Key Ingredients for Sustained Excellence

The pursuit of sustained excellence constantly challenges large and small organizations. What are the key ingredients for each particular establishment? What level of attention should be appropriated to differing internal levels? An analysis of recently published theories on sustained excellence identified recurring themes of leadership, planning, and empowerment. The significant departure from past theories rested in a consistent undercurrent to more deeply integrate stakeholders into decision making processes. These new concepts advocate paradigm shifts from past theories which centered on maximizing technological advantages and exclusively reserving decision making to the management team. Review, analysis, and comparison of many respected authors on organizational dynamics surfaced three prevalent themes of principle-centered leadership, growth based preparatory planning, and progressive empowerment as pivotal to achieving and sustaining high individual and organizational performance levels. Persistent advocacy for individual commitment to a shared vision in a mutually respectful, proactive environment dominated all the reviewed concepts of organizational dynamics. The impetus for success consistently rested on seeking, attaining, and enlightening the resolve of individuals to commit to personal growth, creativity, and responsibility toward effective achievement of personal and organizational visions and goals. Leadership, planning, and empowerment, properly focused, contain the capacity to elevate individualistic potential and deliver sustained excellence through the collective whole's commitment to synergetic growth and interdependent productivity.