Whether you lead a business as owner or as an executive, there’s no doubt that you want that business to be successful! Every company is unique and is led a little differently – what works for one organization may not work for another – but there are a few basic leadership and success principles that are virtually guaranteed to benefit any business, including yours.
Jeff Lefevere of Fusion Alliance identified four common threads of success among “Tech Titans” such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google. The four common threads are:
- Align your business toward a big mission
- Think long term
- Hire good, smart people and give them meaningful work
- Relentlessly focus on your customers
Big Mission
It has been proven time and again that employees who are inspired and genuinely love their jobs unquestionably outperform those who aren’t inspired and don’t love their jobs. It is also evident that people who find their work fulfilling and feel as though they are helping achieve a positive difference in the world are much more likely to enjoy their work and remain long term. Organizations that are aligned toward a “big mission” tend to foster employee loyalty, enthusiasm, higher performance and commitment. What business wouldn’t want that?
Long-Term
With all the day-to-day busyness, mile-long “to do” lists and constant distractions, it’s easy for business leaders to fall into the trap of just taking it one day at a time. Unfortunately, “one-day-at-a-time” companies often run out of steam due to lack of direction and long-term focus. Organizations that want to last long term must first think long term.
Better Hiring
While hiring the best of the best and providing them with fulfilling work is much easier said than done, it is extremely important for the overall success of an organization. Every year hiring managers put an immeasurable amount of time, effort, and company resources into finding, hiring, and retaining the best employees for their organization. While the temptation might be to cut corners or to “settle” when in a bind, persevering and finding the best fit for your company will be one of the best investments you make this year!
Obviously, retention is also paramount – make sure that once you get the right people into your organization that you get them to stay by giving them the right jobs. A great employee who becomes bored or unfulfilled with their position won’t be an asset for long!
Customer Focus
While this advice is obvious to virtually all leaders, it is still worth mentioning. Leaders can easily get caught up in day-to-day operations, the next big project, long-term strategies and increasing profits, and lose focus on the number one business success factor: customers. Without customers, no business can succeed. Business is really all about serving customers – the better you serve your customers, the better your business will be.
Take it from some of the world’s leading online companies such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google. Apply these leadership principles in your business today – the benefits will be immeasurable!
To read the full article by Jeff Lefevere, visit the Fusion Alliance Blog.
