Mindsets matter
Having the right individual with the right mindset onboard at the right time is critical.
If you are leading a Big Ortho organization, you don’t want “entrepreneurial” people.
If you are leading a Small Ortho company, you certainly don’t want “risk-avoiders”. Both are recipes for disaster.
Let’s look at the most effective mindsets for both Big Ortho and Small Ortho.
The Big Ortho Culture
For these large organizations, the mantra is “How do we grow sales and earnings by leveraging our people and systems?” The MO for the individual employee is “don’t screw up things.”
The organization focus is on short-term profits while avoiding risk. The individual employee is a cog in a giant system. The individual participates on a matrix team with people in different locations. The business has plenty of cash to fuel sales and leverage its systems.
What individual mindsets are most valuable in Big Ortho?
- Loyalty
- Risk avoidance
- Fitting into the existing system
- Supporting your boss and making him/her look good
The Small Ortho Culture
For the organization, the mantra is “How do we create a valuable product/service ASAP, while financially surviving?” The MO for the individual employee is “Be useful and transparent, or get out of the way.”
The organizational focus is on long-term incentives while taking risks in the short-term. Work culture is more human and feels like a small “tribe”. The primary focus is innovating to survive. The business processes come later. There is a small cash runway to fuel the company. The organization hopes to survive a few more months to survive a few more months.
What individual mindsets are most valuable in Small Ortho?
- Think like an owner, not an employee.
- Own any problem that you see.
- Actions trump thinking. You should act quickly with the information available (you cannot wait for 100% of the information, get 75% and go).
- Just do something and see if it works. Ask for forgiveness if necessary.
- Be 100% transparent. Use real talk, get problems on the table immediately, no hiding.
- Leave your ego at home.