If we conducted interviews regarding the elements that build a resilient business, we would get various and often opposite answers. Many people today are focused on building culture. The argument is that culture brings high performance and builds trust. Others defend the focus on customers.

What do you think is required to build a company that can stand through generations while still maintaining a growing customer base and cutting-edge innovation? I know the question might be a mouthful, but these are the questions that leaders often and regularly engage with. While they are focused on the bottom line, they also think about the future and start crafting the foundation for that reality now.

The reality is that two seemingly opposite concepts need to co-exist in order to build the foundation of a resilient company. On the one side, we need to build High Trust companies. The other side of the coin is High Performance. Both are critically important. Elements that fall under the High Trust are culture, relational competence, customer-centric design and much more. On the High Performance side are things such as systems, processes, structures and role clarity. Then there are elements that touch both sides of the coin, such as communication, vision and strategic foresight. Some of these sub-elements are needed at different stages of a company’s life-cycle. Others are nice to have.

In this blog I just want to focus on three elements that I would say are foundational in all phases and within any type of organisation. These are elements I observe in multi-nationals and your local 3-person company.

1. Trust and Respect. Trust and Respect need to be built internally and externally. Without these 2 key values, transactions don’t convert into loyalty. Trust within a company is vital, as there will always be misunderstandings and different perspectives. What is needed to build the bridge is mutual trust and respect. How would you rate the trust in your company? And I mean, trust and respect to the level of having difficult conversations without HR mediation. Trust and respect to tell each other the truth while still not talking down to one another. Trust and respect allow the customer to give feedback. It makes a customer feel heard in their complaint. I speak of a learning culture that allows people to fail. They feel safe enough to fail and be vulnerable. Office politics, avoidance and denial are often symptoms that trust and respect are not truly there.
2. Empowering Leadership. In the ISO 22316 on Resilient Organizations, this element is understood as leaders empowering others. There is an amazing energy that is unleashed when leaders empower others. People engage more, they become more innovative. They go the extra mile. When people are empowered, leaders gain the time and capacity to think strategically about the future of the business. Empowering leaders are also not power hungry. They share with others and like to give power to others. That’s why it is called them em(meaning in, in latin) -power. How much is your business empowering others? Empowering leadership also allows critical knowledge and skills to be shared. This is even possible in a three-person company.
3. Customer centricity. It is all about the customer. If the systems in the company do not serve the customer, get rid of the system or make it more efficient. Customers are the life of any business. It is quickly evident why some companies stand out above the rest. They deliver on customer promises. They don’t hide information. They always listen to complaints, and they are able to have empathy towards their client who uses their product of service. And out of all three elements I would say this is the most important one. Why? Because, after you have done all the marketing you could and have convinced many people to buy your product or service, the way you treat your customer will determine the longevity of your existence. How is your company treating its customers? And not just the nice ones. How do they handle and speak internally about complaints? What language do they use for the customer that demands a little more attention?

To build a resilient company takes time and intentional strategic effort. Choose one of the elements above and refine it in the next 6–12 months. May you have a wonderful adventure as you keep building a resilient business fit for the unknown future.

Blog written by Cias Ferreira.