PHWP: Good Company

In an ideal world, decisions can be made within a carefully structured chain of command. When a sales opportunity comes in, the business sends out a sales representative. When the potential customer has unusual needs, the sales representative gathers information that is shared with his manager. Key members of the organization, who look for a “good fit” within the goals and resources of the company, carefully evaluate the information. That information is relayed back to the sales representative who communicates the decision to the potential customer. This very organized, and carefully considered approach ensures that the company is focused on its goals and acting in an consistent manner. In an ideal world. One that does not exist.

In the real world, decision making is much more difficult. Decisions that are not made in a timely fashion often result in lost opportunities. And the definition of a “timely fashion” is constantly changing.

The goal of making sure that decisions are in concert with organizational goals and are consistent is a hallmark of successful companies. This may be even more important in these difficult economic times when many business leaders struggle with being so afraid to make a mistake that they may make the mistake of not acting.

In Wisconsin, one of the companies we recognized for a best practice in our Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, Inacom, approached this problem in a unique way. The leadership of Inacom identified the core principles of the company by creating 3 brief but powerful value statements. These value statements were shared with every employee – and printed on the back of the ID badges employees wear. If the employee was faced with a decision and they could identify that the decision was in line with the core principles of the company, they were empowered to make the decision on the spot. This decision was communicated to their superior as soon as possible.

Not every decision has been flawless (that does not even happen in the ideal world scenario) but it has been extremely beneficial for the company overall. They have been able to make decisions quickly and often were able to act on opportunities before the competition as a result. The most important benefit, though, is improved relationships with their customers who have grown to trust an organization that is responsive to their needs. They make better decisions, in the real world, through engaged employees who understand the values this company holds most important.