At this time of year, reflection and future planning are at the forefront in both our personal and professional lives. As you are setting goals, drafting plans, and identifying the preparations necessary to realize your objectives, consider the following recipe to future-proof your business.

Ingredients

1 cup Introspection

2 cups Understanding

3 cups Empathy

2 cups Harmonized Planning

1 cup Socialization

3 cups Growth-Oriented Mindset

Instructions

We begin with the foundational ingredient, Introspection. Differences of opinion are healthy and provide the motivation and fuel necessary to challenge your colleagues and teams to exceed their own expectations. However, unresolved differences of opinion can undermine your objectives and goals. While everyone may not agree on established goals, how to reach them or even if they are the right ones, success depends upon working in concert.

Introspection warns of potential pitfalls by identifying if the organization understands and universally accepts its shared goals. It also helps your oven reach the right temperature, heating up insight into commonly held beliefs, and determining whether organizational goals are considered relevant by all employees.

Understanding is the seasoning in your dish. While you likely have some key spices, you must venture out of your own kitchen to strike the most appetizing mix of savory and sweet.

Your desired consistency of understanding will require your organization to answer several critical questions about your target customers:

• Who are they?
  
• What makes them a target?
  
• How valuable are they to the organization?
  
• Are they correctly defined and easily identifiable in the market?

Empathy is the spoon that combines Introspection with Understanding. Seeing the full picture of your organization’s beliefs, both true and false, alongside the impressions of your customers and non-customers brings the complementary components of your dish together.

This step is about customer connection. Knowing your target customers, the value they bring and what they desire — all within the context of current organizational performance — allows you to make a dish that pleases all palates at your table.

Harmonized Planning is the act of obtaining organizational alignment. In the kitchen, it is the understanding of  chefs to begin and end each task at the right time to ensure each component reaches the table at the correct temperature.

Customers and employees have provided insight. They appreciate hearing how their thoughts and experiences have come together to shape the future of your organization.

Socialization provides a knowledge exchange that facilitates stronger loyalty, engagement and trust, and creates a sense of partnership through mutual benefit. It also allows your organization the continued insight into how your plans and efforts are being received.

As with most cooking competitions, there is a performance review. Socializationpromotes a culture that helps establish a place at the table for your final ingredient:

Growth-Oriented Mindsetis what powers the ongoing growth and success of your organization. It is hearing the voice of your current, past, and prospective customers telling you how to help you help them. Finally, it is the refusal to serve a dish devoid of Introspection and Understanding.  

Changing corporate culture can be as daunting as hosting a seven-course meal. To serve a winning dish, make sure you have the right chefs in the kitchen, know what is in your pantry, have a diverse set of seasonings, fully plan your preparation, discuss the plan with the entire kitchen staff, and be open to the fact that mistakes are beneficial for growth.  

For one: Introspection warns of potential pitfalls by identifying if the organization understands and universally accepts its shared goals.