Mitchel Groter

Three Stages of Organizational Development

By Dr. Roger K. Allen

By understanding a simple model of three stages of organizational growth, organizations can design themselves to move beyond chaos to high performance. Most organizations experience chaos. In fact, a complete absence of chaos would mean that an organization could not respond to changing demands, a sure prescription for stagnation and death. Nevertheless, chaos that immobilizes an organization and results in its inability to respond effectively to the demands of the environment is unproductive and should be minimized if an organization is to succeed. This article presents a simple model that describes three stages of organizational growth and development — from chaos to stability to high performance. It also outlines some of the initiatives which leaders can take to move beyond chaos and eventually to high performance.

Stage III: High Performance (Outstanding, sustainable results)
• Clear statement of mission that creates sense of esprit de corp
• Well defined values which result in distinctive culture
• Respect for people that is a deeply ingrained part of culture
• Good communication and information sharing systems
• High involvement and empowerment of people
• Design (work flow, structure, systems) that supports mission and values

Stage II: Stability (Back to the Basics)
• Clarity of goals and direction
• Consistency in priorities
• Well-defined policies and procedures (technical and personnel)
• Agreement on roles and responsibilities
• Basic management processes rewarded and practiced (goal-setting, performance reviews, etc.)

Stage I: Chaos (Fire-Fighting Mentality)
• Crisis/short-term focus
• Lack of clear direction and goals
• Shifting priorities
• Unclear policies and procedures
• “Us” vs. “them” attitude
• Blame and lack of ownership
• Alienated work force

Chaos

The chaotic organization operates on the fringes of being out of control. It is problem-oriented. People are reactive and manage by attending to the pressure of the moment. Expectations, policies, standards, etc., are unclear, not agreed upon or poorly enforced. Good ideas and intentions abound, but there is not enough unity, commitment or follow-through to carry them out. Work is unpleasant for most individuals. People act out of self-protection by blaming and criticizing others, and hence, set up a climate that perpetuates fear, suspicion, hostility, and frustration. The problems of the chaotic organization are the lack of routine, lack of clarity, and hence, anxiety about what to expect from moment to moment. Needed are more formalized structures, routines, accountability, and clarification of policies, expectations, and roles.

Stability

The stable organization is characterized by predictability and control. Structure, routine, policies, etc., have been established to remove uncertainty from the environment. Goals are clear and people understand who is responsible for what. The major focus of the organization is to ensure an efficient daily operation. People within this climate tend to be dutiful and expect fairness. Conformity is the watch word, and people are rewarded for compliance rather than risk-taking and innovation. The purpose of the organization is subservient to its efficiency. The limitation of an organization that fails to grow beyond stability is that efficiency is more important than innovation and development. Doing things by the book and following the procedures becomes more important than the purpose and mission of the organization. Such companies are eventually left behind as customers find more responsive competitors. Needed are a long-term vision, emphasis on growth and development and a culture in which people exercise greater autonomy in making decisions and solving problems.

High performance

The essence of high performance is shared ownership. Employees are partners in the business and assume responsibility for its success. These organizations are highly participative and collaborative. Their members have extensive decision-making and problem-solving responsibilities. Line of site is on serving the customer rather than the formal organizational structure. The mission of the organization, rather than rules and policies, guides day-to-day decision-making. Such an organization is founded on a unique and strong culture derived from a clear set of values expressed and reinforced by its leaders. Those values provide focus on what is important while allowing flexibility and innovation. The processes, systems and structure of the organization are designed to be in alignment or harmony with the values of the organization. The high performance organization adopts a long-term point of view. The development of people is seen as a primary management task. Trust and cooperation exist among organization members. People don’t blame or attack others because doing so is not in their own best interest.
An important learning from this model is that an organization cannot become high performing without a foundation of stability. Ironically, high performance requires not only participation, flexibility, and innovation, but order, predictability and control. The leaders of many an organization have attempted to grow from chaos to high performance without the underlying foundation of stability and consequently failed or been frustrated in their efforts. Leaders who want to create high performance work systems must be certain that they implement processes that ensure stability as well.

Initiatives to Create a Climate of Stability

Creating stability has to do with getting back to the basics of good, sound management practices. Consider that the first step a good sports coach will take when his team is floundering is reinforcing the fundamentals: blocking and tackling; motion and passing. Likewise, senior managers within a chaotic, floundering organization need to get back to the fundamentals of good management by creating structure and order. There are two paths to structure and order. One, harmful in the long-run and contrary to a high performance philosophy, is “control” (directing and telling) which represents a short-term, knee jerk response to symptoms rather than root causes. The second and more productive path to stability is “clarity”; clarity of direction, goals and priorities; clarity of roles, responsibilities and performance expectations; clarity and documentation of processes and procedures. Clarity communicates the boundaries within which people do their work and make decisions. It doesn’t rob them of their responsibility but establishes the rules of success. The consequence is structure and order that form the foundation of a strong organization.

Initiatives to Create a Climate of High Performance

Although there are many aspects of high performance, it begins by defining an inspiring ideology which consists of the deepest beliefs and values of the leaders of the organization. An ideology, thoughtfully developed and implemented, establishes the attitudes and habits of people throughout the organization and forms the boundaries within which people make decisions and conduct themselves in their relationships with others.

An ideology must be translated into a way of life reinforced by the entire the infrastructure of the organization. Core business processes, policies and procedures, layout and use of facilities, reporting relationships, information-sharing, planning, recruiting and selection, training, compensation, and so on, must be aligned with the ideology and strategy of the business. Such alignment results in dramatic improvements in quality, cycle time, productivity and employee commitment.
Another aspect of a high performance organization is that people are deeply valued. Decision-making and problem-solving are pushed to as low a level as possible. Problems are solved when and where they occur. Jobs are enriched so people have the authority, training and support to do whole and complete tasks. Such empowerment, however, does not happen by decree. It is a process which must be charted by an organizations leaders. This includes specifying the boundaries within which teams of people will work, identifying the tasks and responsibilities for which people should be accountable, designating leadership roles within teams, developing a time-line for taking on new roles, and providing the information, training, and resources needed for people to be successful. As this transfer of responsibility occurs, the motivation of organization members changes from mere compliance to commitment and a genuine desire to contribute.

Summary

There is no magic in moving beyond chaos. There are no simple formulas. Real organizational development requires commitment and hard work. However, for those who want to eliminate waste, improve quality, provide better customer service there are powerful initiatives that can lead to a foundation of organizational stability and eventually high performance.

An Excerpt from “Into the Wild”

“Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.”

…

“I’d like to repeat the advice that I gave you before, in that I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

If you want to get more out of life, Ron, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty. And so, Ron, in short, get out of Salton City and hit the Road. I guarantee you will be very glad you did. But I fear that you will ignore my advice. You think that I am stubborn, but you are even more stubborn than me. You had a wonderful chance on your drive back to see one of the greatest sights on earth, the Grand Canyon, something every American should see at least once in his life. But for some reason incomprehensible to me you wanted nothing but to bolt for home as quickly as possible, right back to the same situation which you see day after day after day. I fear you will follow this same inclination in the future and thus fail to discover all the wonderful things that God has placed around us to discover.

Don’t settle down and sit in one place. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon. You are still going to live a long time, Ron, and it would be a shame if you did not take the opportunity to revolutionize your life and move into an entirely new realm of experience.

You are wrong if you think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living.

My point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubbornness to engage in new circumstances.”

Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

Spiritual Journaling Process

Reflect and journal: Write a two-sentence answer to the following questions

PROCESS 1

Who am I?

What does your answer reveal about what you value?

In what areas of my life am I most prone to self-rejection?

PROCESS 2

Do you want to feel a peace of mind and joy and happiness that is not dependent on how other people view or feel about you?

How can this become possible for me?

Is it OK for me to be happy and fulfilled?

Why is it OK for me to be happy and fulfilled?

Is this important and why?

PROCESS 3

Make a list of all your fears in every domain of your life?

Write about conflicting beliefs?

I’m not good enough?

I am afraid to succumb to praise?

It is conceited to accept praise?

It isn’t ok to feel too good about what I accomplish?

I can’t feel too good about what I accomplish?

PROCESS 4

Write my spiritual autobiography?

What are my first memories of G-d?

What is my concept of G-d?

Who influenced it?

The Benefits of Brutal Honesty

The Peer Group: The Benefits of Brutal Honesty

Peer groups, as such organizations are called, are everywhere. The three biggest — TEC, YEO, and the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) — together boast a membership of more than 16,000 CEOs, presidents, partners, and owners. The companies that belong to YEO and TEC employ more than 1.5 million people all told; their combined sales exceed $210 billion. And that’s just the tip of a very large iceberg.

As peer groups have emerged, so have some rules of operation. For example, no good group allows direct competitors into the same local circle, so members can freely share their fears — and their numbers. Members’ frankness about their own companies is matched by the frank comments and critiques of their peers, who become a kind of de facto board of directors. “Your managers aren’t going to embarrass you” by forcing you to account for your actions, says Andrea Keating, who joined YEO while growing her $5.5-million company, Crews Control. “The peer group never forgets.”

Peer groups can also be great fun, especially for the insatiably entrepreneurial who relish being dealt into the game of business at several tables at once. And occasionally, the experience of running someone else’s shop is more than just vicarious: in one instance a TEC group collectively ran a member’s business for six months after he suffered a heart attack.

Guidance for Starting a Business

PROFILE OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

A first and often overlooked step is to determine WHY you want to go into business.

From the list below, check the reasons that apply to you.

Do you enjoy being your own boss?
Are you a good leader?
Are you a confident person?
Do you want to improve your standard of living?
Do you adapt well to changes?
Are you a good organizer?
Do you plan ahead?
Do you like to make your own decisions?
Do you have will power and self discipline?
Do you enjoy competition?
Are you a self starter?
Do you realize that many business owners work 60 to 80 hours a week?
Do you have work experience in the type of business you are considering?

The checklist above cannot tell you whether or not you should be in business, but it will give some areas to consider. A “yes” answer should be considered a good indicator and a “no” answer indicates some potential problem areas. You should carefully consider the “no” answers and determine how you will deal with problems that may arise. After reviewing the results of this exercise ask yourself one final question: “Would you be better off working for some else?”

PITFALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Being your own boss can have many advantages and disadvantages. Take a few moments to examine each statement carefully and think about how it may apply to you.

Opportunities

Being your own boss and not having to report to a superior.
Having the independence and authority to make your own business decisions.
Direct contact with customers, employees, suppliers and others.
The personal satisfaction and sense of achievement that comes with being a success, plus the recognition that goes with it.
The opportunity to create substantial wealth and job security for yourself.
The opportunity to be creative and to develop your own idea, product or service.
The chance to make a living doing something you truly enjoy.
Doing something that contributes to others, whether it be providing an excellent
product or service, providing employment, paying dividends to stockholders, or
doing something else that is useful or that creates value.

Pitfalls

In many ways you are still not your own boss. Instead of having one boss, you will
have many – your customers or the government agency to whom you must report.
There is a larger financial risk. The failure rate is high in new businesses, and you may lose not only your own money but also that of your friends and relatives who may have bankrolled you.
The hours are long and hard. When you start your business, you will no longer be working 9 – 5. Count on working 10, 12, or even 15 hour days, often six or seven days a week.
You will not have much spare time for family or social life. And you can forget about taking any long vacations for the first few years since the business is unlikely to run itself without your presence for any long length of time.
Your income may not be steady like a salary. You may make more or less than you would working for someone else. But in either case, your income may fluctuate up and down from month to month.
The buck stops with you. If a problem arises, there is no boss you can take it to and say ‘What do we do about this?” You are the boss and all the responsibility is yours.
As a business grows, the amount of activity now associated with the primary business objective will increase. You will spend more time on personnel, administrative and legal matters and less doing what you may have wanted most to do in your business.
Increasing legislation and litigation make owning a business risky. You can work a lifetime to build a business only to have it lost because of a lawsuit or a new law or regulation

THE BASICS

Identifying the Market

Remember, no matter how good you think your product or service is, what the customer thinks is what really counts. And, even if your product or service is well-liked, you need to be sure that your customers will buy from you often enough, and in large enough quantities to consistently generate the revenues needed to support and maintain your business and make a profit.

The product or service
- What evidence is there of a need for the prospective service or product?
- How will you price it?
- Why is it unique?
- Why will customers prefer your product/service over the alternatives?
The customers
- What kinds of people have a need for your product/service?
- Is the population of prospective customers large enough to support your business?
- How often will the typical customer use your product or service?
- Is the customer base growing or shrinking?
The competition
- Who are your competitors and how large are they?
- Where are they located?
- How do they price their products/services?
- How are their operations similar or different from yours?
- How many similar companies were opened last year?
- How many similar companies went out of business lost year?
Location of your business
- Is the location properly zoned for your type of business or service?
- Is there adequate parking available for customers and employees?
- If customer traffic is important to your business, is it adequate in the proposed location?
- Is there room for expansion in the future?
- Is the property well maintained?

You can determine the answers to these questions through market research that may involve
talking to potential customers and future competitors or looking at census data.

WHAT FORM WILL YOUR BUSINESS TAKE?

There are four major legal forms of business organization to meet the different personal and
business needs of business owners. Listed from the simplest to the most complex they are:

The sole proprietorship
The partnership
The corporation – C corporation and S corporation
The limited liability company (LLC)

Sole Proprietorship
- Most common form of business ownership
- Owner runs the business
- No shareholders
- Inseparable from owner
- Advantages
  - Quick, easy and in-expensive to set up.
  - Sole ownership of profits.
  - One owner has control and decision making power.
  - No separate taxation.
- Disadvantages
  - Unlimited owner liability.
  - Difficulty in raising outside capital.
  - Business may dissolve when owner dies.
Partnership
- Traditional form of business ownership for professional organizations like legal and accounting firms.
- Owned by two or more people.
- A written partnership agreement is essential.
- Inseparable from partners but can have debt and property in its name.
- Advantages
  - Ease of formation.
  - Taxation as individual partners.
  - Flexibility in decision making.
- Disadvantages
  - Unlimited partner liability, also liable for partners’ acts.
  - Relative difficulty in obtaining large sums of capital.
  - Legally dissolves upon change or death of partner.
Corporation – C Corporation
- Separate legal entity created and operated with the permission of the state in which it operates.
- Can sue or be sued, pay taxes, borrow and repay money.
- Can have one owner or many owners.
- Articles of incorporation are filed with Secretary of State.
- Advantages
  - Limited liability for investors
  - Continuity of life
  - Easy transfer of ownership
  - Greater access to capital
- Disadvantages
  - Can be costly to set up
  - Double taxation of corporation and investors
  - Extensive government regulations and required reports
Corporation – S Corporation
- Major differences between C and S Corporations.
- Shareholders limited to 35.
- Only one class of stock permitted.
- Shareholders are taxed individually.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Relatively new form of entity in the U.S.
- Separate legal entity, but not perpetual .
- Advantages
  - Limited liability.
  - Unlimited number of owners.
  - Easy to raise capital.
- Disadvantages
  - Can be costly to set up.
  - Due to its newness as a form of business ownership, the law regarding the LLC is still evolving.

THE BUSINESS PLAN

Your Business Plan is the most important document you will ever put together. It provides a road map to help guide your business as it grows. In it you establish benchmarks and a set of checks and balances to keep your business under control. It will safely guide you through the turbulent waters of constant change.

It will also serve as an instrument to raise capital and obtain financing. It is your representative at the bank and as such will provide answers to the bank loan officer and the credit committee.

The following is an outline for the business plan. The elements are flexible and can be changed or altered to fit specific situations.

Business Plan Outline

Introduction and Executive Summary
- Business description
- Product or service to be offered
- Market potential
- Management and ownership
- Amount and purpose of the proposed financing
- Loan retirement
- Financial summary
Section 1: The Company
- Description of the company
- State the company’s goals and objectives
- Company history (if applicable)
- Company objectives and strategies
Sections II: Amount of Financing Needed
- Amount the business needs to borrow
- Use of the funds
- Payback period or Services
- Describe the product or services
- Describe any patents, trademarks or royalty agreements
- Need for manufacturing and engineering (if applicable)
Section IV.- Marketing Strategy
- Industry
- The current status and prospects for the industry
- New products and developments, new markets and customers
- Market
  - Market size and history
  - Seasonal fluctuations and growth potential
- Customers
  - Demographics and size of customer base
  - Basis for purchase decision
- Competition
  - Type of competition in terms of location, size, reputation and market share
- Strategy
  - Define market strategy
  - Current and projected market share
  - Product pricing and profitability
  - Advertising and promotion plans
  - Selling methods
  - Service and delivery
Section V: Operations
- Plant location(s) and description
- Cost and quality control
- Production process
- Labor force
- Capital equipment requirements
- Sales forecasts
Section VI: Management
- Organization chart
- Management team, duties, responsibilities, skills
- External advisors and relationships
- Board of directors (if applicable)
Section Vii: Financials
- Latest balance sheet and income statement for past two to three years.
- Profit and loss and cash flow forecasts by month and quarter for first year, and by year for years two and three.
- Forecasted balance sheets at year end.
Section Viii: Proposed Financing
- Amount of proposed financing
- Use of proceeds
- Payback and collateral

HOW WILL YOU FINANCE YOUR BUSINESS?

The need for capital is common to all businesses, both large and small. However, small businesses often have a more difficult time attracting investment capital. A major cause of business failure is inadequate financing. It is important that the business owner look carefully at the needs of his/her business and develop the documents necessary to convey these needs to investors or a commercial lender.

How much money will you need to start your business?
One assumption every business owner can be assured of is that it will take more money than
anticipated to start the business. Be sure to take into account the following:

Initial expenses
- Advertising and promotion
- Beginning inventory costs
- Supplies and furnishings
- Renovation and/or remodeling
- Licenses and permits
- Signs
- Furniture and fixtures
- Deposits (electricity, water, telephone, gas, lease, etc.)
- Monthly expenses
- Salaries and wages
- Rent
- Utilities
- Advertising and promotion
- Supplies
- Taxes
- Interest
- Maintenance
- Miscellaneous

It is advisable to have working capital on hand to cover the first few months of expenses until the business begins generating income to cover these expenses.

Where will you get the money to finance you business?

Personal resources
- Savings, stocks, bonds
- Family, friends
- Credit cards
- Home equity loan
- Loan against cash surrender value of insurance
Equity capital
- Partners
- Public stock offering
- Sell part of the business to a venture capital company or angel investor
- Bank loans
- U.S. Small Business Administration
- Finance companies
- Certified Development Companies
- Local revolving loan programsConventional lending sources

HOW DO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND REGULATIONS AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS?

There are certain government regulations that you must adhere to. Among the things
you need to do are:

Building Permits and Inspections:
- Zoning clearance (if any construction takes Place)
- Building permit (if construction or demolition takes place)
- Health inspection (for any food service business)
- Electrical inspection (if additional lines needed)
- Gas inspection (if additional lines needed)
- Sanitation inspection (if on non-municipal septic system)
Licensing:
- City privilege license
- State business license
- State income tax registration
- Federal tax registration
- Unemployment insurance regions (businesses with one or more employees for more than 20 weeks per year or pay wages over $1500 in a calendar quarter)
- Workmen’s compensation registration (businesses with five or more employees)
- Incorporation registration (business wishing to incorporate)
- MS Secretary of State Business Services Phone: (800) 256-3494
- Franchise tax registration
- Alcoholic beverage license (if alcohol sold on premise)
- Surety bond (if applicable)

FEDERAL REGULATIONS

Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN)
Before hiring anyone in your business, you must first obtain a Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN) which will be used to identify your business payroll and income tax returns. An application form SS-4 may be obtained by contacting the IRS at 800-829-1040 or by visiting the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) nearest you.

Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate (IRS Form W-4)
An employee must fill out and complete this form for his employer when employment begins. This form guides the employer in determining how much federal income tax to withhold from wages. The Internal Revenue Service “Employer’s Tax Guide, Circular E” provides federal incometax witholding tables. Further information may be obtained by contacting the IRS at 800-829-1040 or by visiting your nearest SBDC.

Social Security Taxes (FICA)
A n employer must deduct half of the required social security tax (FICA) from wages paid to employees. The employer pays the other half of this tax and remits the total amount to the United States Internal Revenue Service when withheld federal income tax is deposited. The total amount of FICA taxes paid is reported quarterly on Form 941. The IRS ‘Employer’s Tax Guide, Circular E’ has social security tax table for employees. Further information may be obtained by contacting the IRS at 1 -800-829-1040 or by visiting your nearest Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires that businesses hire only American citizens and aliens who are authorized to work in the United States. If you employ anyone to perform labor or services in return for wages, you must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification (Form 1-9) for each employee within three days of the date of hire to verify that the employee is eligible to work in the U.S. and documentation has been verified. A Form I9 may be obtained from the Small Business Development Center.

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces federal safety and health standards for business and industry. OSHA’s standards apply to all businesses with one or more employees.

WHAT INSURANCE DO YOU NEED?
The importance of proper insurance is often overlooked by the small business owner. If used correctly, insurance can help reduce the uncertainty under which your business operates. Insurance can help keep your business operating under adverse circumstances and help improve your credit rating. Talk with a qualified insurance agent to discuss the needs of your business.

- Insurance checklist:
  - Fire
  - Worker’s compensation
  - Disability insurance
  - Key-man insurance
  - Group life
  - Group health
  - Automobile/truck
  - Crime insurance
  - Business interruption
  - Retirement income
  - Rent insurance
  - Business life

Remember, your local Small Business Development Center is available to help you through
this process and to continue to provide assistance after your business is in operation. Their
assistance is free.

15 points

I Am Really In Truth:

If I always look for the best in each person, situation and thing.

If I resolutely turn my back on the past, good or bad and live only in the present & future

If I forgive everybody without exception, no matter what he may have done; and if I then forgive MYSELF whole-heartedly.

If I regard my job as sacred and do my day’s work to the best of my ability (whether I like it or not).

If I take every means to demonstrate a healthy body and harmonious surroundings for myself.

If I endeavor to make my life of as much service to others as possible, without interfering or fussing.

If I take every opportunity wisely to spread the knowledge of Truth to others.

If I rigidly refrain from personal criticism, and neither speak nor listen to gossip.

If I devote at least a quarter of an hour a day to prayer and meditation.

If I read at least seven verses of the Bible everyday.

If I specifically claim spiritual understanding of myself every day.

If I train myself to give the first thought on waking to God.

If I speak the Word for the whole world every day, say at noon.

If I practice, the Golden Rule of God instead of merely admiring it. He said, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” The important point about the Golden Rule is that I am to practice it whether the other fellow does so or not.

If above all, I understand that whatever I see is but a picture which can be changed for the better by Scientific Prayer.

If you want to demonstrate ask yourself once a week how far you are observing these points in your life.

By Emmet Fox

Great Spirit Prayer

Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever
behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong in the
face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf and rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the
intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion without empathy
overwhelming me.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy – Myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame.

Are you ready to stop avoiding the important questions?

Powerful Conversations with Self and Others

At what stage in its life-cycle is your business?

Being a positive catalyst for effective transformative change is central to my mission as person, business professional, father, husband, friend and member of my spirit community.

It takes courage to slow down and ask ourselves important questions. It also takes courage to slow down to ask yourself at what stage in its life-cycle is your business. This type of leadership in action gives you clarity about how to face the challenges of moving your business forward. A successful enterprise is a powerful platform to help us, our employees, partners, vendors and stakeholders realize some of their dreams and aspirations.

The chart below will help you recognize the characteristics of each life-cycle stage and necessary corrective measures.

Stage / Size	Employees
	up to 14	15-99	100+
Start-Up Planning the Business Developing a Strategic Plan Executing the Strategies Effectively	The business behaves like a family. Staff know one another well and extend themselves to help their colleagues for the good of the team. Priorities are juggled hourly or daily, and the long term vision may be unclear. The business is managed tactically rather than strategically.	The business starts to grow structure and may hire additional management. Job roles become narrower and more focused. Personal agendas may take precedence over real business imperatives. Communication starts to become a major issue. New staff may be left out of the loop by founders and early hires. Company growth may stretch managers beyond their personal capability The need for a clearly articulated, visible, measurable strategic plan becomes critical.	The business is now constantly searching for growth and to keep processes on track. Multiple new initiatives may be tried, often without proper measurements to ascertain their effect. Communication continues to be a key issue as strategic priorities become harder to determine. Proper strategic systems, automation of core process measurements and automated alerts and reporting become critical success and survival factors. Regular strategic reviews take place to ensure direction is correctly maintained.
Growth Staying on Track – Maintaining Strategic Focus Strategic Budgeting Partnerships
Established Keeping your competitive edge Improved Efficiency and Effectiveness	Focus now is on maintaining competitive leadership and watching out for new entrants feeding off your success. Already-proven processes can now be optimized to gain speed and cost advantages. Strategy should be regularly reviewed to keep the business sharp.	Integration of people, processes and systems takes on a high level of importance. Major investments mayrequire complex business cases to predetermine their potential ROI before committing funds. Throughout the business, a clear, measurable strategic plan is required with cascaded initiatives, measures and tactical execution plans to communicate the direction of the business. Regular reviews need to be more formal, while transparent governance ensures accountability to and for all stakeholders.
Struggling Need help to find new products, markets, customers, better faster cheaper ways, new cashflows	Fast strategic problem-solving and crisis management urgently required. Critical review of product and service portfolios, customer segments and processes to seek out and instill profitability. R & D spending may attract government grants or concessional loans. A fresh perspective can be instrumental in resolving the problems, strengthening the business and taking it into the future with a clear, communicable strategy.

No matter which life-cycle stage your organization is in, if you would like to have a confidential discussion with one of our consultants about where your business is heading and what you can do to improve it, please connect with me at any time.