Driving Excellence: Transforming your Organization’s Culture and Achieve Revolutionary Results
by Mark Aesch (Hyperion, 2011)
Our recession has pointed out to struggling businesses that in case you didn’t already know it, your business is broken.
You can’t do things the old way and survive. As Dylan used to say, “The times they are a changin’.”
We can’t fix our organizations without people and their willpower to set aside the status quo, take risks and do things differently. Generally, improvements in employee work is either selfishly motivated to save their jobs or organizationally motivated to operate more productively.
Mark Aesch’s fine book is about creating a new business culture for his business, basically a city-owned bus business. His basis of success lies in creating a culture of non-ego, eliminating competition within the team. My take on his actions is to turn the individual egos of the team members toward developing the team ego into a strong unit. The team should be focused on customer benefits rather than what I call “entitled neurosis” or the neurotic ego demands of employees.
When I picked up Driving Excellence, I never thought I would be interested in reading a book about a city bus transit system and I didn’t think that I would finish it. I was really surprised. Mark’s story is inspiring and his experiences can be influential if you want to transform your own business.
In April 2004, Mark Aesch was appointed the CEO of Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) and was confronted with a $27.5 million deficit. Two years later RGRTA has a $19.7 million surplus and its fares are the lowest they’ve been since 1991. Ridership has increased by 20% and customer satisfaction has never been higher.
Mark’s story takes him to the front lines of war with the union’s self-centered demands and their lack of customer service interest. His hard-edged story of these conflicts demonstrate his strength of character and dedication to the improvement through honest dialogue. The presence to continue to make the right decisions to benefit the whole. His battle took him from the union to the politicians–individuals who live by their votes rather than doing right-minded work directed toward efficiency.
Mark’s story is told directly without inflating himself or his ability to succeed. While reading I was encouraged to analyze our bookstore and its chemistry, even while studying the bus business, which I think is a testimony for his book and his work efforts.
Success for a small business requires team ego. Success is too difficult if all employees do not pursue one goal–the best customer service. Mark moved me so much with his story that I ordered four copies for my staff to study and pass around. By reading Mark’s influential book I hope Lemuria’s drive to excellence will achieve the goal of giving Jackson a top-notch local community bookstore. We don’t want to fall into the pitfall of entitled customer support; We want to earn our customers’ business. Lemuria will live or die by our choices. Lemuria needs to earn our community’s support and I hope we are up to the task. Mark, learning from your book, we appreciate the challenge.
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