Chapter 4Building a High Performing Organization
‘It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises – but only performance is reality.’
—Harold S. Geneen
It's a certainty that you know a high performing organization when you see one. There are clues all around.
New Zealand All Blacks Rugby Team have won 86% of their games in recent years. Manchester United Football Club in its heyday constantly vexed its opponents by winning games often with a goal scored in extra time. Barcelona Football Club has dominated the game in football-mad Spain, and is considered by many experts to be the greatest football team in the world.
What about Leicester City Football Club, which won the English Premier League in the 2015/2016 season a year after it was facing relegation, creating a legacy widely regarded as one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time?
In business, Disney built a reputation as leader in customer experience, which has remained unchallenged for more than 60 years. LEGO® is the second biggest toymaker in the world, with a respected and loved global brand that has remained popular for nearly 70 years. The department store Harrods has held a reputation, not only as one of the most exclusive shopping destinations in the world but as a London landmark, for more than 180 years.
In this chapter I'm going ...
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