'Defining Success - The Conference Insider.'

Defining organisational success in the current era of mistrust and cynicism towards big business is more complex than ever. Increasingly, success is being viewed in terms of the organisation’s culture, and, more so, how this affects both its employees and the wider world.  Success could be where an employee is able to speak to anyone within their business without fear of retaliation and reprimand, where ideas come from everyone throughout the company structure without fear of failure or not being heard, and where an environment of trust exists within the company, not just between employees but between the business and its customers.  This not only makes a better working culture, but creates a loyal client base that inevitably generates higher revenues. 

Just look at some of the more profitable and fastest growing companies of the moment.  Apple, Google, Starbucks, Facebook and Innocent all have open working environments that promote flexibility and innovation, and all prosper economically as a consequence. Smashburger has entered the already incredibly over-saturated hamburger market in the USA, and is now the fastest growing company in America because it values its employees and their customers. The real financial returns on a friendly and non-hierarchal working environment are evident, and the benefit to the well-being, happiness, and engagement of employees is even more striking. 

One of the conference sessions at this year’s HRD conference in April (25-26 April 2012, at Olympia in London) looks at transformational leadership.  Speakers Norman Pickavance of Morrisons and Tea Colaianni of Merlin Entertainments have both used positive messages from the top of their organisation to generate passion and engagement all the way to the bottom, resulting in continued growth for both companies.  It should be a fascinating insight into an issue that will increasingly define how success is defined in business.  To see the full conference agenda at HRD this year and to book your place go to www.cipd.co.uk/bookhrd.