I’m finishing up People’s Tycoon, a biography on Henry Ford. The book details the story of three motor companies Ford helped start, the last being the only one we remember. What struck me about all three attempts was that in each instance, Ford found himself at odds with his key business partners, the guys with the money. The genesis of the conflict, at least regarding the business, was that Ford’s vision to provide mobility to the masses conflicted with his partners’ vision of selling higher margin luxury or performance cars (to be fair, Ford also seemed to lack some focus in the early years).
The problem wasn’t that Ford’s vision was good and the others’ vision was bad. The problem was that they didn’t share the same vision or measure for success. If the people who run or own your organization have the same problem, debilitating conflict is inevitable. The owners or key decision makers will at some point reach an impasse that jeopardizes the entire enterprise, not because one course is inherently more valid than the other, but because an organization cannot cross the finish line running races on divergent paths.
All that being said, when you have to chose one path or another, follow the path Ford took – the path with a finish line that ends in significant impact. Making money isn’t near as difficult, rewarding or fun as changing the world.
2 Comments
This resonates with everything that we have focused into our company’s culture. We have watched on as organizations we have worked with struggle under multiple paths, all equally merited with strength and weakness but none of them converged to cross the finish line. Its horrible to watch.
…a finish line that ends in significant impact. We say, “Because the work *has to matter.”
Great post Levi.
Stay the course!