Do you want transformation to occur in your organization or just change? Transformation occurs only when your people actually live and behave differently than they had before. Otherwise, change only occurs temporarily, and then your people revert back to how they were doing it before.
I saw in my own company the occurrence of transformation. Once our people clearly understood our values (Who are we), our purpose (Why we exist), our vision (Where do we want to be) plus our super-objectives (What do we want to accomplish), my company transformed. It was never the same again. And we achieved extraordinary profits as a result of the transformation.
“Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.”– George Bernard Shaw
How did we experience such transformation? We utilized a participative management style where employees were involved in the decision-making process – that was our secret sauce.
And our leadership team adopted an attitude of serving the people that reported to them (instead of being served by them). As each level of our organization took on this servant leadership approach, we literally turned the traditional pyramid-shaped organization structure upside down. This started with me at the bottom of the inverted pyramid, serving my direct leadership team. This proceeded, level by level and going all the way to the top of the pyramid, where our customer contact people were able to respond to and serve our customers.
We as the leaders had the responsibility to serve the needs of the employees to help them to accomplish our company purpose and vision.
“Servant leadership starts with a vision and ends with a servant heart that helps people live according to that vision.”– Ken Blanchard
However if you don’t give clear direction with your purpose and vision, your leadership doesn’t matter. Neither does it matter which way you go because you are lost.
Also, one of the reasons organization are bureaucratic is because no one knows what the organization is supposed to be doing.
Observation: When you, as the leader, let your people know what’s expected, they can excel.
Remember an organization’s purpose and vision can only be as big as the leader.
And that is why, as the leader, you must internally champion and consistently live out and constantly communicate in your organization your values, purpose, and vision before you will see outward success.
This is a complete list of the blog posts that I have written on WOW! – which stands for Why we exist and Where do we want to be. Each listing below has an active link to the associated blog post.
Purpose
Why Do We Stop Asking, Why?: Young children ask so many questions! Why, then do most people stop asking the important question, “Why?”. Everyone can learn more by adopting and encouraging the child-like practice of asking “Why?”.
Ask “Why?” Now – Reap 6 Benefits Later: Tony Robbins said, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Discover six benefits to asking “Why?” and allow them to motivate and inspire change in your life!
Is Your WHY Big Enough to Succeed?: Only 12 percent of second generation family businesses survive. Read about the important question that all multi-generation business families must answer – if they want to even hope to survive!
Why Most People Don’t Discover Their Life Purpose: Marian Anderson stated, “If you have a purpose in which you can believe, there’s no end to the amount of things you can accomplish.” Then why don’t we know our purpose? Learn about one of the roadblocks to discovering your purpose and how to overcome it?
Discover The Compass For Your Life: Your life purpose is the reason why you were uniquely made and placed on this planet. When you discover it, it is like a beacon that shows the way in every area of your life. You can identify you life purpose by using two simple guidelines. Plus download my personal Life Purpose Discovery Worksheet!
Living Out Your Life Purpose: Once I discovered why I exist (my life purpose), the first question I asked myself was “Now what?” That is when I realized I needed to start living out my life purpose! Learn three simple ways to live out your life purpose!
Meaningful Work: I have observed that most employees are searching for meaningful work. And I have found most leaders are searching for meaningful work as well. Great leaders know and communicate “why” their organization exists, which builds meaning into everything done in the organization!
What is a Purpose Statement?: Every person can achieve meaningful work by understanding what an organizational purpose statement is and what it’s not.
The Power of Purpose: You organization’s purpose has two powerful benefits: intentionality and profits. Read a convincing case study on the power of purpose!
How to Discover Your Organization’s Purpose: Every leader can discover their organization’s purpose by following six simple steps. Plus download my FREE Discovery Guide for Your Organization’s Purpose!
Vision
Do You Know Where You Are Going?: Where are you going in your personal life? As the leader, where are you going in your business? The vision of where you are going must be clearly defined, understood, and accepted as reasonable to be fully beneficial.
Is Life Pulling You Under?: Does your life seem like the billowing, restless sea, moving back and forth with the endless tides, never able to settle? If so, I want to throw you a life buoy of hope! It’s available to you if you are willing and have the desire to change how you think about making choices that lead to more right decisions.
Why Some People Almost Never Know Where They Are Going: We make our choices and our choices make us. Every person can get off the merry-go-round and know where they are going – their vision – by understanding the differences between emotional and character-driven thinking.
A Scarcity Mindset Today Limits Your Vision of Tomorrow: The more we understand the differences between an abundance mindset and a scarcity mindset, the more likely we’ll make principled decisions from a place of abundance! And the more likely we’ll see where we are going – our vision.
Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?: How do you see your glass – half full or half empty? Your vision is influenced by your mindset. Every person can know where they are going by adopting two aspects of an abundance mindset.
3 Traits That Reflect an Abundance Mindset: Learn how you can live a life of abundance by avoiding comparison, thinking win/win and embracing gratitude!
Are You Climbing the Wrong Ladder?: You may be busy being efficient, but without a vision, you will not be effective in reaching where you are going in life and in business. The effectiveness of our organizations – and our country- is linked to the clear vision that results from principled leadership.
The Business 2-Step: Lead First and Manage Second: If we don’t want to step on our partner’s feet, we’ve got to get our dance steps down! And in business, we can minimize our missteps by doing two things, and doing them in order!
Is Your Leadership Drifting Like a Paper Airplane?: Without a vision (where you are going), we tend to drift (like a paper airplane) away from our dreams. Discover how every leader can successfully achieve their dream/vision by living out four leadership qualities.
Have You Charted a Clear Course for Your Business?: Leaders are the ones to define the destination and chart the best course for their people to take. Vision statements help leaders communicate this important information. Discover three steps that every leader can take to prepare themselves to write their vision statement.
What is Your Destiny?: Where will you be in five years? Or 10, or even 30 years? Of course, no one can know for sure. But I am certain of this: The journey toward your destiny always begins with a vision. And vision is the roadmap to your destiny, the picture of your purpose. Are you unclear about your vision? – read about three simple steps that enable every leader to cast their vision.
WOW! QIC-Day
How to Project Your Purpose: Learn how to communicate your purpose to your entire organization through a carefully planned company-wide meeting. We walk through the three steps that every leader can take to powerfully project their purpose to their people!
Unveil Your Vision – Inspire Your Team: Discover unique and deeply effective ways to roll out your vision to your people. Once you define your vision and your team clearly understands it, your vision will inspire and motivate everyone in the organization!
Updated: 10/17/2016
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