LUCKY 7

Fourth publication in the Culture Transformation series

Lucky 7 A four-leaf clover, a blackjack 21, and the number 7 all classic symbols of luck. 

Let’s hope these seven simple tips bring some of that good fortune andsuccess to all of us in business. Because, truth be told, hitting 21 or rollinga 7 takes work… and as for the clover? 

Well, turns out you can grow one yourself. Here’s what I call the Lucky Seven — a set of principles that may not guarantee success, but definitely make it more likely to achieve.

FIRST. The Employee Comes First

In many developed countries, there’s a clearreturn to something that used to be common sense - actively involving employeesin the company’s daily operations and strategic planning. More and more leadersare beginning to realize, that the success of a business depends on itspeople — on us, the employees.When there’s no communication betweendepartments, the business engine slows down and the chain breaks. 

I’ve  experienced this first hand. A lack of communication can seriously hurt results. Demotivated and misinformed employees don’t just feel frustrated, they affect how the whole company runs. When you spot a person’s strengths, help them grow, and use that talent wisely, you boost both their performance and their engagement. In the end that drives the company forward… and by extension, eventhe national economy. 

Sounds simple, right? I’d say it’s almost obvious. But itstill requires something crucial: realleadership, a company culture built on trust and vision, not panic decisions like “things aren’t looking good, let’s cut the budget and lay people off.” Recently, there has been talk in the media thata crisis is looming, companies will be laying off employees, and in fact, awave of mass layoffs has already begun, so it is worth thinking about your approach in advance and perhaps starting to correct any mistakes you may have made... 

And if everything is fine, why change and take risks, because theeffects of change are difficult to predict, not to mention the costs incurred.

SECOND: Organizational Culture is the DNA of the Company

I have already written about the importance ofculture in the organization, so I don't want to repeat myself. It’s up to you,dear leaders and bosses, how your customers and employees will perceive you. Organizational culture is like human DNA: it influences our character,appearance, perception, intelligence...The fish rots from the head down, or rather,from the top down, so it's worth taking a look at yourself and ask yourself,“What's the deal with this culture?”Here's an example from few days ago. I’m in ameeting about activities of a certain organization, discussing the role ofcommunication in business. My guest told me an interesting story. A client ofhers wanted to establish and improve relations with franchisees. She wrote emailedthem, trying to make contact. What kind of responses did she receive?Naturally, they were in electronic form, but without any greeting such as “goodmorning” or “hello,” with the beginning of the sentence in lowercase and nosignature or even a footer at the end, not to mention “best regards. ”Dear Sirs! We also learn and build a company's image by how we communicate. 

In fact, these are the foundations not only of an organization's brand, but also of a personal one. After all, we all know, that first impressions matter. A few more keyboard clicks don't cost a thing, but at the end they might a lot. Let's remember the basic rules of netiquette. Regarding culture – apparently, companies are suffering from a shortage of employees, and people are looking for work, and it's generally not easy. 

Therefore, I have a question: is the new culture of not showing up without prior notice and apologies a common thing? Promising to respond after a recruitment meeting and then ghosting? Changing the arrangements after the work is done? I've noticed this new trend especially among the younger generation, but worst of all, also among experienced managers.I am concerned about what will happen next whenyoung business professionals start their careers this way. Does the personalbrand of managers no longer mean anything? Will it only be when they learn thehard way what it means to pay for their mistakes, that something will change intheir approach? Well, in this case, I guess I went back a little further thanthe past, I went back to the Stone Age...

THIRD: Direct communication counts

“Email sabbatical” a day without emails is becoming increasingly popular. There are even several companies, that are spectacularly successful without using emails. It's hard to believe, but it's true. Here is an example: John Paul Mitchell Systems Today, when our laptops break down, welose signal or there is no Internet, not to mention when the server crashes, wedon't know what to do, we suddenly feel helpless.Dear Readers, pick up the phone and startcalling, walk around the office and talk to employees. This way, not only westrengthen our relationships, but also make our customers and employees happy.

FOURTH: Proper customer service is important

Effective business development and acquiring new customers, as well asretaining existing ones, is the life and death of every business. Many trainingcompanies teach how to sell effectively, what the decision-making process lookslike, how to communicate and listen.In practice, several facts matter:

Fact 1: Good relationships

Fact 2: Understanding needs and responding to them with the right offer

Fact 3: Customer service

Fact 4. A good image

The stereotypical image ofcustomer service is that support is often a chore. Complaint handling andredress requires a lengthy decision-making process and contact with asupervisor. Promises and agreements are broken or changed without a notice, andimportant information is communicated in the "fine print."Let me cite anotherinteresting example. In one of his books, K. Blanchard described how shorteningthe complaint handling process and delegating responsibility to customerservice employees reduced costs while simultaneously increased customersatisfaction.

At onecompany, the customer service team had to seek approval from their supervisoreach time to make a compensation decision, who in turn consulted with themanager. This took time, with customers growing impatient with the silence andwaiting, and employees having to listen to complaints. Blanchard suggestedgiving them the ability to decide independently within a certain budget.Shortly after implementing the change, customer satisfaction levels increased.RossKimborovsky, co-founder of crowd SPRING, shares a similar view, arguing thatorganizations should respond to customer contact within a maximum of 60 minutesof contact and never forgetting two simple words: THANK YOU AND I'M SORRY

FIFTH : Be a true leader!

We all know that a ship without a captain sinks, and acompany without a CEO, too. Whether the ship will sail to the right port at theright time is difficult to say. One thing is certain, a company can survivewithout a CEO, but not without a leader.When I was taking my first steps in business, Windowswas essential, graphic designers were already working on the famous Applecomputers, and the Internet was slowly taking the world by storm. Gates, Jobs,Kamprad, Packard, and others – these names were mentioned almost constantlyduring lectures at the university that prepared me to enter the world of bigbusiness, as examples of the best of the best leaders. Were they great CEOs or leaders? Exactly, this is agood question. When I think of a leader, and imagine I’m not alone in this, I think ofsomeone with charisma. Someone who leads by example, who knows how to bringpeople together, guide a team through change, set a vision, offer advice andmotivation… but also isn’t afraid to set the bar high.Brian Tracy once said: “A leader doesn’t have to be the one at the top, the CEO, or the owner. Aleader is someone others choose to follow — willingly.”And today, when the word “crisis” is echoingfrom every direction, we’ll need leaders more than ever — like oxygen. If something is going wrong and change isneeded, the change has to start within. And that’s the hardest part —especially for some managers and executives.

“You mean I need to change? I’m the boss. I don’t make mistakes — other people do!”

Ever heard that before? I have, more than once.Unfortunately, companies led by that kind ofthinking are often barely holding on inside. What is a great shame, because many of them have great teams smart,talented people. The truth is, poor leadership can undo all thework a company puts into building its brand or growing the business. The person at the top sets the tone, shapesthe company culture, and defines the leadership style. And in today’s world,those leadership styles don’t stay hidden. Employees talk, and thanks to socialmedia, the company’s internal reality quickly becomes part of its external brandas an employer.

SIXTH. The Strategic Role of HR

What is called “human resources”, in manyorganizations, had finally evolved into what it truly called teamleadership. Unfortunately, in some places, HR is still limitedto handling contracts and personnel files. But the companies, that want to growand succeed have started to recognize the strategic role of HR professionals.As I mentioned earlier, HR today isabout leading people, not managing them and I think, that this termhits the mark. Leading a team isn’t just admin work. It’s smart recruitment.It’s talent development. It’s creating and executing training, compensation,and career growth strategies. It’s giving good advice, mentoring, shapingcompany image — and aligning all of that with clear business goals.We say, that people build a company andthat’s true. But it’s also true the other way around: a company shapes itspeople. It helps define their professional identity, their mindset, and theirculture.

According to Edward E. Lawler III —professor at the University of Southern California and CEO of the Center for Effective Organizations — the strategic role of HR should include:·       

1. Aligning HR strategy directly with thecompany’s overall business strategy.

2. Using modern technologies effectively.    

3. Focusing on smart, thoughtful talentmanagement.       

4. Leading initiatives around organizationaldevelopment, employee growth, change management, and measuring effectiveness

5. Applying innovative training methods     

6. Measuring and analyzing the results of HR efforts

Building HR teams with people who canadapt to constant change, act as true business partners, and interpret datawith confidence I’d also add three more key points to that list: 

The ability to hold critical business conversations 

Building strong relationships — both inside and outside the company 

Sharing knowledge and experience.

Because without strategic support and active involvement from the HR team, it’s incredibly difficult for any organization to stay effective or achieve itsbusiness goals.

SEVENTH. Communication in Business

We all communicate — through conversations, emails, messages, and socialmedia. But we also communicate non-verbally: through how we dress, how we carryourselves, facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language.And today, communication plays acrucial role in every business. It’s not just about saying the rightthings — it’s a strategic tool that supports everything a company does. 

It helps drive results, build relationships, and keep people informed — whetherthe message is good or… not so pleasant (like budget cuts or layoffs). And it’s especially important when dealing with internal communication, where clarity, empathy, and consistency can mean the difference between trustand total disengagement. Communication is usually divided into twocategories: internal and external. But according to Brian Dunn, former CEO ofU.S. retail giant Best Buy, these two are actually part of the same whole.Together, they form business communication, which main goal is tosupport all activities within the organization and turn them into results thatare tangible,visible, and measurable.

There is a widely accepted five-stepapproach making business communication truly effective:

1.   Assess thestarting point

2.   Analyze thesituation

3.   Drawconclusions

4.   Make a plan

5.   Measure outcomes and correct where needed

Skipping that first step — understanding where you’re starting from — makes everything that follows less effective. Andin the end, that’s not just a waste of time… it’s a waste of money.Today, when I hear from everywhere, that economy crisis is no longer justnoise in the background, but you can actually feel it in the air, it’s worthtaking these tips to heart. Whether you’re already running a business orpreparing to lead one, these principles can help you succeed and stay ahead ofthe competition.That’s my wish for you, dear readers — and for myself too!