Think of any committed personal relationship between two people. Soon after that first date we start to ‘clarify direction’ by talking about and sharing the things that matter to us, then as time goes by we ‘develop trust’ by discussing issues such as money, fidelity or the work we both do. All things being equal, such a couple will strive to ‘enhance performance’ by creating a happy, enjoyable and fulfilling relationship over time.

Direction, Trust and Performance, in this sequence, are eternal truths for all relationships. It is only time and circumstance that changes.

Exactly the same principles apply in any organisation, be they public, private or ‘not for profit’. We also need to ‘clarify direction’ so that everyone knows what their role is in the success of the organisation and is in alignment for the journey. Then we need to ‘develop trust’ by getting closer to our colleagues, closer to our staff, stakeholders and customers. This in turn will lead to ‘enhance performance’ by identifying, sharing and leveraging what it is that makes people special. This is the key to innovation and creativity; innovation and creativity are essential to develop and sustain competitive advantage. And the more transparent the culture the easier it will be to achieve this.