The Pillars of Organizational Performance

“Do not look for happiness outside yourself. The awakened seek happiness inside.” ― Peter Deunov

Everything that matters about each organization is embodied in its culture; its habits, attitudes and practices. The output of organizational culture is organizational performance. A highly motivated or inspired culture results in above average or superior performance. Apathetic or indifferent culture likewise guarantees substandard performance. Culture creates performance for all organizations, be it a business, university, government agency, military units; you name it. Habits, attitudes, and practices are direct determinants of organizational performance. High performing organizations have high performing cultures. Their people, leadership, organization and processes, and industry-specific practices are highly developed and well executed.

Just as atoms are the physical building blocks of the universe, the building blocks of businesses and organizations are:

• People
• Leadership
• Organizational Structure
• Processes
• Industry-Specific Business Methods and Techniques

These forces and their sub elements, acting together, create an organizational culture; the habits, attitudes, and practices that determine performance. They are the large pillars or elements of our business lifestyle, each with many components, techniques, and methods.

It is the role of leadership to make these organizational forces work productively together to accomplish the aims of the business or enterprise; aligning the five pillars to create and sustain highly functioning, superior performing organizations. I think of it as a formula for business integration; a concept for aligning and synchronizing people, leadership, organizational structure, processes and industry-specific business methods and techniques. It’s enduring, universal, and immune to the fads, trends, and fashions of the day.

It requires leaders to be brilliant at the basics and authentically change the things that make organizations dysfunctional and/or failures at their missions. The concept embraces innovation and integrates the specific practices of every industry, organization and business to produce the optimum culture that creates sustained superior performance. The notion isn’t complicated but it requires dedication, discipline, understanding, constant attention, and abstinence from harmful practices by leaders over years to create a culture that produces exemplary performance.

“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.” ― Cynthia Occelli

Keith Stalder, #57

Copyright © 2015 Keith Stalder & Associates, LLC. All rights reserved.

Keith Stalder has over 40 years of leadership experience in organizations from the very large and established to small technology start ups and everything in between.  With a broad and deep appreciation for, and understanding of, the fundamental challenges of organizations and businesses, both in government and the private sectors, his passion is to help all organizations become all that they aspire to.  He is the founder of Keith Stalder and Associates, LLC, a company dedicated to advancing organizational visions and fundamentally transforming how businesses everywhere are run.  Visit www.ksaintegration.com for more information.