Leadership, Balance, Chemistry – 3 Keys to Success
What’s the secret to a winning team? Do you look at a group of people or a company and wonder why they are more successful when you work just as hard? Do you catch yourself thinking, “I wish we were like them?”
There are countless examples of success in our everyday lives… most vividly through sports teams and businesses.
The key to success always boils down to three simple, yet intricate principles: 1. Leadership; 2. Balance; and 3. Chemistry (as in relationships and teamwork).
Take the New England Patriots or Alabama Crimson Tide football teams for example. What do they have in common? They win and win often, including several World and National Championships, respectively. Both teams have head coaches (Bill Belichick, 18 years / Nick Saban, 11 years) with long tenures and proven track records. These head coaches fill their assistant coaching slots and player positions with the right people, the ones who get the job done consistently, who execute their assignments, and who are reliable teammates even if they may not be the best talent or the biggest name. When they play together as a team and execute with chemistry, they pose a triple threat (offense, defense, special teams) and are unstoppable.
A comparable example in the business world is PepsiCo, the parent company to the iconic brands of Pepsi, Frito Lay, Tropicana, Quaker and Gatorade. They may not be winning the literal and proverbial “cola war,” but they are winning as a company and their stock value and return reflects that fact. Their leader, Indra Nooyi, has served 12 years as the Chairman/CEO, one of the longest tenures in company history. They have a balanced portfolio of consumer food products ranging from “good for you” to “fun for you.” They connect to all segments of the market by assembling a robust team from manufacturing and delivery personnel to executives, all of whom must subscribe to the company’s philosophy of delivering “Performance with Purpose!”
When you can have an honest conversation about the direction your team or company is headed and the best way to get there, you will undoubtedly come across the components of this concept. To be successful, someone needs to lead the team; the team must be balanced so that you cover the gamut of skills required to execute the job at hand; and, they must work well together to deliver on the company’s mission and vision.
At Hix Snedeker Companies and Fulcrum Construction Group, we place considerable emphasis in these core components of success. As we grow, we are constantly refining our leadership approach while balancing the skill sets of our team members to make sure that, together, we can deliver the quality products our clients expect from us, and what we expect from ourselves.
– Colby Cooper
COO, Hix Snedeker Companies
