« Back

Changing Tracks Required

April 27, 2016

---

All of us who assume an ownership or top leadership role in our businesses and organizations know this to be true: nobody dreams more about our business then we do. Turn the coin over and we can also confidently say that nobody stresses out more about our businesses. All of us want to grow the value of our businesses and for many, want to do so in a dramatic, accelerated way. We invest a lot to time and energy to try and make this happen.

The passion and drive to make things happen is a trait consistent among top leadership. Through my advisory practice working with company owners and CEOs, the goal that I hear the most is “We want to double the size of the business within the next 5 – 10 years”. Most often this objective comes from leaders of established organizations that have been in business for some time. The majority have weathered the ups and downs over the years and have enjoyed steady but modest growth. They are saying that they want to crank things up and fly higher.

Einstein famously said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different (or even dramatic) results is the definition of… well, we all know how Einstein labeled it. If we want to propel and advance our businesses upward and forward, charging to the head of the competitive pack; and if we want to make our competition irrelevant and be the company that is making the dust versus eating it; then it is reasonable that a robust change in how our business looks at and does things will be required if we hope to achieve the game changing results we are seeking.

Analogically, if you have a railroad track that runs from Chicago to New Orleans, it makes no difference whether you’re running the oldest steam driven locomotive or the newest high speed one – if you pulling one car or many – if you are pulling your train with 1 engine or 4. One thing for sure, you are always going to arrive at the same destination… New Orleans. So, if you’re working hard to make things happen with your organization and wanting to take your business to a new and better destination, you going to have to change paradigms. You’re going to have to change tracks!

Becoming a brand driven business is the empowering paradigm – that new track – that can lead your business to category ownership and even dominance. Unearthing your brand distinction will set your company’s goals and strategies. Hardwiring the brand distinction and promise throughout your organization – its people, systems and practices – is how are you will deliver to your brand and provide evidence to its promise.

Brand driven organizations are the ones that:

• Increase profitability & company value.
• Increase customer loyalty.
• Attract and retain the best employees.
• Raise their employees to becoming the brand. 
• Best weather the storms that surely come. 
• Make their competition irrelevant.

They are the ones that rise to the top, attract, grow and sustain.

Author:

Richard Gripp
Certified Brand Strategist
President
Ignite LLC