This book focuses on 6 principles of remaining simple.
People
To help identify the top talent keep the following five C’s close by at all times: competence, character, collaboration, communication and commitment. Talented and consistent people are the most valuable asset of the company. However, to retain them you must provide value for them in the organization as well. The only thing that will keep them going is working on important projects and being recognized for the same.
Vision
Mission helps set the vision of the company. What do you want to become? What are your value statements? How do you plan to achieve that? What is your vision of the company in the next few years? As opposed to making a long explanation that no one comprehends or can recollect, a decent vision ought to resemble a mantra, a simple phrase that focuses on the main objective and USP of the company.
The employees should be able to align their goals according to the same and work towards that. That is the reason to set your mission, vision and values.
Communication
Ensure you are clearly communicating with everyone in the company to avoid any problems. Be honest when communicating, whether it is to convey something right or wrong. Discuss all the topics that really need to be spoken about, no matter how small they seem. An open, honest discussion goes a long way. You need to establish a protected environment for your team to be able to share their opinions and ideas freely. Challenge the thoughts in a conscious manner, and each thought in your organization will be better.
Urgency
It is important to deliver high quality results at the lowest possible price, keeping in mind the customers. To do this there should be clearly planned results so that individuals can settle on everyday choices to work towards the goal. Make the decisions based on the results you expect to have.
Execution
Once the plans and decisions have been made, it is time to execute them. Focus on the strategy that will be used. How will the work be done? Be committed to taking responsibility for executing the projects and assign it to the right people. Provide the necessary support to employees who require training or additional help to get the work done.
Simply reward those who get the job done and take strict action for the ones who couldn’t, whether that’s providing them additional training, transferring to another department or giving the last warning.
Customer Focus
Extremely responsible people are required for this. Hire the right talent and ensure they focus on customer service. Hire for their attitude and train for their skills. Customers expect good service, a reliable and responsive company that they can depend on. Don’t make them regret it.