Growing A Successful Organization

Writen by Sue E. Thomas

There are lots of things that can help an organization grow, but what is the most important step in the growth of a company. Keep in mind,that companies are not entities that can grow by themselves; companies do not grow. A company can improve productivity, gain new customers, capture new markets, acquire new technology, increase efficiencies, develop creative approaches, increase profitability, etc., but only through one prime ingredient - it's people!

With that in mind, it's common sense to grow and develop the asset responsible for growing the company, right? But many organizations don't see it that way.

Without increased learning inside the company, a company can only grow a finite amount. To recognize the truth behind this statement, just look at technology. Our world is changing at a very rapid pace. If we can't keep up with the changes, we fall behind. And in order to keep up, remain competitive and be successful, we need to ensure that our people have strong "core competencies".

Take a look at your current workforce. What's missing? Are your people trained sufficiently in the software programs they use to do their jobs? If not, that knowledge gap may be costing you in lost productivity and time.

Do you have high turnover? You may need to review your hiring process. It might also be valuable to look at the skills of those doing the interviewing. Have they been properly trained to conduct effective interviews? Do they possess a thorough understanding of the critical skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors needed to be successful in the position?

What about morale and the other intangible and hard-to-measure areas (i.e. attitudes) that affect the company? Can you develop these areas in your employees? The softer skills are hard to measure, but attitude, morale and successful behaviors can be developed when you hire the right people.

It's time to rethink how we look at growing our organizations. In order to grow, we must continue to develop our most valuable asset - our people!

Sue E. Thomas, president of Managing Asset Potential (M-A-P, LLC), has over 25 years of business experience, 17 years of equine experience and 15 years of Human Resource Management. She possesses an in-depth knowledge of human interaction and team dynamics. She has extensive skills in organizational development, leadership development, facilitation and executive coaching. For more information visit us at http://www.mapotential.com