What is the magic ingredient for making organizational goals?

What magic ingredient is it that managers mix into their stew of people, processes, systems, computers, machines and real estate that helps them stretch to the next level of performance?

Do successful goal achievers have the same problems as other people? Or are they just lucky?

In my experience these high performers suffer from the same ailments of the human condition as you and I.

They have personal problems, sickness, and handicaps. They get derailed from indecisiveness, new information, poor information, no information and urgent information all which over takes important information.

They get tired. Then in the midst of changing their minds a new perspective appears which threatens the vision they have been working toward. Things get hazy and blur.

Focus is lost.

Except....somehow these achievers stick to their goals and put the train back on the track.

They regain focus. How?

Well, let's peel back the onion one more layer.We know focus is important but what keeps us focused? Is it the strength and commitment of the leader? The leader is important! The same as his/her.....followers. This brings us to the magic ingredient to staying on target, focused on goals.

Teamwork.

In 1972, David Packard, one of the founders of Hewlett-Packard was returning to HP from an appointment with the U.S. Department of Defense. He had been appointed Deputy U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1969 and had resigned as CEO of Hewlett-Packard at that time.

During his absence the HP company began to do what they had never done before in their history.

They began to operate in the red.

Upon his return, David Packard learned of the financial problems and quickly realized the need for drastic action. Within days a meeting of all managers was called and Packard presided.

He began by telling the managers the history of HP and its fundamental values while pointing out the violation of fiscal discipline that had occurred in his absence. He then laid out a plan to turn the company around and estimated it would take two years to achieve. While explaining the danger the company was in he asked for their wholehearted commitment to achieve a common goal and save Hewlett-Packard.

The team beat the two year target by more than a year! Through continued day by day focus. Managers working together making sure that if the ball was dropped someone was their to help regain focus on their common goal.

That is the magic of teamwork.

No one person is perfect but together a team pitches in to meet its' common goals.

Your job as manager and leader is to gain your follower's commitment to achieving the organization's common vision and goals.