Organizational Clarity

Organizational Clarity

ENTREPRENEURS by Mark Gordon | Managing Editor

While relaxing on the deck of his North Carolina vacation home four years ago, Scott Fischer picked up a few books by how-to business guru Patrick Lencioni. Not exactly Grisham or Patterson.

But Fischer, founder and CEO of a Fort Myers-based chain of Harley Davidson dealerships, was hooked on Lencioni's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team." The book, a fable about culture clashes inside a Silicon Valley company struggling with a new CEO, was a breathtaking page-turner.

"I have all these issues that I'm reading about," Fischer remembers thinking as he excitedly read the book often assigned in MBA classes. "It was all happening to me."

Fischer, 46, read four other Lencioni books while on vacation. And then, as soon as he returned to Fort Myers, Fischer called Lencioni. He hired the author and his firm, the Table Group, to come to Fort Myers and show the staff at MotorSports Management Inc. how to get things done the Lencioni way.

Striving for an employee morale nirvana, and by extension the ultimate customer service harmony, is pricey: The Table Group cost $25,000 for a day and a half. "Best money I ever spent," says Fischer, who estimates he has spent at least $200,000 on various consultants and employee development over the past 10 years.

The investment has paid off. Fischer now runs one of the most successful Harley Davidson chains in the country. The company operates nine stores nationwide, including three in Southwest Florida and two in Michigan it bought last month. MotorSports Management's gross revenues were $98.9 million in 2005, up from $81.3 million in 2004 and $51.6 million in 2003. It has about 300 employees, up from 200 in 2004 and 135 in 2003.

Fischer traces the growth to one key concept he learned from Lencioni and the training. He calls it organizational health. It's essentially a one-page sheet listing the company's definition, purpose, values and strategy. But it might as well be the Hope Diamond: The document has become the most treasured piece of paper in the 16-year history of MotorSports.

Employees are asked to memorize its contents. Interview candidates are given the sheet and told if they can't abide by this philosophy don't bother working here. Executives bring it to meetings, and when someone goes off on a tangent or suggests a wacky idea - even a good wacky idea - someone invariably will whip out the document and ask if the idea sticks to the rules. Even Fischer is questioned about it, to make sure he follows the plan.

"Every company has to have organizational clarity," Fischer says. "It is the basis for making every decision."

Atypical resume

Fischer's resume isn't prototypical. He wasn't always a bright-eyed, Lencioni-disciple looking for the next edge in improving corporate communication and customer service.

At age 18, Fischer focused on racing motorcycles, not selling them. Fischer grew up in Columbus, Ohio. His father was constantly bringing home bikes and go-carts, so Fischer became hooked early on racing motorcycles in competitions whenever he could. He also started working at a local bike shop, sweeping floors at first and working his way up to repairing and assembling motorcycles.

But Fischer banged up his knees in several motorcycle spills when he turned 18, putting an end to his racing career. He kept working at bike shops, though, to the point where the owner of a Columbus-based Honda Motorcycles store hired him to run the place.

While still in his mid-20s, in 1987, Fischer moved to Fort Myers to run another bike store that he ultimately bought in 1990. He has since expanded to own another store in Fort Myers, as well as one in Naples, Huntsville, Ala., Hilton Head, S.C., Albuquerque, N.M., and Columbus. The pair of stores he bought in Ann Arbor, Mich., will be given the MotorSports name in the next few months.

Fischer's passion and energy is now put behind developing the perfect working environment. He is convinced that top employees with high morale, from front-door greeters to repair technicians, will lead to top customer service, and, ultimately, top profits.

Fischer is constantly searching for an edge and a better way to do things. When he drives through a car wash or gets a sandwich at a local deli, he's checking out how others do it. Recently, Fischer and some top MotorSports executives took a tour of Disney World for tips. "It's a sickness for me," he says. "I measure everywhere I go."

Works with consultants

Consultants with whom Fischer has worked say he's fanatical - in a good way - about having the discipline and focus to stick with the management techniques he reads and learns about.

"It's not rocket science," says Jeff Gibson, a vice president with the Table Group. "The challenge is executing it on a daily basis."

Gibson wishes more of his clients were like Fischer and actually utilized the training. One of the basics of the Table Group's philosophy, Gibson says, is setting organizational clarity. Fischer became obsessed with the concept, tweaking it to his now internally famous organizational health sheet.

Fischer also has worked with Lee Knapp, a Fort Myers training consultant for the last 10 years. Knapp uses a computer program called DISC behavioral profiling with each employee to improve internal communications.

Fischer also hires mystery shoppers extensively for all of his Harley outlets. He wants to see what people are doing wrong and how to fix it. Fischer says he is not competing with other motorcycle dealers; he is competing with the customer service they receive wherever they go.

"We are so consumed with how to create the customer experience," he says.

Organizational Health Sheet

Scott Fischer can usually be found with two things at his office in the back of one of the Harley Davidson dealerships he owns in Fort Myers: a smile and a copy of his organizational health sheet. Fischer calls it essential to making every company decision. Here's Fischer's bible:

Business definition: What we do? We sell, service and rent motorsport products and accessories and educate customers in the United States.

Core Purpose - Why do we do what we do; beyond just making money? To bring or add excitement and fun to people's lives.

Core values - What is important to us and must be maintained at all costs?

• Reliable: can be counted on;

• Committed: will work hard for the good of the company;

• Attitude: is positive and works toward creating/keeping positive relationships.

Strategy - How are we going to be better than our competitors? Strategic anchors are the few guiding pillars that provide the context for all other discussions.

• Exceptional customer experience

• Unique culture

• Employee development

• Growth

By the Numbers

MOTORSPORTS

SALES GROWTH

Year Revenues

2003 $51.6 million

2004 $81.3 million

2005 $98.9 million

Average annual growth: 39.5%