Using the analogy of a bus as a business, starting from point A and going to point B, Jim Collins in his best seller Good to Great states that any organization that wants to improve itself should start by getting the right people on the bus and the wrong people off of it.
The owner of a business would be wise to heed Collins when he says “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” It makes sense when considering that many owners have visions of grandeur and then get frustrated because they do not have the people on their team that will help them get to the goal.
In many industries, having strong employees is the only vehicle for success. The owner has to plan to build an exceptional team at the outset. It means taking a leap of faith and bringing people on board who may know more, may have more experience and expertise in specific subjects, and may be strong enough to challenge the ideas and plans of the owner. For many owners, those thoughts are downright scary.
Years ago a skeptical reporter asked a presidential candidate how he would insure success if he was elected. The candidate’s reply was, “Surround myself with the very best possible people, listen to them and then get out of their way and let them do what they are on the payroll do to.”
Hiring strong employees requires considerably less work once they are on the job. Strong employees are, by nature, self motivated, demonstrate initiative and are risk takers. While the owner might counter that with a comment about the nature of the risk (as in, in the end, it becomes the financial and legal responsibility of the owner if things don’t work out) the reality is that strong employees feel that the company is theirs just as much it is the owners. And a strong employee is certainly more concerned about the success of the organization than those who are less engaged.
Collins writes of the five levels of leadership. At the lowest level is the highly capable individual, who makes productive contributions using their talents, knowledge, skills and demonstrates good work habits. At Level Two, the individual becomes a contributing team member, working to advance group objectives and effectively working with others in a team setting. Level 3 individuals are competent managers, organizing people and resources toward effective and efficient pursuit of pre-determined objectives. The fourth level is that of an effective leader, someone committed to the vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance of those around them, including those that report to them and those that do not. At Level 5, the individual has developed to a genuine executive, a person who is building greatness through a combination of personal humility and professional will.
