What is a people-ready business?

Every business is different, but the outcomes that drive business success remain the same: creating loyal and profitable customer relationships, inventing and enhancing products or services, managing a business in the most efficient way possible, and building high-value connections with partners and suppliers. But it’s not the businesses that do these things. Businesses don’t find customers, streamline operations, close deals, or invent products. People do.

• A people-ready business is a "destination workplace." The most talented and successful people and businesses seek opportunities to work at or with this company.

• A people-ready business maximizes the satisfaction levels of all its constituents. Customers, employees, and the critical partners and vendors on whom its success depends are all satisfied. A people-ready business is also a balanced organization that does not neglect one vital constituency for another.

• A people-ready business tempers its management's "force." A people-ready business balances management oversight and control, teamwork, and the constant improvement and innovation that come from empowered employees who live their lives on the front lines of the company.

• A people-ready business is characterized by vision. The ability to see and act on both opportunities and problems is central to a people-ready business.

• A people-ready business is focused on insight and action. A people-ready business is characterized by employees who have insight into opportuni­ties and problems, and the ability to act on them.

• A people-ready business is marked by speed and flexibility. A people-ready business is as concerned with removing barriers to success as it is to driving success. And a people-ready business is agile and adaptable in a business envi­ronment of constant change.

• A people-ready business is optimized for performance at the individual level. Individuals have the freedom to focus on adding value to shareholders and customers, rather than being constantly distracted.

Companies excel when they empower their people to drive the business forward by giving them the right tools, information, and opportunities. We call such businesses "people-ready." Is your business people-ready?

	Document Title		Overview		Date Published
	The People-Ready Business 113 KB Microsoft Word file		Businesses don’t find customers, streamline operations, close deals, or invent products-people do. Is your business people-ready?		March 16, 2006

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