25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It takes discipline to benefit from these "Six Disciplines", June 1, 2005
This review is from: Six Disciplines for Excellence (Paperback)
First, I want to share remarks by Jack Welch when explaining why he admires small businesses: "For one, they communicate better. Without the din and prattle of bureaucracy, people listen as well as talk; and since there are fewer of them they generally know and understand each other. Second, small companies move faster. They know the penalties for hesitation in the marketplace. Third, in small companies, with fewer layers and less camouflage, the leaders show up very clearly on the screen. Their performance and its impact are clear to everyone. And, finally, smaller companies waste less. They spend less time in endless reviews and approvals and politics and paper drills. They have fewer people; therefore they can only do the important things. Their people are free to direct their energy and attention toward the marketplace rather than fighting bureaucracy." Next, some observations by Michael Gerber: "Of the 1 million U.S. small businesses started this year [2005], more than 80% of them will be out of business within 5 years and 96% will have closed their doors before their 10th birthday."
Everything Welch says is true in terms of the potential advantages which small businesses have and the statistics which Gerber cites suggest that very few of them know how to achieve and then sustain those advantages. As Harpst explains, this book was written for decision-makers in established small businesses which, typically, employ 10 to 100 people. How does his book differ from others which also discuss business improvement? "First, [unlike most other books] which focus 80% on principles and 20% on implementation, this book's content [begin italics] is focused 20% on principles and 80% on implementation [end italics]....Second, the [Six Disciplines] Methodology is [begin italics] designed specifically for small businesses [end italics]....Third, the Six Disciplines Methodology is the first methodology to [begin italics] distill and integrate what were designed as separate best practices into one cohesive whole [end italics]."
Harpst devotes a separate chapter to each of the six Disciplines: Decide What's Important, Set Goals That Lead, Align Systems, Work the Plan, Innovate Purposefully, and Step Back. True to his word, Harpst focuses most of his attention on HOW to derive maximum benefit from each of the six separate but interdependent Disciplines. In my opinion, he has positioned them in the most appropriate sequence, helping his reader to understand that business improvement must be viewed and initiated as a cohesive and comprehensive process. He correctly emphasizes the importance of definition, clarification, identification, measurement, evaluation, and when appropriate, modification and adjustment. Each small business really is a "work in process" which, hopefully, involves progress or improvement rather than deterioration.
Over the years, I have worked closely with hundreds of small companies and agree with the owner/CEO of one of them who confided that he viewed his own company as it were a young grandchild entrusted to his care. "I have to keep an eye on it all the time. Be alert to potential dangers. Let it wander a bit but keep it away from trouble. Make sure it is safe. Feed it. Clean it. Provide love and care and support and encouragement. But make certain that it knows what the rules are...and follows them. Let it have fun but not break anything. Sometimes it's exhausting but I love it!"
To me, Chapter 6 (Discipline III: Align Systems) is especially valuable. In it, Harpst explains how to identify and then correct misalignments in areas such as processes, policies, measures (i.e. metrics), technologies, and people. All of these business components are interdependent. That is to say, it is difficult (if not impossible) to measure human performance accurately if competent people are not involved in the right process, guided by the right policies, following the right procedures, and provided with the right resources (e.g. hardware, software, equipment, work environment). Conversely, business improvement cannot be achieved by incompetent and untrainable people, however appropriate the given processes, policies, measures, and technologies may be. Proper alignment must include everyone and everything. Harpst explains how such alignment can be achieved and then sustained.
Before concluding this commentary, I presume to suggest that many decision-makers in all organizations (regardless of size or nature) demonstrate what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton characterize as "The Knowing-Doing Gap": they have at least an adequate understanding of what business improvement requires but, for whatever reasons, fail to achieve it. Books such as Harpst's are essentially worthless unless and until the information and counsel they provide are applied effectively to the needs of a given organization. Darrell Royal was correct when asserting that "potential" means "you ain't done it yet."
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Steven S. Little's The 7 Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth, Michael Gerber's E-Myth Mastery, and Jason Jennings' Think Big, Act Small.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A must for the serious business entrepreneur., November 5, 2005
This review is from: Six Disciplines for Excellence (Paperback)
I recently read "Six Disciplines for Excellence: Building Small Businesses That Learn, Lead and Last" by Gary Harpst. Within the book, Harpst has created a business-building methodology utilizing six fundamental business disciplines that are specifically designed to help small businesses move beyond today's successes into enduring satisfaction and greatness.
The problem, for most of us, isn't knowing what to do - but doing it. Gary Harpst says "When it comes to achieving excellence, figuring out the right things to do isn't nearly as difficult as continuing to do them over the long term." This book sticks to this concept as it pushed though on the execution and implementation of the principles it covers.
Harpst's principles are simple:
1. Decide what's important
2. Set goals that lead
3. Align systems
4. Work the plan
5. Innovate purposefully
6. Step back
The complexity comes when we investigate each discipline more thoroughly. Within each, Harpst uses diagrams, questionnaires, steps, tips and templates to bring each one into focus. It contains an impressive quantity of practical information and real world examples, which can be a bit daunting for the reader, yet highly beneficial.
This hands-on book goes beyond the fluff that many other business books serve up, and offers a real world business plan. It is well tailored to small businesses and is great for those who want a strong framework to build or begin their business. It is a long-term business plan, not a quick route to success, but for those who take the time to read it, the payoffs can be astounding. I recommend this book for anyone who is serious about a better business.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive, Practical Guide To Business Excellence, January 18, 2005
This review is from: Six Disciplines for Excellence (Paperback)
Of the many books written by people who have built significant businesses, Gary Harpst's offering, Six Disciplines for Excellence, is truly different and refreshing. Too often, many such books are long on theory and short on practicality. In addition to presenting the combined thinking of some of today's best business minds, Mr. Harpst's book also details step-by-step the unique business methodology that he developed and successfully used to build an award-winning international software business. Along the way, he stresses the human factors of business building, including empowering and involving people, building lasting relationships, and communicating effectively. Six Disciplines for Excellence is a valuable addition to the library of anyone who wants to achieve business excellence - and do it with integrity.
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