Outstanding leadership knows the power of Focus

I go to a computer store, decide on a make and model, pay with a credit card, and take the machine home. It's simple. Instead, the store says to pay 100% now, wait 8 weeks, and we will deliver the machine to your address.

Would you hesitate? I would.

My company mandated this back in 1995 for every order booked. As a member of the sales team, we resented it. Competition was tough, and this was making it even harder. We lamented why a company did not want sales.

Ability to focus

Organisations are living, breathing organisms.

They make decisions all the time.

The company decided to introduce new payment terms in the summer of 1995. They doubled down on that decision for the next few quarters and ensured new sales followed through—100%, no exceptions.

They forgo sales.

They let go of goodwill.

They asked its sales team to recover past dues from customers.

There was only ONE priority. Generate Cash!

The ability to fathom all your resources to a single priority is FOCUS

Good decisions have a happy ending!

Six months later, I was in the field. I called my office to check some matters. I was asked to immediately visit one of my customers, who wanted to speak to me.

When I reached the customer's office, it was 4 p.m. To my surprise, I was asked if my company was still interested in the order that had been declined earlier. Naturally, I asked the reasons.

I was informed that our competitor was unable to honor the commitment.

The lost order came back!

Vision to anticipate and courage to act

When I look back, this was one of many decisions the company made that were perhaps existential in hindsight.

The company boldly decided to politely return the orders if the customer disagreed with payment terms. They backed up their sales team, and a lost deal was not considered a blot on the resume.

• If a company is not making money, it does not suit anyone — Customers, employees, or the community. ˆ

  
  

• It is prudent sometimes to make hard decisions for the greater good.

  
  

• Companies need clarity to achieve their vision. They need focus to survive.

  
  

Three companies had complete dominance in computer hardware in India in the mid-nineties. Only one survived.

Good companies know how to FOCUS.