions. Consensus can be a killer – the process can be slow, ineffective, and end up with a watered-down outcome that makes no one happy.

The best way forward, in my view, is to allow those involved the opportunity to express their opinion and/or proposed solution – once. No politicking, no pressure, no judgment of others’ positions. If you are far from a solution that the team can support, then you work to incorporate the best of the points made. Crafting this solution may be hard, it may not even be possible, but it is in the spirit of cooperation that healthy and effective teams demonstrate. Then, you vote.

All stakeholders have been allowed to contribute their ideas and potential solutions. Efforts have been made to bring forth a greater solution than those presented. If I do not get my way, I can support the outcome, because I have been listened to, valued, and considered. I am willing to support the outcome with the greater good of the organization in mind.

Not perfect, but effective. Just as you cannot make all customers happy all the time, it is not in the best interests of the organization to continually strive to reach consensus, when it is not there to be had.

Compassion – In an environment where good people are increasingly hard to recruit and retain, does it not make sense as part of a healthy work environment to extend compassion to your value team members?

Compassion, as I see it, is at the apex of the sympathy–empathy–compassion pyramid. It is the highest level of listening, seeking to understand, walking in another’s shoes, and extending some human love and comfort.

Showing genuine compassion to any-and-all comers is a considerable strength – a superpower. It is not faintness of heart. Besides, didn't someone once say that 'the meek shall inherit the earth'?

It is a massive differentiator in the competitive market, including the labour market. A culture of compassion attracts top-quality people to your organization, inspires them to perform their responsibilities with a high level of caring and ownership, keeps them aligned and engaged, and works to keep your core team together for the long term. It increases productivity and lowers costs. Win-win-win.

We all need it, and we all need to become better at providing it. Especially me - to myself and to others.

Until Next time!