Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Joe Calloway, Chuck Feltz, and Kris Young are the founding partners of Engage Consulting Group, working with clients to accelerate the speed and effective-ness of their business strategy. For more information, please visit www.engageconsultinggroup.com.

Joe Calloway has worked with hundreds of companies to help them create and sustain success. A member of the Speaker's Hall of Fame, Joe has been a business consultant for twenty-eight years. His books include Becoming a Category of One, Indispensable, and Work Like You're Showing Off!, all from Wiley.

Chuck Feltz has served as CEO or president of companies in multiple industries ranging in size from an international startup to over $1 billion in revenue. He has been widely recognized for increasing shareholder value with his innovative strategies and visionary leadership.

Kris Young has worked with production company Martin Bastian for twelve years helping companies create strategic communications programs and events. An NSA Meeting Partner of the Year, she has worked with a range of organizations including Deluxe Financial Services, Wells Fargo, Cargill, ING, and many others.

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Great business performance doesn't happen by chance. You can have all the cost-cutting initiatives, employee engagement programs, and technology upgrades that you want, but unless every resource and employee are intentionally aligned with a compelling vision, you'll leave too much on the table and lose out to competitors. So what is the key to getting breakthrough results in this age of "doing more with less"?

Never by Chance gives you a top-to-bottom guide on how great businesses accelerate their strategies in spite of today's resource-constrained environment. Forgoing the usual miracle cures, this realistic approach will help leaders catalyze their organizations by adopting the leadership mindset that "every resource that can be valuable, will be valuable."

In Never by Chance, you'll find:

• The direct link between vision and stakeholder success

• Why a purposeful customer experience is absolutely necessary

• Why you may no longer be relevant to your customers

• How to use your culture as a competitive advantage

• Why intentional leadership matters

A strong quarter, hot product, or sudden sales bump can always be a fluke, but sustained excellence is never an accident. Written by three seasoned experts on aligning people and strategy to drive measurable results, Never by Chance gives you and your team an engaging and empowering road map to create clear competitive advantage and distinguish your company in today's ultra-competitive market.

Aus dem Klappentext

Great business performance doesn't happen by chance. You can have all the cost-cutting initiatives, employee engagement programs, and technology upgrades that you want, but unless every resource and employee are intentionally aligned with a compelling vision, you'll leave too much on the table and lose out to competitors. So what is the key to getting breakthrough results in this age of "doing more with less"?

Never by Chance gives you a top-to-bottom guide on how great businesses accelerate their strategies in spite of today's resource-constrained environment. Forgoing the usual miracle cures, this realistic approach will help leaders catalyze their organizations by adopting the leadership mindset that "every resource that can be valuable, will be valuable."

In Never by Chance, you'll find:

• The direct link between vision and stakeholder success

• Why a purposeful customer experience is absolutely necessary

• Why you may no longer be relevant to your customers

• How to use your culture as a competitive advantage

• Why intentional leadership matters

A strong quarter, hot product, or sudden sales bump can always be a fluke, but sustained excellence is never an accident. Written by three seasoned experts on aligning people and strategy to drive measurable results, Never by Chance gives you and your team an engaging and empowering road map to create clear competitive advantage and distinguish your company in today's ultra-competitive market.

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Never by Chance

John Wiley & Sons

Chapter One

Begin With the End in Mind

There is nothing more powerful than an organization whose resources are laser-focused on a vision that every employee clearly understands-so much so that they wake up each morning knowing their role in making that vision a reality.

A COMPELLING VIEW OF THE FUTURE

Chuck: Pick up any annual report; find the chairman's message to shareholders and read the vision statement-the description of what the company aspires to be, what they will achieve, and how they will accomplish this.

Now go to any employee in the company (maybe your company) and ask him or her to tell you the company's vision. Compare that response to the annual report message. Now ask another employee and maybe even a couple more. How consistent are the replies? In much of our work, we find the responses to be surprisingly consistent. They sound something like this, "Our vision? Well, we make (fill in the blank with the product)." Then read the vision statement to these employees and ask them how it affects what they do every day; in other words, how do they act differently knowing what the vision is? The difference between what we make and what we strive to become are worlds apart.

Is it the lack of a vision that is the issue? Not really. Most companies have a vision somewhere that they put together for an annual report, a shareholder meeting, or as the result of an offsite planning retreat.

But the mere existence of a vision statement is not the goal. There are more than enough visions out there, full of jargon and "corporate speak" that only those who created them could really begin to understand.

What we are talking about is something far beyond the obligatory sanitized versions of "vision statements" that appear in many annual reports or corporate brochures. Rather, we mean a view of the future so compelling that it causes employees to get up every morning aspiring to achieve it-not only because they believe in it, but because they clearly understand their personal roles in accomplishing it. Likewise, your vision can distinguish your value proposition in the eyes of your customers and enhance their desire to align with your company. A vision at this level becomes the cornerstone and the context that steers all organizational choices and actions. It answers the most important question your employees will ever ask you: "Why are we doing what we are doing?"

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

Joe: I often like to surpass the specific concept of vision and instead ask more general questions of people in an organization. If I were to ask your employees, "What's the deal with you guys? What are you all about? What's the point of all this that you're doing?" What would their answers be? Think about all of your employees-certainly not just management or the leadership team. How would the receptionist, somebody from the IT department, or one of the guys or gals in the warehouse answer the question, "What's the deal with you guys?" Sadly, members of most organizations wouldn't quite understand the question. The response would most likely be some form of, "I don't get it. What do you mean 'what's the deal with us?'" As Chuck said, if they had any answer at all, they'd probably respond with "we make computers" or "we do industrial cleaning" or "we are accountants." All of these are fine things to make, do, and be; but it's not the point. And it's not smart business.

What answer do I frequently get from members of companies that have people and strategy aligned? What do employees in companies with intentional leadership that has embraced the responsibility of driving a clear vision throughout the organization say about purpose? If I ask, "What's the deal with you guys?" there will be no hesitation. They'll tell me exactly what the deal is with them; and they'll go on to articulate the firm's vision, not as a memorized slogan, but in their own words and with their own grasp of what they aspire to be, what they want to achieve, and exactly how they will accomplish it. And most important-they will tell you exactly what role they play in all of this.

ALIGNING EVERY RESOURCE

Chuck: It would be easy to characterize this work simply as "just doing the right thing" and making certain people "feel good" about what they do (which, by the way, isn't a bad thing). But it goes well beyond that. Leaders of organizations want to create a compelling vision for one reason: to deliver the greatest value for customers and, as a result, employees an shareholders. And our best opportunity to do that is by putting every resource we have toward that end. No wasted effort, no isolated projects that don't support the vision, no meaningless (and endless) meetings, and certainly no disengaged or apathetic employees uncertain of how what they do matters in the greater scheme of things.

An intentionally crafted vision will engage, enlighten, and give greater purpose to our employees' work, which is a noble outcome in and of itself. In the end, however, leaders are obligated to develop value on behalf of all of our stakeholders. By failing to leverage the power of a strong and purposeful vision, we never realize the return of one of our most powerful assets and we default on one of our key responsibilities as leaders. Strength and clarity of vision are the key catalysts of employee empowerment and engagement and the foundation for aligning an organization's strategy and resources.

A LIFE LESSON IN THE VALUE OF VISION

Chuck: Prior to starting my business career, I worked in a private hospital on a Physical Rehabilitation team counseling patients who had suffered significant trauma and their families. I remember one patient in particular who taught me one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned about the power of a compelling vision (sometimes we learn our best lessons outside of our business environments).

Janet was a young mother admitted to the hospital after a horrendous car accident that left her paralyzed from the mid-chest down. Her rehabilitation was going to be measured in years, not months; and her days were made up of three excruciating therapy rituals where a good day meant walking down the parallel bars 10 feet unassisted. A bad day-and they were countless-would end in frustration, tears, and anger, only to get up the next day to do it all over again. On top of all this, Janet was facing a prognosis that would have depressed even the most optimistic of us. Yet we marveled at her tenacity and conviction in the face of this unthinkable tragedy.

Janet and I spoke often about her challenges and her preparation to go home. I still remember one of those conversations like it was yesterday. It had been a grueling morning for her that ended with her collapsing face down on the floor, bloodying her nose and spraining her arm. While we waited for her physician, we discussed her frustration with the temporary setback. I mentioned to her that she had become quite an inspiration to her rehab team because of the relentless dedication she showed in her therapy. I told her that we were in awe of her ability to maintain this level of incredible effort day in and day out.

With blood still running from her nose and holding her injured arm at her side, Janet quietly pulled a picture of her two daughters from the pocket of her hospital gown. "Before we had the girls, Steve (her husband) and I talked about the type of parents we envisioned ourselves to be. We promised one another we would be the best mother and father we could imagine and knew exactly what that meant to each of us. I have no intention of wavering on that; it is my personal vision. This is who I want to be. The only difference is that now I will be doing this from a wheelchair."

Janet was able to cross one of the deepest chasms imaginable because of the power of the vision she had for herself. She refused to allow her accident to alter who she intended to be and every resource she could muster was aligned to realize this. Something that would have made many of us completely redefine our lives and what we stood for was for her an interruption on the path toward a clear and focused outcome.

Never underestimate the power of a clear and compelling vision, in life or in business.

VISION-DRIVEN BEHAVIOR

Joe: From the power to change a life right down to the power of deciding what you should do in the next hour, a clear, compelling vision can bring powerful intention and alignment. That's why a vision should never be anything less than a living, breathing guide to every decision that's made in an organization-no matter how small that decision may seem.

I was speaking to an audience of about 80 people in a downtown Toronto hotel ballroom during a leadership meeting for a financial services client. In the middle of my presentation, the service door behind me opened and in walked a hotel employee with a tray of full water pitchers. Without a word-or any acknowledgment that there were people in the room or a presentation taking place-he began to replace the empty water pitchers on the tables with full ones. He banged and clanged his way through the room, walking in front of people-including myself-as he purposefully carried out his task. He was focused and doing a good job of replacing empty water pitchers. Unfortunately, the job he was doing was in direct conflict with part of the hotel's stated vision: to create an environment conducive to productivity and effective meetings.

The waiter was so fixed on his task that he missed the overall point, which, of course, was for us to have a productive meeting. Though his momentary task was to replace empty water pitchers with full ones, it was a shame that he didn't let the company vision drive his behavior. Disrupting the meeting and distracting everyone in the room created the exact opposite effect of what the hotel staff should consider most important.

Vision should drive everything. What is the desired overall outcome? How can I best serve my customer, coworker, vendor, or community in the interest of fulfilling it? Sometimes even with the best of intentions we sacrifice the big picture by having counterproductive tunnel vision. This hotel employee, for instance, would have served the group's interests much better by waiting until a scheduled break to replace the water pitchers.

A balance takes place here, where to be fully engaged means to be totally present and intentional about the task at hand-yet also understanding how to make the greatest contribution toward achieving the vision.

This is the stuff that cartoons and clichs are made of: the short-sighted company policy that handcuffs employees in the interest of maintaining control over expenses-at the very expense of customer satisfaction, which ultimately determines the organization's fate. Short-term concerns over not "giving away the store" become the very reason that the store goes out of business-the vision to build a business based on lasting relationships was either ignored or never understood in the first place.

CONNECTED TO REALITY

It's truly amazing how often I see companies whose behavior does not connect in any way to the stated vision. I sometimes shop at a neighborhood grocery store that is part of a regional chain. This store advertises that they have "good value-low prices-and great taste." I can't argue with the fact that they deliver pretty well on all three of those promises. But there's a disconnect.

Standing in the checkout line one day, I noticed the company's vision statement posted on a big sign on the store's front wall. It said, in part, that their goal was "to be the very best, most progressive, and innovative neighborhood store in America." Okay, well, let's think for a minute. This grocery store is a couple of blocks from a Trader Joe's grocery store and about three blocks from a Whole Foods grocery store, both of which are very progressive and innovative stores. It's also right across the street from an Apple Store, which may well be the single most progressive and innovative store in America.

Now don't get me wrong; I shop at this grocery store because I like it. They do a good job. But the thing that stands out about them especially is selection. They've got everything you could possibly want and carry every major brand that's out there. That's where they have an edge on the likes of Trader Joe's and Whole Foods-not in innovation! You certainly don't want to claim that you are attempting to be the most progressive and innovative store around when you're right across the street from an Apple Store unless you are truly engaging in some knock-your-socks-off innovation.

I actually don't see anything particularly progressive or innovative in this store at all. Why in the world would they have that as their vision-and then completely ignore it? Either they are doing the wrong things or they've got the wrong vision. Frankly, I think it's the latter. They should retool their vision statement so to steer the behavior they want (and are already quite good at); and that will enable them to differentiate, create value, and ultimately succeed.

An effective vision has to connect directly with the reality of the company's everyday events. Otherwise, it's not only pointless; it may in fact confuse everyone from employees to customers.

MATTERING

Chuck: After years of leading organizations, I've noticed that most people very much want to be a part of something bigger than themselves-to know that what they do 40, 50, or 60 hours a week actually makes a difference.

I believe this holds true for even the most cynical among us. Rare is the person who, when asked, "What do you do for a living?" is comfortable responding, "Well, nothing really. I just go in every day and do what they tell me to do. No one really notices or cares and then I just go back and do it again the next day."

This is in no way meant to suggest that a person's self-worth and reason for existing should depend solely upon their work. However, it does mean that, since people spend up to one half of their waking hours doing a particular job, they want to know that its significance carries beyond the activity itself. Being able to "see yourself" in the bigger picture and knowing the purpose of what you do is one of the most important ways to engage employees. Creating a powerful and compelling vision that lets others see that what they do every hour of every day truly matters in the greater scheme of things is incredibly important. Why? Because it addresses one of our basic human needs: to know we have a purpose in something greater than ourselves.

Now, if that causes some of us to think, "Okay fine, whatever; then it's the employees' responsibility to figure it out for themselves," then we need to pause for a moment and ask: "In the end, who has the ultimate responsibility to deliver greater value in the company by aligning existing resources in the most effective manner?" A quick look in the mirror answers our question. As leaders, we're uniquely positioned to align vision, strategy, and people. It is one of the highest return and lowest cost strategies we can deploy-and, one of the fundamental obligations of leadership. Left to chance it will not happen on its own. But an intentional, focused leader can cause this to happen in an organization and as a result, drive greater success for everyone.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Never by Chanceby Joe Calloway Chuck Feltz Kris Young Copyright © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Excerpted by permission.
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