Your roadmap for a successful SME business transformation

Enduring business transformation demands new behaviors that are contrary to traditional leadership methods, which typically focus on what a company, or leadership, needs from its people. In today’s business and labor climate, success lies at the intersection of business and career success. Business leaders that operate at this intersection are often rewarded with a culture filled with talent that know exactly what they should do, why they should do it, and feel valued as stakeholders.

While most business owners have a general idea of what business success looks like, the same can’t be said for the career success of their people. Ask leaders to define precisely what career success looks like and most are challenged to provide clear and concise answers. Without the answers that create a sense of belonging within their people and a path for career success being realized, sustainable business success will be an elusive dream.

The success of a business is deeply connected to that of its talent. It is the talent that drives business results, develops new products and services, and creates competitive marketplace advantages. Understanding how to navigate and arrive at the intersection of business and career success is a leader’s “secret sauce,” so to speak. Operating at the intersection of business and career success is the determining factor between successful transformation and failure.

• The three stages: transition, standardization, and innovation.

• The two value streams: the acquisition and retention of talent and clients.

Leaders are well advised to plan a minimum of one to two years for navigating the three stages of transformation. The transition stage will typically start small. A group of passionate enthusiasts with the right leader will deliver some modest wins. While the wins will appear to be small, they’re powerful in demonstrating efficacy to nonparticipants and they help the transformation journey gain steam. The movement really gathers force and scale once the group successfully engages existing networks and influencers as the effort moves through the standardization stage. Eventually, leaders can leverage that momentum to navigate the innovation stage where the real “magic” happens. While culture may be like the wind – invisible, it doesn’t have to be. Implementing and consistently measuring engagement and performance levels can bring visibility to a culture that has traditionally been invisible.

Narrow your transformation messaging down to these two basic beliefs:

1. The existence of your business calls for the pursuit of greatness for the service of others.

2. The journey can only be considered successful if the careers of the company’s people are positively transformed.

When leaders give meaning to work, they inspire both individual emotion and collective action – two important components of any successful business transformation.

1. Engage an individual or team that can deliver the required advisory, coaching, and training services to provide the following:

• A longterm transformation strategy and structured program.

• Guaranteed results.

2. Adopt a talent-centric leadership philosophy.

3. Align your business and team member career goals.

4. Build and nurture self-directed entrepreneurial teams.