Profits - a good steady, better than average return for type of business

Enjoyment - their happy with their investment, customers and staff are happy. Theyre all smiling.

So how do you progress to fulfil all these measures? What strategy should you follow?

I would recommend using natures strategy - fundamentals of evolution and genetics that can cope with an ever-changing business environment and yet create great species.

The only thing that is certain is change.

Here are two factors you need to get on top of measures that determine a great business

Control and stability - nature reproduces with great fidelity - only making one mistake in 1 billion, you need to learn how to do your work predictably and reliably, time and time again over generations of staff that will move through your business.

Constantly adapt - nature has great diversity and variety. This diversity stems from these rare reproduction errors or mutations in genetic building block structure. These new genes that lead to new traits or capabilities that sometimes give a better fit or have an advantage in current environment and so flourish. Its survival of fittest.

Nature does not start all over again with a fresh start, it builds on best it has today.

To mimic this process in business you must move slowly and in small steps, build everything in building blocks, and learn from your mistakes and that of others. To gain diversity you need to maximise outside influence, for example, by building a powerful contact network and hiring staff with different backgrounds to bring new capabilities and skills.

Your first move to becoming a great business by meeting above customer and staff measures is to begin to adapt slowly, building on best you have today to gain control and enhance your diversity or capability.

Then what's problem? Simply this: relative to time and energy he has invested in his job, Mr Brown is underpaid. Period.

But a few weeks ago, he took bull by horns.

Knocking on Mr Thompson's door, he explained that, in long run, a hefty raise would be in company's interest as much as his own. In return, moreover, he would be very happy to take on extra responsibilities.

Our COO seemed more than sympathetic. The vice president in charge of budget was out of country at that moment, but Mr Thompson promised to raise matter immediately on VP's return. In all probability, his consent would be a mere formality.

Today is day that has been set down for verdict to be delivered.

The butterflies in our supervisor's stomach give way to cautious optimism as he enters his superior's office. He has faith in justice of his cause, and isn't Mr Thompson on his side?

''Ah, Mr Brown, good to see you!''

Mr Thompson's warm smile suddenly freezes in mid-air. His face seems to change color - or perhaps we're just imagining it?

''Ahem...Yes...'' He pauses for proverbial two seconds that seem like an eternity. What's matter? Has Mr Thompson, who never forgets anything, only just remembered something important?

''Look, I'm sorry, I didn't have a chance to discuss that matter with Mr Hodgkinson yet, but I have some important information in connection with our machinery problems. Can you make a note of a few things?''

But Mr Brown, epitome of conscientiousness, is as human as next person. He's hardly in a state for mental notes.

The kind of emotional blackout work supervisor is now experiencing is an obstacle to effective communication as real as it's intangible.

It's no less of a barrier than noise of a pneumatic drill punctuating conversation of two people in street. -----------

Copyright, Azriel Winnett. All rights reserved.

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Azriel Winnett is the creator of Hodu.Com - Your Communication Skills Portal . This popular Web destination helps you enhance your communication skills at all levels - in business and the professions, in marriage and the family unit and on the social scene. New articles and tutorials added weekly.