Lessons from the Kitchen

Years ago my mother told me the secret to making a great stew. I am not much of a cook, but her advice makes a lot of sense when you are trying to build a great company, product or brand:

1. Use a variety of ingredients for distinctive taste. 2. Be patient - Cook over a low heat, slowly to allow the flavors to build. 3. Follow a recipe, but don't be afraid to adjust the seasonings to personal taste.
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Use Flavorful Ingredients

Start with diversity. Recruit people with different backgrounds and talents to enrich the flavor. Have at least one person on your team with no experience in your industry. (Not a rookie, just someone with a totally different background.)
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This individual will keep you on your toes, asking why, challenging the status quo. They may make you uncomfortable and force you to stop doing things because you have always done them that way.

Simmer Slowly

Keep your team together. Too often, just when a team has really come together, someone moves on. Companies often promote "fast-track" employees every 18 months. This is a disservice to the employee and the company. They never stay around long enough to see the impact of their decisions and the team has to start over with a new player.
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Set realistic expectations. Encourage people to sign up for 3 year assignments. Then make it worth their while. Reward them for staying with increases similar to what they would receive if they switched assignments.
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Teams that stay together have greater commitments to each other and team goals. Remember that great recipes are not cooked in a microwave; they are slow, measured and organized.

Adjust your Recipe

Start with a plan, so everyone knows where you are going and what role they play.
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Establish periodic review sessions to taste your stew. Are you on target, meeting deadlines? Do the actions plans still make sense? Have there been changes in the business climate which require adjustments in the strategy?

Document and communicate the changes and the reasons why, so everyone in the organization understands where you are headed.
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Serving Suggestions

Every great chef knows half the secret is in the presentation. An attractive plate or the right garnish make the dinner more appealing.

Keep that in mind when selling ideas to team members, management, customers, suppliers and investors. Each group will have slightly different tastes. Serve them the right amount of information in a format they will relate to.

A twenty year veteran of corporate America, today Lorraine Ball helps small business owners use planning and creative thinking as a starting point for growth and change.

Active in the local business community, Lorraine is the recipient of 2005 Rainmaker of the Year Award. She serves on the boards of Rainmakers and the Network of Women in Business.