The Committed Enterprise

It is much easier to describe vision and values than implement them. Vision and values management is in the dark ages compared with that of marketing, finance or operations. It is sometimes derided and all too often just doesn't work. The Committed Enterprise takes a hard approach to this 'soft' topic and describes how to build unstoppable organizations, whether businesses or charities, hospitals or orchestras, by managing vision and values scientifically yet creatively. It shows how to lay the foundations for success by understanding the conflicting needs of stakeholders and uniting them through the right vision and values. These forge uncompromising commitment, and transform organizations, teams and countries.

Hugh Davidson details Seven Best Practices for making vision and values work every day, at every level. These are based on analysis of his interviews of 125 high-calibre enterprises in the USA and UK, and include:

• Design and timing
• Linkage to key success factors
• Communicating through action
• Embedding via appraisal and rewards
• Branding the organization
• Rigorous measurement

Using a unique fast track/scenic route format, the book includes hundreds of examples, quotes and checklists from enterprises as diverse as PepsiCo, Caltech, Tesco, Mayo Clinic, BP, New York Police Department, DuPont, Save the Children, UPS, New York Philharmonic, and many others.

The Committed Enterprise brings a new dimension to managing organizations. It is designed for leaders and managers of every kind of enterprise.

So buy it, read it, then make it happen.

• Summary of organizations interviewed

1. The new challenge for organization leaders
2. How vision and values create Committed Enterprises
3. The seven best practices for creating the Committed Enterprise
4. Building the foundations of the Committed Enterprise: Best Practice No. 1
5. Measuring the strength of the vision … if there is one: Best Practice No. 2
6. Timing and building a new vision: Best Practice No. 2
7. Creating hard values for sustainable advantage: Best Practice No. 3
8. Emotional activism — communicating by action, signals and words: Best Practice No. 4
9. Creating systems to embed vision and values: Best Practice No. 5
10. Branding the Committed Enterprise: Best Practice No. 6
11. The hard-edged organization measurement: Best Practice No. 7
12. Why most vision and values programmes fail
13. Vision and values before and after acquisitions
14. Aligning individuals and organizations
15. A renewable process for vision and values

• Summary: 10 Keys to failure
• Summary: 10 Keys to success
• Appendix: Interview outline

Everything is done by the author so that you should read it and understand it.

Unfortunately, very few read it. In my opinion, this should be mandatory reading for any senior position.