The high performance organization is a conceptual framework for organizations that leads to improved, sustainable organizational performance. It is an alternative model to the bureaucratic model known as Taylorism.
Spend five minutes watching a group of young children play soccer, and you will likely be entertained by the spectacle. There’s enthusiasm, laughter, a lot of movement, and almost no structure. Eleven kids (though it could be seven, or five, or however many happen to be on the field) swarm the ball like bees to…
I started XONITEK in August of 1985 in Endicott, New York. I still own its latest incarnation, now located in Sheridan, Wyoming. Having owned my own businesses for the last 40 years makes me uniquely unemployable. Perhaps that could change given the right circumstances (whatever those might be). Since the very beginning, the purpose of…
ByHBR.org
Summary. An outdated way of thinking about peak performance is: “maximum effort = maximum results.” But research shows that it doesn’t actually work that way in reality. Here’s what actually works: The 85% rule, which counterintuitively suggests that to reach maximum output, you need to refrain from giving maximum effort. Operating at 100% effort all of…
Vince Lombardi was a famous American professional football coach, whose team won five National Football League (NFL) Championships in seven years in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls. One of my favorite Lombardi quotes is: “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing…
Like many of you, I’ve had a lifelong quest for learning and for trying to improve my own personal performance and drive excellence in my companies. Excellence is defined as “the quality of being outstanding or extremely good.” Synonyms for excellent and excellence are distinction, first rate, superb, blue chip, choice, first class, five-star, top…
ByHBR.org
Summary. The highest-performing teams have one thing in common: psychological safety — the belief that you won’t be punished when you make a mistake. Studies show that psychological safety allows for moderate risk-taking, speaking your mind, creativity, and sticking your neck out without fear of having it cut off — just the types of behavior…
