Building SUSTAINABLE PROFITABILITY from the Bottom UP!

Business leaders and commercial architects share a common goal when they set out to create. They both strive to design structures that serve a purpose and are strong enough to endure for years. Architects concern themselves with the forces of nature while business leaders face the challenge of focusing human potential sufficiently to successfully engage markets in a positive return.

The superstructure of a large building rises into the sky only because its foundational pillars reside solidly upon bedrock. Even the observational floors with a lofty view of surrounding terrain remain reliably stabile due to their weight being transferred floor-by-floor down through the core of the building to the foundation pillars and, ultimately, into the bedrock which must be strong enough to support the entire weight of the building. Without a strong foundation, such a structure would eventually suffer from the Leaning Tower of Pisa syndrome and be deemed uninhabitable or worse, collapse.

Building codes and standards guide in transforming the architectural vision into reality. By design, they help ensure the integrity of the overall structure and safety of inhabitants once the building opens for occupancy. Ignoring the building codes and standards during design and construction can result in defects or weaknesses that may eventually threaten the integrity of the overall structure. Unless remedied in a timely fashion, the structure may not be able to support its own weight let alone serve the purpose for which it was intended. This could potentially result in a very costly situation for the business whose operation relies on that building.

The similarities between a physical structure and an organizational structure are astounding. They are so similar that it is possible to overlay the key elements of an organizational structure on the image of a building—starting at the bottom with an authority and accountability framework (bedrock); trust and respect (foundational pillars); employee engagement (base); productivity, safety, and customer service (core); and sustainable profitability (observation floors).

It is important to understand why these particular elements represent the essential components of a strong business enterprise and why it makes sense for them to be arranged in the manner indicated.

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Dwight Mihalicz, MBA CMC is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and management consultant. He helps organizations improve performance by focusing on manager effectiveness; ensuring that all managers—from the CEO to the front line—are focused on their key strategic priorities and that they have the accountability and authority required for success. Dwight has founded and is President of Effective Managers?, a management consulting firm based in Canada, providing services globally. The firm uses the Effective Managers? Survey to assess manager effectiveness, and The Effective Point of Accountability? to help organizations focus managers on the right work while breaking down silos. He is the Chair of CMC-Global, the international Management Consulting professional standards body made up of 48 country-based Institutes of Management Consulting.

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Fred Stawitz, a national award-winning educator/writer and recipient of the Leadership 500 Awards LEAD Circle of Winners presented by HR.com, authored the highly praised book Don't Run Naked Through The Office which helps employees navigate a path to success through the challenges of each of the four types of workplace environments. He researches/writes/speaks on the new digital technology (Blockchain, IoT, Big Data, AI, robotics, cybersecurity, etc.) and how conditions in the work environment impact safety, productivity, and sustainable profitability. He developed skills-based training programs for the United Space Alliance Ascent Flight Design Group and InterGen (a Shell/Bechtel joint energy venture), led the development of online technical training for El Paso Corporation, and currently serves in a regulatory compliance capacity at Kinder Morgan. He has chaired and spoken at numerous conferences on HSE, process safety, plant STOs, offshore operations, petrochemicals, refining, supply chain compliance, mining, HR, talent management, training, and digital technologies in the US and Canada.

He has also appeared on CNN Headline News – Local Edition in Southern California, a PBS local affiliate special in Pennsylvania as well as a variety of television/radio programs and was quoted in a special Congressional Quarterly report.

Connect with Fred on LinkedIn.