Transcripts

Susan Annunzio:
What are the things you have to do in an organization that drives success long term?

Susan Annunzio, author of the book, Contagious Success conducted an exhaustive worldwide study to find out the answer to that question.

We found out well in fact there actually is an environment that drives success. It's about valuing people. Treating smart people like they're smart. Having your actions and words match so that emotions can be low and thinking can be high. Creating learning environments where people can try new things, make mistakes and take calculated risks. These conditions within groups, not only made money but they drove innovation and it lasted over a four-year period.

In any organization, Susan says it's all about the groups not the individual.

It's about putting people in a group that drives success. When you play with the dynamics of that group, when you cut the people, when you dictate what they have to do instead of let them think it doesn't work. We found that one of the conditions that drives success is that the leader had to protect the group from the company at large. Instead of using their creativity to find more creative innovation they're using their creativity to block the unintentional interference of the company.

Tomorrow, how organizations unintentionally, but very effectively screw up their own success. I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.