I've come to the conclusion that a major factor in a venture's long-term success is how seriously the staff takes matters. I'm not talking about how hard the staff works. That's different. People can work very hard. But that means less than taking their tasks seriously.

Being serious means knowing the importance of what one does, rather than just doing it. Some call it "buy in." It prove impossible, in the long run, to accomplish any forward motion without the staff taking their tasks seriously. You can implement new programs and people may perform their functions. But how well? Do they realize the importance?

Look around. You see a lot of people working, appearing productive. But are they serious?