The reasons for this very often lie in the company itself: There is no clear, well-founded and commonly shared image of its own uniqueness. There is no shared conviction of the organisation's undeniable strengths - and its collective ability to repeatedly muster the energy to "win" in the market.

At the latest when the founder leaves a company, this awareness of the organisation's own "success DNA" can be lost over time. And this has drastic consequences for its long-term competitiveness and value creation.

Do the self-test

Answer this question: What does your company stand for that is relevant to your customers, inspiring to your employees and difficult for your competitors to copy?

Can you answer this question immediately, with inner conviction and in simple words? Great! Does this also apply to your management? And for your employees? Super! Didn't you have a convincing answer ready right away? Make finding it a top priority!

Because if the owners, the management and the employees do not know with conviction and in detail what makes their company stand out, you can be absolutely sure: outside people such as customers, investors and business partners definitely have no idea. Often, it is merely chance that decides what a customer or a potential new employee learns about the company. And that is the opposite of a professionally managed company.

If specific performance knowledge is lacking, communication and advertising too often have to fall back on interchangeable phrases. Empty phrases that could just as well come from competitors and have no effect in the market. Far too often, business then passes the company by! And that's not how it should be - especially if the company is still to exist in five or ten years.

In search of the company's "success DNA".

Now the good news: this "inner decay process" can be stopped! If the management and the employees are willing to deal with themselves and with their customers seriously, jointly and in detail.

Together, the special features of the company - its "success DNA" with all its performance-related and cultural strengths - can be worked out. They can be found throughout the company. On different levels, for example:

• In the company's evolved relationships with its customers, partners and suppliers.

• In the services and activities that can be experienced by the customers - especially the products, the services, the communication, the method of distribution, the behaviour of the employees.

• In all backward-looking corporate areas and value-added processes, from research and development to purchasing, production, marketing, sales and human resources management.

• But also in the history, as well as the culture and attitude of the organisation. In the values that are shared. The (meaningful) goals that are pursued together. In the way one understands oneself, how one leads on a daily basis, how decisions are made or conflicts are resolved.

Confidently shaping the company on the basis of the "success DNA".

The special features uncovered - these are countless in every company - can be structured in detail as a "success DNA", condensed and fed to the top management for self-confident, entrepreneurial shaping. They can be used to substantially strengthen the entire company - from within - and to lead it into the future.

The central fields of action in which noticeable improvements can be realised with the "success DNA" are:

• The corporate identity: values and behaviours of the company that create identity can be communicated much more convincingly to the employees. Even in the "distant" international subsidiaries.

• Communication: Advertising messages and performance promises can be specified more precisely and authenticated with facts. Unique storytelling is promoted that stands out from the generic noise of what is often standard industry communication.

• The performance: All offers and activities from all areas in the company (communication, products, distribution, personnel, service, etc.) can be checked for their fit with the "success DNA"; focus areas can be determined, deviations and weaknesses can be recorded, evaluated and improved.

• Strategy and innovation: Future-oriented activities can be identified and designed in line with the "success DNA", such as new growth areas - or the introduction of new products and new means of communication or changes in human resources policy.

In DNA, every company is unique

Practice shows that many companies are not yet fully aware of these opportunities. But anyone who wants to realize their full business potential should start looking for the special features and strengths of their company today. They should work out their "success DNA" in detail. They should value it, nurture it and consistently build the future of their company upon it.

Author: Bastian Schneider