The Supercharge Alternative
"What if we started with the people instead of the process?"
This question came from a CEO who had watched three competitors implement operating systems with mixed results. The systems delivered efficiency, but the human cost was visible with higher turnover, lower innovation, decreased employee satisfaction.
This is where Supercharge offers a fundamentally different approach.
David Norman's Supercharge methodology recognizes a critical truth: sustainable business excellence flows from human excellence not from perfectly implemented operating systems. Instead of starting with systems and hoping people adapt, Supercharge begins with people and then builds systems that amplify their natural gifts and strengths.
The core premise is elegant: When people feel genuinely valued, deeply connected to purpose, and empowered to contribute their best thinking, they naturally create the conditions for operational excellence. The system becomes an expression of culture rather than a replacement for it.
Here's how Supercharge differs from traditional operating system implementation:
Purpose Before Process: Rather than starting with organizational charts and accountability structures, Supercharge begins with discovering what genuinely motivates each person. What are their unique gifts? What kind of work energizes them? How do their personal values align with organizational purpose?
Relationships Before Rules: Instead of focusing first on policies and procedures, Supercharge invests in building authentic connections among team members. When people trust each other deeply, they can navigate conflicts, share difficult feedback, and collaborate naturally.
Engagement Before Enforcement: Rather than implementing tracking and accountability mechanisms immediately, Supercharge focuses on creating conditions where people want to excel. When intrinsic motivation is high, external accountability becomes supportive rather than punitive.
Growth Before Goals: Instead of setting performance targets and expecting people to hit them, Supercharge invests in developing people's capabilities and confidence. When people are growing, they naturally set higher standards for themselves and for the organizations they inhabit.
This isn't soft management or feel-good philosophy. It's a recognition that human beings are not machines to be optimized but complex, creative, intrinsically motivated individuals who perform best when they feel valued and empowered.
I recently worked with a hospitality services firm that implemented Supercharge before adding operational structure. They spent some time upfront on what they called "foundation building" that involved helping people discover their gifts, building trust within teams, and creating clear connections between individual purpose and company mission.
When they subsequently implemented their chosen operating system, something remarkable happened. People didn't just accept the new structure - they actively improved it. They suggested better metrics, refined processes, broke down silos, and held themselves accountable to higher standards than management had initially considered.
The CEO reflected, "We thought we were taking a longer path, but we actually got to excellence faster because people were pulling in the same direction instead of being pushed."
Next week: We'll explore how this approach transforms workplace culture from competitive to collaborative.
Start with people, and excellence will follow. Read Supercharge to learn how. Order now for exclusive insights and implementation guides.
Transform your approach with field-tested frameworks designed specifically for small business. Access our White Paper on creating authentic community-enhanced leadership.. Sign up for our enewsletter below to get your free copy!
