Consistent Effort is Required for Sustainable Business Growth

Many people discuss leadership and teamwork, but observations show that getting a single answer to the question of what leadership or teamwork is remains elusive. When people board an airplane for the first time, they don't immediately think of piloting it themselves. Fortunately or unfortunately, this isn't even possible without proper training. One thing is certain: all pilots make their first flight(s) with an instructor.

Engaging in entrepreneurship requires having enough money to make a capital contribution and register a company. No one demands a thorough understanding of entrepreneurship basics or the ability to count money. However, the success or failure of organizations largely depends on their leaders and members.

Issues within organizations have been studied throughout history, both in Estonia and around the world. Significant results have been achieved in various institutions worldwide, where diagnostics and the effectiveness of decision implementation have been examined. In recent years, such studies haven't been conducted in Estonia. Since needs and opportunities in society change daily, a universal model has not been created at all regulatory levels. Consequently, problems remain relevant in society and organizations.

Solving Addressing problems within organizations, discovering their root causes, articulating them, and finding appropriate solutions are of central importance. Unfortunately, arbitrary interpretations and settling for random solutions occur, which hampers efficiency. However, why this happens remains incomprehensible to most.

Various studies indicate that often, organizational members and leaders desire one outcome, but the result is something entirely different. One significant reason for this is that the focus is on the problems themselves, not their causes. The meaning, importance, and interrelation of outcomes, consequences, causes, goals, targets, means, resources, etc., are often not clearly understood by many leaders. Reasons vary. There's sometimes inadequate preparation, but often also unprofessional and misleading consultants.

Whether a detailed business plan has been prepared beforehand or risk assessment criteria have been accurately defined, mapping out problems remains perpetually relevant within any organization. During decision-making, a leader might even be aware of factors influencing decisions, yet subconsciously ignore them, making what's perceived as a simpler decision, the effects of which might become apparent later.

Key Questions Include:

I have been involved with this topic for many years. Simultaneously serving on the management boards of several companies and other organizations, I've had the chance to practically test the validity of my observations. I believe that there are several reasons for dealing extensively with problems within any organization and sharing these insights with others.

Firstly, every day in all companies, there are problematic situations affecting the company's operations.

Secondly, there are always hidden and public factors that shape both a company's success and employee satisfaction.

Thirdly, usually at the forefront of the action plan are those questions that seem essential to resolve immediately, and this list often changes quickly and never ends. Consequently, long-term issues are often postponed, and sometimes, they're never addressed at all.

In short, it's advisable to review the entire spectrum of issues a couple of times a year and prioritize them based on their actual importance. This way, those questions that aren't critical but still important can be tackled sooner or later, while those that aren't truly important can be completely set aside. This provides an opportunity to finally get rid of tedious long-term obligations and focus on what's truly essential.

However, this can be challenging amidst daily operations, so it's beneficial to collectively set aside time a couple of times a year to clearly articulate the important problems and priorities and agree on a specific action plan for their resolution.

Written by Maario Laas, Chairman of the Board, Wisecounter OÜ