So what exactly are Better Business Basics, and where do we start? \u00a0How about we start with some philosophy and opinion?\u00a0 The six rules mentioned in my first entry constitute\u00a0my philosophy about business: make it people centered, servant led, principles or values focused, purpose driven, community friendly, and environmentally responsible. \u00a0That philosophy is rooted\u00a0in thirty-five years of work experience, much of it analyzing processes, risks, and performance.\u00a0 Add to that degrees in accounting and business administration, leadership experience and business ownership, and you\u2019ve got what I think could be considered fairly\u00a0good \u201ccommon business sense\u201d.\u00a0 I believe better business basics reside in common business sense.\u00a0 So there you have the perspective from which I speak, and the foundation on which my business philosophy rests.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also been exposed to many \u201ccurrent management theories\u201d and done some pretty extensive business reading over four decades, so forgive me when I say that in my experience \u201cfad management techniques\u201d usually don\u2019t work.\u00a0 They fade into the woodwork and you\u2019re left with the same problems you always had.\u00a0 These \u201cnew\u201d techniques rarely get integrated into your critical processes, plans, and work habits, nor do they become part of the life and job skills of your people.\u00a0 However, at the root of nearly every fad management technique is a better business basic, a fundamental business principle that makes sense and can be easily and naturally integrated into the fabric of your organization.<\/p>\n
Better business basics are the essential ideas and activities that drive business success. \u00a0The world of business can seem frustratingly complex, particularly in a free enterprise society.\u00a0 Despite the complexities of business, when you drill down through it all you arrive at a few basic truths. \u00a0Every significant management approach; LEAN, Six Sigma, Balanced Scorecard, has at its foundation a relatively simple concept.\u00a0 At the risk of over simplifying, for example; LEAN manufacturing: reduce waste and rework; Just-in-Time parts supply: optimize warehousing and supply chain costs; corporate strategic alignment: build goal oriented productive business relationships.<\/p>\n
The beauty of our society is that individuals\u00a0privately own the means of production and distribution, in other words, capitalism.\u00a0 We can build organizations unencumbered by unnecessary and self justifying processes, and uninhibited by oppressive regimes, save for a few necessary regulations to help define the playing field and maybe the rules of the game; in an attempt to\u00a0keep things equitable.<\/p>\n
What we tend to do though is build\u00a0organizations on something other than a firm foundation.\u00a0 We get wrapped up in producing profit for profit\u2019s sake.\u00a0 We take unnecessary risks in search of greater performance.\u00a0 Common business sense takes a back seat to the drive for success and personal gain.\u00a0 We start thinking that business is a zero sum game.\u00a0 And we lose sight of people, of our own humanity in the pursuit of wealth, power, and material things.\u00a0 In many ways capitalism has become greed based.\u00a0 That \u201cprivate ownership of the means of production and distribution\u201d has come to mean \u201cprivate accumulation of personal wealth regardless of the cost\u201d.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to see capitalism become need-based.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to get back to that original definition and add to it \u201cto satisfy individual or collective needs, with success measured by financial or non-financial reward\u201d. That may sound a bit altruistic, but consider the potential for making business a positive influence in our culture and world.\u00a0 It\u2019s worth the effort, don\u2019t you think?<\/p>\n
Business has become a negative influence in our culture and the recession stands as stark evidence.\u00a0 We\u2019ve set people up to fail, in home ownership, in business endeavors, in personal growth, in relationship building, you name it.\u00a0 I believe it\u2019s time to begin turning business into a positive influence in our culture and society, and in the world at large.\u00a0 Again, I\u2019ll grant you that vision is a bit altruistic, but the idea is to start small and make it happen one business at a time by practicing a little common business sense, and getting back to some better business basics.<\/p>\n
Principles or values and purpose or mission make a good starting point for business basics, because they, along with vision, philosophy, and core competencies, form the firm foundation necessary for any business to be successful. \u00a0These components become not only the foundation, but also the culture of your organization.\u00a0 They drive every decision you make and action you take.\u00a0 Your organization can become one of character and integrity, given a firm foundation with the highest values and principles.\u00a0 In fact, a firm foundation is one of five key performance drivers, along with strategy, systems, structure, and people, essential for the success of your organization (\u201cThe Performance Driver Model\u201d, Timothy Kight).<\/p>\n
Remember, businesses don\u2019t create businesses, people do. \u00a0No matter how large the organization, it began in the mind of a person, it was organized\u00a0on some legal basis, it began fulfilling its purpose, it may have incorporated, and ultimately may have become self-sustaining, able to survive independent of a specific individual. But it started with a person, and even the largest organizations are still directed by people.\u00a0 That person brought certain gifts, talents, passions and core competencies, along with an entrepreneurial spirit to the marketplace.\u00a0 That person experienced a calling and responded much as a person may feel called, and responds, to serve as a pastor or minister in a house of worship.\u00a0 That person may have been you, or it may have been someone you work with or report to in your organization.\u00a0 Regardless, enhancing your organization\u2019s chances for success begins with better business basics, and with one person.\u00a0 That person may as well be you.<\/p>\n
So now you know where I\u2019m coming from.\u00a0 Even if you don\u2019t agree with the opinions offered, stick with me on better business basics.\u00a0 I know they\u2019ll enhance your chances for success, because I\u2019ve seen them work.<\/p>\n
Next up, some of the whys of better business basics\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
So what exactly are Better Business Basics, and where do we start? \u00a0How about we start with some philosophy and opinion?\u00a0 The six rules mentioned in my first entry constitute\u00a0my philosophy about business: make it people centered, servant led, principles or values focused, purpose driven, community friendly, and environmentally responsible. \u00a0That philosophy is rooted\u00a0in thirty-five … Continue reading The Philosophy behind Better Business Basics<\/span>