The Non-Negotiable Rules are a powerful dimension within the Stages of Growth. They define the laws that a business must follow in order to be successful. The fact is that every natural system, whether it is a forest or a commercial business, succeeds by aligning itself to fundamental natural laws that establish order and balance.
Operations
The functions within a company that keep it running effectively and producing revenue are referred to collectively as Operations. Essentially, Operations are the inner workings of the company—how everyone functions, how the processes run, and how the organization executes the delivery of goods or services they are producing.
The major themes in the Non-Negotiable Rules for Operations are:
Quality - Creating structured processes to support consistent deliverables and preserve institutional knowledge.
Resilience - Ensuring that work is organized independently of people.
Efficiency - That organizational structure is designed in such a way that it is supportive of the goods and services that are being provided.
When the Non-Negotiable Rules for Operations are followed, an organization becomes more resilient, more efficient, and quality improves.
Have you ever worked in a company where there was that one employee who joked - or maybe someone else joked - that the whole place would fall apart if they were not there? Or maybe you have been that person. You or a manager took a vacation and instead of relaxing on a beach, that time was spent on the phone or laptop working or talking someone through something. Sound familiar?
A situation like that is common and often mistaken as a badge of honor for that employee when, in reality, it is the consequence of weak Operations. Sacrificing this non-negotiable rule makes way for the inevitable issue of having the balance of the company hang on one person. If that one person leaves, so does the knowledge, skill, and experience needed for the company to seamlessly carry on.
We fix this inevitable issue by identifying, learning, and implementing the Non-Negotiable Rules for Operations.
As a company transitions between the Stages of Growth, having a solid foundation of Operations becomes more imperative and in turn creates structure for future growth to be smoother. Clarifying positions and roles early in a company’s growth is extremely important. As the company becomes larger and the number of employees grows, a focus on processes becomes more critical.
Discover the Rules for Your Business’s Stage of Growth
How is your company doing with the Non-Negotiable Rules for Operations? Take the assessment and download a report customized to your business’s Stage of Growth. Two minutes today will provide invaluable information that will positively impact your company’s communication, production, and overall health.