themselves. It covers especially people and organizations who
are achieving goals that not only benefit themselves but also
people and organizations beyond themselves—whose goals are
not just for personal wealth but for richness of life. People and
organizations who achieve excellence in this way do the following:
They pay attention to the role they play in the larger system of
which they are a part. They have a purpose to contribute to this
bigger system in a positive way, to add value. Richard Branson,
for example, seeks to create systems of fair trading in the
markets in which he operates. There is increasing resistance to
businesses that trade only for their own profit and a growing
move toward those businesses that respect the environment
and take an ecological approach to the way they trade.
Companies that sustain their success over time are now the
ones who can network and create genuine win/win scenarios
with their employees, clients, and suppliers, as well as anyone
with whom they have contact.
They have a commonly held and understood mission or
identity. If it is a team or organization, this mission will be an
expression of what each team or company member really wants
and truly demonstrates in their moment-by-moment behavior.
Successful startup companies, for example, are ones whose
motivation is their passion for the work. Just as a strong sense of
self is the basis for individual confidence, so a coherent mission
is the base for a solid and attractive business.
The founder of Yahoo! says that he does this work because he
loves it, even previously when there was no money in it and he
believed there would never be a significant financial return. The
business is an expression of his personal identity. This company is
now valued in billions of dollars.
They hold and live out beliefs of excellence. They believe that:
❏ Each person is unique and it is important to respect that
difference.
❏ Everyone makes the best choice available to them at the
time they make it.
MODELING 165SystemsMissionBeliefs