From Good to Great: Unshakeable Truths – Chapter 1

Embarking on the journey from good to great is no small feat. For Emagineer, this transformation began with confronting some hard truths.

First, some backstory.

I've known for a while that Emagineer is a collection of good companies. For over two years, I tried my best to propel us from good to—well—better? Yet, I failed repeatedly. I couldn't get us past this invisible ceiling—a barrier of complacency and limited vision that kept us from realizing our full potential. I knew, innately, that we possessed what it takes to elevate beyond good. So I finally swallowed my pride and confronted the fact that, despite having a few successful companies under my belt, I alone did not possess the experience and wisdom to get us to better.

So I did something I had never done in my 12+ years: I reached out to my partner and best friend, Rudy Karsan—a seasoned entrepreneur who successfully led Kenexa to a $1.3 billion acquisition by IBM—to help me at a level I had been too stubborn and prideful to request before. And he answered. To be fair, I always knew I could call on him at any time. But I also knew it had to be the right moment—for me and for our companies. We needed to reach the level we're at today to truly leverage the decades of experience and wisdom Rudy brings when it comes to scaling companies. Now is that time.

During our intensive sessions, Rudy challenged us to reconsider our foundational beliefs, starting with our core values. The first assignment he gave our executive team was to read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. It's an immensely popular book, with summaries abundant across the web. Rudy mentioned that he had met Collins many times and that at Kenexa, he implemented much of the terminology and frameworks from Collins's work. Today, Rudy still employs the teachings from "Good to Great" in his myriad roles as an advisor, investor, board member, and more across multiple companies he's involved with.

Last week, Rudy flew into DFW for two days of intensive working sessions with my executive team. The way I would describe what we learned in those two days is simple: we absorbed lessons they don't teach you—or can't teach you—in an expensive MBA program.

The very first agenda item Rudy addressed was our core values. And he only presented two:

1. Learning Organization – Every person in the organization embraces curiosity, constantly learning and growing both professionally and personally.
2. Unshakeable Truth – The entire organization is driven by truth.

He then told us we needed to choose one to start with and asked our Emagineer executive team to decide. The vote came back: three in favor of Learning Organization and two in favor of Unshakeable Truth.

I was firmly in favor of Unshakeable Truth. As soon as I read it, a profound feeling surged within me—perhaps even a voice in my head—declaring that this embodies every aspect of not just Emagineer, but of myself. Unshakeable Truth is who I am; therefore, it's what Emagineer must be. Otherwise, Emagineer would not be aligned with who I truly am. If the founder and the organization are misaligned, the leap from good to great is nearly impossible.

While I also acknowledge that deep curiosity is a significant trait of mine—and that fostering a learning organization will eventually be part of our core values—I believed that what mattered most at this crucial moment for Emagineer to begin its journey to greatness was Unshakeable Truth.

After 30 minutes of spirited debate, it became clear I wasn't going to waver, and eventually, I persuaded the other three executives to back Unshakeable Truth. But what exactly is the Unshakeable Truth? We then proceeded to elaborate:

The Unshakeable Truths of Emagineer:

1. Respect trumps all.

In every interaction, we lead with respect, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued, regardless of hierarchy or role.

2. Challenge the truth, accept the truth.

We encourage open dialogue where beliefs are rigorously questioned, but once the facts are clear, we accept them without ego or resistance.

3. Be present and in the moment.

We commit to fully engaging in the here and now, giving our undivided attention to what matters most.

4. Establish lenses.

We seek to understand different perspectives by consciously adopting various viewpoints before forming conclusions.

5. Clear and concise articulation.

We communicate with precision and brevity, ensuring our messages are easily understood, reducing the risk of miscommunication.

6. Lead with curiosity, not assumptions.

Instead of making assumptions, we ask thoughtful questions that lead to greater clarity and deeper understanding.

7. Humility in all; silence ego.

We approach every situation with humility, recognizing that the team’s success is greater than individual pride.

8. Discipline.

We operate with consistency and focus, understanding that true progress requires sustained effort.

We defined eight core principles that embody our Unshakeable Truth. This may evolve over time but will never exceed ten principles.

Almost instantly, after we all agreed that Emagineer is about Unshakeable Truth, we embraced it wholeheartedly. We were able to voice truths to each other that we hadn't felt comfortable expressing before. We led with respect and established lenses when we communicated. We stopped running in circles; we began practicing clear and concise articulation. We challenged each other's truths respectfully, and once we established what was true, we accepted it.

It felt as if heavy shackles had been removed. Rudy, in his insightful and perhaps even prophetic ways, was able to initiate this journey from good to great with exactly what we needed. Acknowledging my need for help was a humbling experience, but it opened the door to unprecedented growth—for me and for Emagineer. And after establishing the Unshakeable Truth within us as the leading core value, the rest of the work session became that much more powerful. We are now beginning to construct the framework to give ourselves a real shot at becoming great.

Our journey from good to great has only just begun. Guided by Unshakeable Truth, we're giving ourselves a real chance at achieving greatness. I've promised to chronicle every step we take. Stay tuned for the next chapters.