Patterns of Success

Patterns of Success

By Kristoffer Nelson

Long gone are the days of “recipes” and “secrets” for success, though the business and personal help sections at major bookstores stock hundreds of titles guaranteeing business prosperity and personal fulfillment. Many business owners, strategists, philosophers, and teachers are more consistently recognizing that things-life-reality is too unpredictable and complex for such recipes – what works for some individuals will not work for others, and the formula that creates victory for one company will not necessarily repeat in another. A recent Harvard Business Revenue article said that the only consistent connection between really successful enterprises is luck – you’re at the right place at the right time.

This isn’t a very marketable concept: luck. So many will continue to guaranteed recipes for success, and sometimes these will work and sometimes they won’t.

I like the luck perspective, for I agree that reality and life are unpredictable, complex and chaotic (and I personally thrive on this). I don’t entirely agree though. It’s clear that luck, right-place-right-time, and just the down-right unexplainable is a major component of successful people and businesses, and there are consistent patterns that successful businesses tend to show. It seems clear that out of the mystery of reality patterns emerge. These patterns balance the challenging flux and flow of life and the constantly shifting markets.

Here are a few of the most prevalent patterns:

This list isn’t exhaustive and the picture above isn’t the only way to visualize this concept – the Mystery bit could also sit behind the patterns – and considering that they are patterns and not recipes one or several may not always be a pattern or patterns of any given successful company. However, almost all successful companies that have sustained the test of time continuously display most of these characteristics.

Interestingly, most executives think that they have these components, and interestingly and not surprisingly most companies don’t. Most companies do not have a clear and simple strategy and mission. They typically and simply take the last five years of financials and reproduce them with adjustments for inflation and market share assumptions. This isn’t a strategy and mission it’s financial analysis. Most companies fight against competition for small successes and temporary wins in a never-ending battle with other competitors while chasing the leader in their industry. Really successful companies don’t compete they play their own game.

Most strategists and analysts think about the future in only one perspective: financials. This is good and helpful. But, financials aren’t the future they are a product of the future. Financials isn’t a strategy they are the result of a clear mission and strategy.

Companies typically are slow to integrate new technologies for many reasons with resistance to change and unknown risk often at the top; however, companies that practice this carefully continue to be leaders and game changers in their respective fields.

The last few on the list deal strongly with the people aspect of business, which is still very often overlooked by most companies. Companies that continuously seek enrollment in the vision, mission and strategy of the company for every employee (not just the executive or management team) push further faster. Companies that can balance on the shifting tight rope between individual empowerment and team integration access the full spectrum of their greatest resource. Companies that support and emphasize the development of their culture typically retain the best talent. And, lastly, companies that listen to and serve their customers will have valuable relationships for life.

Interestingly, almost everyone agrees with these patterns and practices. They are in a sense, well, common sense. And, again, most companies, almost all companies think they do well in each area on this list. For failing companies, denial is probably at the top of the list of consistent patterns. Take a good, hard, honest survey of your life, company or organization: are you balancing the relationship between mystery (something you can’t control) with the patterns of success (something you can adapt and control)?

Kristoffer Nelson | Krama Consulting & Development | 310.779.8587