by Jonathan Jones
Every business owner I’ve met in the last two decades has told me that what they really want from their company is not an outlet for their passions or a reflection of their personal aspirations, but rather a feeling of what they term “peace of mind.” If they’re right, peace of mind may include a solid balance sheet with increasing income and healthy margins to help support the future. For the most part, “peace of mind” refers to a feeling of good health and well-being, both personally and professionally, as well as for one’s family and business.
The most common response I get from clients when I ask them what keeps them up at night is, “My people.” When asked why, they usually say something like:
- “I’m not sure if they’re qualified.”
- “I wish they could all get along better.”
- “I’m at a loss about how to meet the proper people.”
- “Our squabbles are so frequent that we’re unable to concentrate on our product or target market.”
- “I can only trust a select group of people.”
- “I have no clue if we’re on the right track to be successful.”
- “Suppose something terrible happens to me.”
It takes a lifetime of effort to build a strong corporate culture that’s the foundation for future success. You and your employees may need to learn lessons about human nature more than once to deal with problems that threaten your organization’s long-term viability. A healthy corporate culture is the road to mental clarity, which is what every leader craves.
Jonathan Jones (Jonathan.jones@vistagechair.com or 314-608-0783) is a CEO peer group chair/coach for Vistage International.
Submitted 3 years 28 days ago