The Five Domains of a High-Performance Organization™

Over the past 40 years, i4cp has conducted hundreds of studies of the many elements that combine to form the foundations of top organizations. In doing so, i4cp has identified five core human capital areas - what we refer to as the "domains" of expertise - that high-performance organizations share.

What is a high-performance organization?

High-performance organizations are the exemplars of successful businesses. They represent real-world models of a modern managerial ideal: organizations that excel in so many areas that they consistently outperform competitors for extended periods of time.

How to become a high-performing organization

Companies that excel in the following five key human capital domains are more likely to outperform competitors, engage employees and realize bottom-line impact. The five domains of i4cp's high-performance organization system are as follows:

1. Strategy
An organization's human capital must be aligned to the business strategy so that every employee is focused on the same goal.

2. Leadership
Leaders must communicate performance expectations, develop and promote the right people and convince employees that their behaviors are critical to success.

3. Talent
HR strategy must be developed around the business model to ensure that the proper human capital components are put in place to drive business value.

4. Culture
The values and beliefs at all levels and in all departments must be aligned, and existing and future leaders should be role models for this culture.

5. Market
Every employee in the organization should understand the marketplace and customers and should know how his or her job impacts business results.