This four element model captures the four E's that make up organization excellence. It is a comprehensive look at the many systems

1. ™
E N VISIO N
The
E4
Model
™
EMPOWER
E4 ENGAGE
E Q U ILIBRATE
The center E stands for Excellence. The four “E’s” in excellence represent the four processes for
achieving excellence.
Envision: To provide a pathway forward by projecting the vision for the organization,
establishing missions, goals, measures and reporting mechanisms, and linking each unit and
individual to the overall strategic direction through this process.
Empower: To provide the organization’s members with the necessary means for success in the
forms of technical, social, and business skills, along with experience, coaching, equipment,
systems, information, and feedback required to be topnotch performers.
Engage: To encourage each member to responsibly contribute the maximum in his/her area of
expertise through a mix of participative structures and behaviors, and information sharing,
consultation, and autonomous decision making.
Equilibrate: To maintain a balance of efforts and rewards in order to equitably meet the needs of
all stakeholders in the organization including customers, investors, employees, suppliers, and
community, while protecting the environment.
When an organization practices the E4 Model, it brings into alignment the elements necessary
for the organization’s members to perform effectively in support of its vision. It explains the
future and how to get there, equips employees for success, includes everyone, and shares
equitably. This requires exceptional commitment on the part of leadership to invest in the
development of the organization’s human resources and willingly share decision making and
rewards on a broad basis – far beyond that typical in most firms. Living the E4 Model takes
courage in order to pursue unparalleled performance.
The E 4™ Model is a Trademark of :
The Business Center
120 Westview Lane
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
www.bizcenter.com
888-988-2275

2. ™
E N VISIO N
The
E4
Model
™
EMPOWER
E4 ENGAGE
Expanded E Q U ILIBRATE
Envision: To provide a pathway forward by projecting the vision for the organization,
establishing missions, goals, measures and reporting mechanisms, and linking each unit and
individual to the overall strategic direction through this process.
# Having and publicizing the vision for the organization.
# Having and publicizing a strategic direction and plan for pursuing the vision.
# Having coordinated missions for each major operating unit.
# Having a clear organization structure with well-defined roles.
# Providing job descriptions for individuals.
# Establishing periodic goals and objectives for the organization, its units, and individual
employees and ensuring their alignment.
# Having measurements like Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) to track progress against
goals.
Empower: To provide the organization’s members with the necessary means for success in the
forms of technical, social, and business skills, along with experience, coaching, equipment,
systems, information, and feedback required to be topnotch performers.
# Providing significant levels of training and development for all members of the
organization in the areas of:
# Technical/professional skills such as engineering, software design, computer
program usage, selling techniques, analytical problem solving, etc.
# Social skills such as communication, conflict resolution, team functioning, goal
setting, performance discussions, interviewing, etc.
# Business skills such as knowledge of financial statements, product lines, corporate
vision / strategy / structure, marketing, capital investment decision making, etc.
# Facilitating work experiences and job rotations to broaden perspectives and prepare multi
functional leaders.
# Paying special attention to the needs and retention of high performing and high potential
employees.
# Maintaining a leadership / key employee succession plan.
# Coaching and mentoring individual workers.
# Providing necessary capital, equipment, and supplies for successful performance.
# Providing adequate and current policies and procedures to conduct routine business.
# Providing systems that supply accurate and timely information and that emphasize direct
use of that information by the workers as well as upward reporting.
# Reporting results continuously in a visual format with tools like video screens.
# Delegating significant authority to units and individuals to perform their tasks
autonomously.
# Designing work so that feedback to individuals and groups is clear and immediate.
# Conducting employee and customer surveys and addressing issues.

3. Engage: To encourage each member to responsibly contribute the maximum in his/her area of
expertise through a mix of participative structures and behaviors, and information sharing,
consultation, and autonomous decision making.
# Treating employees with dignity and respect and continuously soliciting their inputs and
praising their contributions.
# Designing individual jobs to contain intrinsically motivating factors like task significance,
skill variety, autonomy, and immediate feedback from the work itself.
# Creating and using dynamic work units like work teams to perform ongoing work.
# Using task forces, Kaizen teams, lean teams, problem solving teams, etc. to tackle one-
time issues.
# Using standing committees to link groups for addressing common issues like quality,
safety, etc.
# Using suggestions plans or other mechanisms to solicit and consider employee ideas for
improvement; quickly responding to all ideas and implementing appropriate ones.
# Providing timely and understandable information about organization and unit
performance, and steps for maintaining and improving it, by using balanced scorecards,
dashboards, huddles, etc.
# Providing organization-level recognition for superior performance for units and
individuals.
# Maintaining union-management cooperative initiatives where employees are represented.
Equilibrate: To maintain a balance of efforts and rewards in order to equitably meet the needs of
all stakeholders in the organization including customers, investors, employees, suppliers, and
community, while protecting the environment. This includes:
# Achieving financial results that sustain and grow the organization to secure its future.
# Measuring stockholder return and maintaining results that are competitive for the
industry.
# Surveying customers and maintaining satisfaction that is competitive in the industry.
# Conducting wage surveys and maintaining competitive wages and benefits based upon
the labor market and the organization’s ability to pay.
# Providing effective individual and/or group incentives / bonuses (such as gainsharing) for
successful performance.
# Aligning executive pay with overall workforce pay and market rates.
# Negotiating supplier contracts that are fair and equitable and promote the continued
operation of the supplier.
# Having and enforcing an ethics policy.
# Operating in a manner that maintains and enhances the natural environment.
# Being active and supportive in local communities.
# Advocating for fair and effective standards, laws, and regulations.
The E4 ™Model is a Trademark of :
The Business Center
120 W estview Lane
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
www.bizcenter.com
888-988-2275