Many years ago, Unilever went through a radical corporate transformation. They embraced a concept called “compassionate capitalism”. In practice, it meant developing products that cost $1 or less so people in Third World countries could afford them. It also meant the company introduced greener manufacturing practices like reducing the amount of water used. They lost billions in potential profits in their first few years of implementation.
Although their profit margins may have reduced, according to Unilever, they have evolved into a more sustainable and globally relevant company.
Just like in Government, in business, change requires political will and the capacity to say no to traditional ways of doing things – so called safe bets. It requires a level of idealism that refuses to accept the status quo but believes excellence is possible. It means following through on a vision for many years until it becomes reality. It’s the stubbornness to not settle for second best. This is demonstrated in so many ways like your recruitment process, for example. When you desperately need to fill a position; would you pick from the best of the batch or would you have the courage to say, “No. None of these candidates fits. I’d rather wait to find the right person than choose from currently available options”?