True North Business

Values-Driven Organizational Hierarchy

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The Values-Driven Organizational Hierarchy shows how everything in an organization connects, from who you are down to how you measure success. Effective leadership sits at the centre of it all.

The hierarchy

Core Values — Who are we?

Purpose — Why do we exist?

Vision — Where are we going?

Those three flow into:

Super-Objectives — What do we want to accomplish every day?

Strategic Plans — What do we want to accomplish over the long term?

Tactical Plans — How can we get there? When do we want to arrive? Who can make it happen on schedule?

Measurable Goals — What are our numeric and timely measures of success?

Working ON the business, not just IN it

The diagram divides the hierarchy in two, and the split is the point:

  • 15% of leaders work ON the business while they work IN the business — the levels from core values down through strategic plans.
  • 85% of leaders work only IN the business — the tactical plans and measurable goals at the bottom.

The Values-Driven Organizational Hierarchy: Core Values, Purpose and Vision surrounding Effective Leadership, flowing down through Super-Objectives, Strategic Plans, Tactical Plans and Measurable Goals.

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