Success in traditional organizations often looks like a race to the top. Titles, bonuses, and decision-making power become the markers of achievement. Employees climb the hierarchy one rung at a time, hoping that leadership will eventually recognize their worth.
But what happens when success is defined by competition instead of collaboration? What if it’s not about climbing higher, but about contributing deeper?
It’s not just about hitting goals. It’s about helping people believe they’re capable of more—and that their contributions matter.
In collaborative organizations that use the TIGERS 6 Principles, success is redefined. It’s not a solo pursuit—it’s a shared journey. And it doesn’t just benefit individuals. It fuels company-wide innovation, growth, and sustainability.
Success Is a Balance Between People and Performance
One of the most harmful assumptions in hierarchical workplaces is that every high performer should become a manager.
At its core, the TIGERS 6 Principles definition of success is about balance—between the people doing the work and the work being done. Metrics matter. But so does morale. Initiative matters. But so does inclusion.
When teams celebrate even the smallest wins—solving a communication problem, implementing a new process, or completing a planning milestone—they build momentum. Recognition, when tied to real results and celebrated in community, becomes a performance accelerant.
It’s not just about hitting goals. It’s about helping people believe they’re capable of more—and that their contributions matter.
That belief? It sticks. Especially in times of change.
Change Without Celebration Feels Like a Grind
Change management experts know when employees feel like their efforts go unnoticed, fatigue sets in fast. One of the most powerful yet overlooked motivators during change is recognition of progress—even small steps.
Celebrating success in real time doesn’t just boost engagement—it creates the psychological safety needed for continued innovation. It says, “We see you. We value this. Let’s keep going.”
And that matters. Because every big win is made of smaller, often invisible, victories.
Collaborative Success Builds Capability, Not Just Output
Organizations like Bob’s Red Mill and Gardener’s Supply embody this shift in philosophy. These companies have proven that it’s possible to achieve extraordinary results with fewer people—if those people are fully engaged, cross-trained, and committed.
Their approach to success includes:
- Cross-training across departments, so employees build diverse skillsets
- Short-term planning and innovation teams, where people contribute based on interest and ability—not title
- Open-book leadership, where financial literacy and shared accountability are standard
- Profit-sharing, where performance-based rewards extend company-wide—not just to executives
These are cultures where success is felt—not just reported.
Not Everyone Wants to Lead—and That’s Okay
One of the most harmful assumptions in hierarchical workplaces is that every high performer should become a manager. But leadership is a calling—not a checkbox on a promotion track.
In TIGERS-based systems, employees grow through:
- Rotational projects
- Problem-solving teams
- Strategy groups
- Innovation labs
And when someone does rise into leadership, it’s because they’ve demonstrated behaviors aligned with trust, interdependence, empathy, and risk-taking. They’re not promoted into roles they’re not prepared for—they’re invited into them.
Shared Success Turns Employees into Stakeholders
Perhaps the most exciting result of collaborative success models is what happens when long-term planning meets trust-based leadership.
Some organizations—like Bob’s Red Mill—have taken it a step further, implementing employee ownership models that allow business founders to sell their companies to the people who helped build them.
It’s the ultimate recognition. And it’s only possible when success has been distributed—when people are more than staff. They’re invested.
And when people are invested, they think long-term. They solve root-cause problems. They contribute beyond their job description. And they support company growth like it’s their own future—because it is.
Because success isn’t a title or a race—it’s a team experience you can design on purpose.
Recognition That Works: Beyond Executive Bonuses
In many traditional organizations, success is recognized at the top. Executive bonuses grow while frontline teams remain unseen.
But in collaborative cultures, recognition is:
- Shared
- Public
- Tied to effort and behavior
- Measured by both outcomes and impact
It’s not just “Employee of the Month.” It’s bonuses tied to productivity and cost-saving improvements. It’s meaningful feedback. It’s celebration that aligns with purpose.
And yes—wages tend to be higher in these organizations, too. Because success isn’t hoarded. It’s spread.
Build Success into Your Culture—Not Just Your Dashboard
So how do you build a culture of shared success?
Start small:
- Recognize micro-wins as indicators of growth
- Tie goals to team values, not just performance metrics
- Make success feel accessible, not exclusive
- Ask employees where they want to grow—and let that guide development paths
And most importantly—celebrate. Celebrate progress. Celebrate collaboration. Celebrate people.
Because in today’s workplaces, success isn’t what you reach. It’s what you build together.
And if you’re ready to build it with structure, purpose, and a system that sticks—our 6 Principles that Build High Performance Teams + Leadership Toolkit is the next step.
This self-paced training gives you:
- A deep dive into the six measurable behaviors that drive collaboration and performance
- A downloadable toolkit with action steps you can use right away
- Insight into why teams struggle—and how to shift those dynamics, fast
- Plus, strategic direction for becoming the kind of leader employees want to grow with
If you’ve resonated with what you’ve read here, you’re already aligned with the TIGERS 6 Principles. This course helps you move from knowing to doing—with the support and clarity you’ve been looking for.
Because success isn’t a title or a race—it’s a team experience you can design on purpose.
Copyright TIGERS Success Series, Inc. by Dianne Crampton
The TIGERS 6 Principles empower Executives and Consultants with a comprehensive collaborative work culture and leadership system to resolve avoidable talent, engagement and work community problems that stunt growth.
A researched and validated collaborative work culture and facilitative leadership model, licensing is available for HR Executives, Operations and Project Managers, Consultants and Coaches to improve their operations and client success.
Schedule a call to secure a tour of the comprehensive TIGERS 6 Principles system.
Want more tips like these? Receive our newsletter to have insights delivered right to your mailbox.
