“A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living.” Charles R. Swindoll

Businesses are like families in that they can be a bit dysfunctional. Every company, no matter its size or success has its issues…however dysfunction does not always mean ineffective.

I have a favorite saying that “business is easy until you add people”, meaning the organizations that recognize, embrace and accept their dysfunction are the ones that succeed. Besides, it’s our foibles and quirks that create the core of norms around which we revolve and as such defines our style and culture.

Therefore the focus shouldn’t be on changing personalities but instead working to keep the ‘fun’ in dysfunction. Here are 8 ‘family values’ I’ve observed over the years and vital to building an organization that performs and wins:

Faith – Not necessarily in a higher being but in each other. Faith in the veracity of our product or service. Faith that we’ll always do the next right thing. Faith that we’ll have each other’s back…no matter what.

Personality – In the small town where I grew up people were known as much by their family’s last name as their individual personality. As such, everyone knew what to expect when interacting with them and proceeded accordingly. It’s the same for our business.

Understanding – Know and respect each other’s unique talents, skills and characteristics while also accepting each other’s limitations. This helps to avoid setting people up for failure.

Commitment – Buy into and hold true to the mission, direction and focus of the business and its leadership. To be sure, we voice our differences but once everything is decided all are on board for the ride.

Tradition – Every strong family has stories of achievement as well as failure and passing these hard learned lessons down forges our personality. Continued and consistent success is bound in the stories we tell.

Communication – It’s not always pretty, but it’s always communication. Don’t just talk about the easy stuff – hopes, dreams and mission. Also have the difficult conversations about disappointments, issues and failures. Hard feelings can’t grow in the sunshine.

Flexibility – Our habits and routines are important to dealing with day-to-day business. However growth and evolution only comes when these are challenged and refined. Embrace the explorers.

Community – Businesses do not exist in isolation and must rely upon those outside its walls for credibility and support. How we integrate with our hometown counts and what we receive from it corresponds to the amount we give. We’re always known…the important thing is what for.

In the end, we may not be able to choose our real family but we can and do choose who to work with. So embrace the choice…

Dwain – The Biker Guy

As always – These are my thoughts and I look forward to yours. And if you like what you read here, email me directly at Navigator@BikersGuidetoBusiness.Com or check out my websites www.DwainDeVille.com or www.ThreeDNavigator.com. I look forward to hearing from you.