Context: the
circumstances or events that form the environment within
which something exists or takes place
Content: the amount of
something contained in something else
Most of what we hear
about today is the content of business-- like how things are
done, what things should be done when and prioritizing the
'doingness' of business. It's also where most business
owners spend most of their time.
I'm more interested in
the CONTEXT of business. It's not that content isn't
important or interesting--it is. But I don't think the
context--the framework and parameters of a business--gets
the attention it deserves.
Context shapes the
content. If you have a bowl (the context), you can put
almost anything in it (the content). You can pour water,
corn flakes, bourbon or diamonds into it, and it will take
on the shape of the bowl.
But without the
context, the contents have no shape. They have no place to
be.
An organization is
like that, too. The structure of the business--the
boundaries, rules, values, vision and mission all help to
f0rm the context. They create integrity.
Business contents
change and evolve. But the right framework can last for
centuries. Principles don't change, but management practices
and even the kind of business conducted does change.
I've been studying
successful people and successful companies for over thirty
years. I was determined to learn the principles that shape
and mould a world class company. It doesn't matter whether
you're manufacturing flat irons, running a restaurant,
managing a municipality or operating a dry cleaning
business-- the Ten Pillars of a World Class Business work in
any business.
If all of your
attention is directed at the busyness of business--which is
what most people do--then the value of what you do and the
longevity of your business can easily be lost.
Action Point
Invest the time to
create a better context for your business-- one that will
allow you to have an enterprise with staying power--one that
can endure a 100 years or more. Learn the principles that
work. Put forth the energy to build the foundation and
structure that will increase the value of the service and/or
products you produce.
With the right
context, you will more easily stay in business, accomplish
your purpose, increase profit$ and stand out in your
industry.
Privacy Statement
Is
Context More Important than Content?, by Michael Angier