I have worked with a number of companies over the last 20 years that were extremely successful in their markets. If I look at where they are today, on the list of successful companies, they are no longer near the top.
Curiousity got the best of me as I wondered why - having been involved with each organization I was very familiar with not only the hard numbers but the soft cultural and people side. I put together a chart highlighting what these organizations had in common:
- strong contacts
- strong contracts
- dominated a market, or portion of a market with a niche product
- were early adopters taking risks in new areas - more wins than losses there
Surely all these points foster growth so I looked a little deeper and the answer popped off the page; humility.
None of the leaders in these organizations were humble enough to look take their contribution out of the equation and look at the key underlining factors that made their organizations grow at the rate they have. The 20 / 80 rule. In dropping the ball on that small percentage of key inputs, the house comes tumbling down.
On the operations side humility is the biggest contributor to optimizing a factory or production line - if you assume you know it all you'll never succeed, if you are not humble enough to cultivate the knowledge within the staff and workers you will never gain support.
Keep an eye on why your organization thrives (or maybe has hit a rough spot) but be humble enough (at least with yourself) to highlight that main ingredient that you were able to spot, foster and grow - is it sustainable? Can you make is sustainable?
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Humility is tough when you are a rising star or an established one. Ask Nortel.
Early in my career, I was a strategist at a high growth merchant bank. One of my tasks was to write the annual conference speech for the founder. He would cut out half my rah rah blabble and spend at least two slides talking about complacency. Since our company was ranked fastest growing in the country, this did throw me back on my heels. Afterward the speech, I did notice that the executives seemed more excited about the business. I suspect my rah rah stuff would have helped them all sit back and eat more, try less.
That company is now global.
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