Common Sense: 5 Simple Success Factors

We’re all about spreading goodness in leadership and business, because we’ve proven goodness pays. “What’s goodness?” you ask. Goodness is when people thrive together in a culture of encouragement, accountability, and positive teamwork. Goodness is not a sport for superheroes. Leaders who want goodness to pay, embrace an others-orientation. In other words, nothing significant ever happens alone.

With no real end in sight to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives, many leaders are craving a “back to basics” approach to establishing goodness in their organizations. If that sounds appealing to you, then here are the five common sense, simple goodness pays factors to spark your thinking:

1. Involve the people important to your success in building a Compelling Plan. Build the plan together, and focus on your customer’s needs. The more people involved, the more likely the plan will generate excitement in the business. We need that these days.
2. Build shared commitment around the idea that Profits are healthy for all. It’s easy to see how everyone is sharing in the pain of the pandemic. It’s common sense to help employees see how they will share in the gain when the organization creates healthy profits from their good work.

   

3. Encourage a “we is greater than me” Team-based culture, where people feel like they win together. You’ll know you have that when everyone can answer the questions Do I know where I fit here? Do I know why I matter here? Do I know how I thrive here? with a resounding “Yes!”
4. This one should be easy today: Timely and transparent decision-making. In times of ambiguity and uncertainty, clear communication is the oxygen of healthy organizations. We’ve seen our clients step up both the frequency and the clarity of their communication, because it’s common sense.
5. Magnetic ethics – this common-sense factor reigns is the most significant during a crisis. People don’t remember what we say, they remember what we do. It’s common sense to set high standards of ethical behavior, and then role model what’s possible, and what’s not acceptable. Leaders attract the caliber of talent that’s equal to their ethics.

Common sense.

The most remarkable thing about these five common-sense Goodness Pays Factors, is how unremarkable they are. Common sense. But, while 4 out of 5 business leaders believe goodness pays, only 2 of 5 are happy with the consistency of their financial results. Why is common sense seldom common practice?

The answers are in our signature book: How Goodness Pays.  And we’ll dive into this subject tomorrow on our Good Leadership Wednesday Webinar: How Goodness Pays – why isn’t common sense, common practice?

You can register here.

Buy the book today, and you will get a copy of The Bucket List Book for free – and that includes a $5 contribution to Make A Wish MN.