The Art of Business

Developing a business that is compelling and will attract employees, suppliers and clients or customers is an Art. The principles that dictate the construction of a fine work of art also lay behind the creation of a great business. Most art literature will confirm that the following three principles are generally accepted principles for constructing a compelling piece of art.


Unity

In a piece of art all of the parts will form a unified whole that is dependent on them, while they may embody or reflect the entirety of the whole itself. The work of art is one where the whole is more than the sum of its parts. It has emergent properties that could only exist with the particular grouping of parts in the way the artist has formed them.

In a business the owner designs a unified whole out of the parts that make up the business. The employees must reflect the needs of the business and the clients while the systems and processes must complement the skills of the employees and demands of the customers. The business artist is simply working with a different set of materials but his or her goal is to create a unified whole. A business that can consistently provide a high level of product and service quality.

 

Which chart best describes the concept?

Dominance

There must be a theme or a dominant part of the structure. There must be a focus that reflects in itself the reason for the piece to exist and the feeling that it will convey to the viewer. The key is that the themes are dominant and run throughout the piece of art.

Dominance as a principle for business construction reflects the values and message that the owner/artist wants to convey to all parties that are involved in the business. Are you service dominant, or product dominant. Are you systems dominant or employee dominant. What do you want your business to be recognized for in the market place? A business that is not noted for anything is also not memorable!

 

Which chart best describes the concept?

Balance

The artist, to make sure that the piece of art is not weighted disproportionately, uses Balance. When this does not occur it creates a feeling of imbalance for the viewer and it distracts from the whole experience of the painting. Unlike the principle of Dominance, playing off a part of equal weight against another creates Balance.

In business the owner/artist also needs to create balance. Too much emphasis or investment in one aspect at the expense of the others will create a business that runs in fits and starts. You can emphasize but you cannot neglect. Too many business owners neglect aspects of their business simply because they are not interested. That would be like a painter forgetting neglecting to clean his brushes because he was more interested in the act of painting. While it may not be the most interesting aspect of the business it may be the one that ends up neglected and doing in the business.

Which chart best describes the concept?

The Business Artist that keeps these three principles of Unity, Dominance and Balance in mind will have a far greater chance of creating a business work of art. Further a business that is a work of art will surprise and captivate all that come in contact with it. This not only is satisfying for the business artist but also creates great value. As with great art the world does not need a replica of a business that already exists. It needs new businesses that run better, serve better and create great value. A business that literally glows with beauty of its design.

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