Look at some of the most successful companies in the world, such as Toyota where they aim to produce the highest quality automobile at the lowest possible cost using standardized production facilities or Microsoft which aims to enable people and corporations reach their potential through technology. When you have such a clear vision of where you are going, how you are going and most importantly why you are going, it all starts to make sense. The storming phase is when you are diving deep into your idea and creating a NABC for it, you have to keep your core values in constant alignment with your venture. A disconnect at this stage is often overlooked due to the fact that we want to ensure that our business is a success, incorporating strategies that fall in grey areas where it is difficult to tell black from white is not a winning strategy.
A good example is when you promote yourself incorrectly to get attention. Say your organization has core values of reliability, integrity and respect. If you go out and publish an advertisement for your service with words such as “guaranteed success”, “100% reliability” or any other claim which you cannot backup with reliable and valid evidence you are starting off on the wrong foot. Using such strategies may yield amazing short term results, however if they go against your core values, success will be short lived.
When discipline is selected as a core value make sure everyone in the organization or team are ambassadors for that particular trait. They have to believe and practice them first before they are able to go and preach them to others. These habits end up making all the difference between success and failure. You have to ensure that core values are aligned when forming your idea.
For the companies which I work with, I strive to ensure that we follow continuous value creation for our customers. This has enabled us to keep our focus on the most important aspect of the business while keeping our values in check as well. A culture of continuous development and innovation is a key for a company’s success in the long run. Without this you will most likely enjoy some short term success and be left in the dust in the future. Making sure we have set these cultures, practices and core values from the very beginning of a project is critical.
If you are the idea champion for your current project make sure your venture is aligned with your core values. Find out what other people on your team are thinking and whether you are all on the same page. Get all of this out in the open at the start. You are responsible for the change that you want to see in the world. Taking 100% responsibility for your life and projects that you are working on is the first stepping stone for making the impossible…possible.