CHARACTERISTICS OF "EXCELLENCE" IN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE.
  [ From the “In Search of Excellence” video ]

  • A BIAS FOR ACTION (3M, grocery store)

(Don't research and discuss new ideas to death. Test them out in the real world. Too much delay is bad.)

  • STAY CLOSE TO CUSTOMER (grocery store)

(Make responsiveness to customer needs a central value of the organization)

  • AUTONOMY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (3M)

(Employees [professional people, esp.] are most motivated and do their best when they have substantial control over their work and a sense of ownership over the outcomes of their effort.)

  • PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH PEOPLE (McDonald's, North American Tool & Die)

(The most important resource of any organization is its people. Train them well. Reward them. Respect them.)

  • HANDS-ON, VALUE DRIVEN (Disney, grocery store, Frito-lay)

(Well managed companies tend to have executives who stay close to the "production of the product" and who constantly emphasize the key values that are responsible for organizational success. Things like "quality" or "excellent service," etc.)

  • STICK TO KNITTING (Disney)

(Excellent companies tend to stick with those products and process they know best.)

  • SIMPLE FORM - LEAN STAFF (Dana Corp.)

(Well managed companies often have relatively few staff experts, consultants, etc. They have a relative simple, clear command structure. The emphasis is on people who "do the work and produce the product [or service]" rather than on those who advise and supervise.)

  • TIGHT/LOOSE PROPERTIES (3M, Apple)

(Effective organizations typically are tight (firm) on sticking to (acheiving) company goals and values but are pretty loose (flexible) on determining how any particular employee goes about meeting those goals and values.)

What to Look for in the Company Scenarios

From the IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE Video

 

1.   How the organizations develop and reinforce shared values that tend to guide member behavior.

 

2.   What patterns of interaction define the “identity” of the organization / its leaders / its philosophy.

 

3.   What norms seem to guide members toward accomplishing the organization’s goals.

 

4.   How traditions & training & formal ceremonies seem to define reinforce goals / values / norms that are connected to effectiveness

 

5.   How culture is defined and developed out of interactions among members.

 

Last updated 9/22/2006