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The Seven Nodes of Success
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The Seven Nodes of Success
Are you running your business or is your business running you? If you feel it\'s time to regain control, you might want to review this list of the seven interwoven characteristics of superior organizations.
1 They are Customer Oriented.
Be passionate about serving the needs of your customers. Listen to them and be committed to enhancing the relationship with superior service.
2 They Have a Plan.
You\'ve got to know where you are headed. A solid plan brings together the necessary focus, clarity and accountability. Keep the plan simple, understandable and use it religiously!
3 They Have an Operating Budget Including Cash Flow.
You\'ve got to have some financial discipline to go with your plan. Understand how your costs behave and how they can be controlled. Which expenses are fixed? Which ones vary with volume? What is your break-even point? Know your cash flow cycle and how it behaves.
4 They Keep Score.
You\'ve got to track progress. You can only manage what you can measure. Use graphs and make your score-keeping highly visible.
5 They Have Routine Business Review Meetings.
Gather your team monthly for a disciplined review and assessment. Are you on track? What\'s changing and how can you react to correct problems and exploit opportunities?
6 They Hire Right, Train Rigorously & Reward on Merit.
A good team is essential. Hire carefully, develop skill sets, and reward performance. To remain competitive you\'ve got to be a continually learning organization.
7 They Use the Best Affordable Tools.
Use the best affordable technology to help you. Be picky about your tools but don\'t skimp on the ones that will drive performance. Invest in your tomorrow.
As Yogi Berra reminds us, "the future ain\'t what it used to be." To be a winning organization you\'ll need a combination of passion, discipline, creativity and accountability. Are you up for the challenge?