We have learned over the years that there is more than one successful way to run a company and grow a business. Many different models can be equally successful. But one of the things entrepreneurs can do that will have a positive impact on their company's success is to have all their team members using the same model. The team members need to all be on the same page at the same time, working in concert to accomplish the company's goals.

This starts with a well conceived and well communicated vision and mission, one that the team members can all share. Synogen can assist in crystallizing the company's vision and communicating its mission. It also helps to have a clear and compelling business plan and operational plan, which is also an area Synogen can help.

We have also found a few books that can be tremendously helpful for a growing business, and we invite you to read these and share them with members of your management team:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey is a must read. Its subtitle is "Powerful Lessons in Personal Change," and it's an accurate subtitle. The book was first published in 1990 and continues to be a bestseller (10 million copies). It isn't a quick-tips start-tomorrow kind of book. It's the polar opposite of the One Minute Manager (see below). You'll want to study the book, make notes, think about it and maybe re-read it. Covey lays out seven principles that are based on faith in self, community and a higher purpose. He shows how those principles lead to success, and he guides you on how to build upon the principles by practice. The book walks you through the paradigm change that Covey thinks is essential, explaining its effect on how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management and positive thinking.

Customers for Life by Carl Sewell should be required reading for every employee in your company, from the maintenance people to the lab techs and scientists to the administrative and sales staff and the CEO. It's the favorite of Harvard Business School professor Leonard A. Schlesinger, and it's easy to see why: Every page has a lesson for managers and employees in how to achieve a competitive advantage through service. Sewell's premise is that any business can turn one-time buyers into lifetime customers. But it doesn't work just for customers. It can be applied across the company, to suppliers, contractors, associates and fellow employees. It should be re-read once a year, and discussed periodically at company meetings to be sure everyone stays focused on the principles.

The One-Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard's classic book, is worth reading for three reasons: 1) so many people have read it that you should know what it says, 2) it is so quick and easy a read that you can do it in a few hours, and 3) it actually contains some very effective management techniques. Okay, so the third reason is the best one for reading it. You'll have to forgive the 5th-grade level on which it's written. Blanchard loves "parables," and all his books take on the aura of a children's book, this one included. But his message is simple, and it can be put to effective use in your business. Applying the principles can maximize positive results and minimize the time and effort it took to achieve those results. How? Basically, by being consistently communicative and consistent in your reactions. Areas covered include goal-setting, motivating, training, praising and reprimanding employees.