Wouldn't it be great if there were a build-a-brand kit that provided all the pieces necessary to construct the perfect business?


You could have it delivered to the office just like a cabinet from IKEA. The flat carton would contain the components, the fasteners in a bag, and a special tool to put it all together. It would probably be labeled in Swedish as: SÄLLSKAP (company), FRAMGÅNG (success) or BRÄNDJÄRN (brand).
While not pre-packaged, there is a way you can assemble (or re-assemble) your company using only the best parts.
This is where Dr. Victor Frankenstein enters the scene.
This character in Mary Shelly's book "The Modern Prometheus" (better known as "Frankenstein") had the right idea. Find the best parts you need to build what you want.
He needed and found a head, a brain, eyes, a heart, arms and legs, the torso, and the rest - stitching them together to form a whole new thing. A company needs the same.
The mistake Dr. F made, was he used expired parts. It's no wonder he found his creation revolting (and spend most of the book hiding from it). We're going to use only the best, living parts for our creation.

Your Laboratory

Here are key steps to building your creation.
Identify - Which parts of your company are you missing or need attention? For example:

• Brain = smarts and innovation
  
• Heart = passion and compassion
  
• Eyes = vision for the future
  
• Feet = swiftness
  
• Torso = flexibility
  
• Hands = dexterity and ability to fix mistakes
  

Seek - Find role model people, companies, or organizations that are doing an exemplary job managing these parts.
Gather - Get the parts from the other companies. Learn what they're doing. Study, research, read about, call, and meet with the company to understand. (Be prepared to give some of your own parts in exchange.)
Assemble - Share what you've gained within your organization. Stitch them into your organization.
Reanimate - The jolt of a lightning bolt sparks to life Frankenstein's creation. Find a way to spark excitement in your own organization.
Which parts from which companies would you choose?
By the way... on a related note, Marketing Medic John Moore of the Brand Autopsy Marketing Practice has created a presentation to help you perform a Marketing Physical. Check it out.