If we want to know what a business is, we have to start with its purpose. And the purpose must lie outside the business itself. In fact, it must lie in society, since a business enterprise is an organ of society. There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer. Peter Drucker, The Practice of ManagementAt some point in the past, you developed a marketing strategy to create customers and your marketing tactics worked well and they became a standard practice. The purpose of business hasn't changed since then, but the environment has.
Organizations continue to works towards flatter and self-managed systems where each individual is a self-actualized person. But for some reason, some known and some unknown the persona of the CEO continues to maintain a certain power. People hold the CEO to a super-human standard.
As people, we place high expectations on roles and the CEO is no exception.
Unfortunately, this makes the CEO positions susceptible to fear. Â Fear can be perceived as weaknesses by others so, in response, many leaders hold on to the mantra of, âDonât admit to it. Donât dwell on it. I am the boss and everyone relies on me.â
Here are four strategies for infusing your organization with greater optimism: Be Aware of Negativity: Take action when you see negativity start to spread: When you notice your people harping on negative situations, help them change their state to break the rumination cycle. Consciously foster positive...
By: Greg Breeding - President & Creative Director at Journey Group. Iâve served as an art director for the U.S. Postal Service for seven years. Itâs a curious and delightful job and one that has brought me a great deal of creative fulfillment throughout my tenure. The...
Focusing primarily on short-term goals can hinder long-term motivation because achieving short-term goals without an overarching purpose doesn't result in lasting feelings of fulfillment. When companies focus primarily on short-term goals, itâs usually because they donât have a strong company vision. For them, what has to...
By: Tyler Williams - Lead Link of the Brand Aura Circle, Zappos Here is our mindset shift at Zappos. One of our insights is that our current customers are incredibly loyal and love us. Similar to how my mother loves JC Penney and literally asks for...
Leadership qualities go beyond simply having followers or giving orders. If you are a leader of a ten-person team and only two of them follow you, you are not leading. Influence is a key marker of a leader. How do you recognize a leader? Itâs not by their prominence....
Nobody buys anything for the sake of having it. Purchases always solve problems. And, problems are always driven by deeper needs. In between the problems and the deeper needs are tensions. These tensions are value-driven: in other words, they are driven by wanting the world...
If youâre like most businesspeople, youâve entered problem-solving meetings excited to devise a solution, but then left feeling like you wasted valuable time. Often, the solution is similar to something already in place or it was brought up early in the meeting. It feels like the...