We conclude the BASICS framework with S for Sustain, tackling the core question that determines business valuation and legacy: "If the company can't live without you, do you have a company or do you have a job?".

Sustain is the ultimate exit strategy. The entire BASICS process (Brute Force, Analyze, Structure, Improve, Culture) is the path to raising a self-sufficient organization. Dean’s goal is to remove himself as the bottleneck; he signs no checks and has no deliverables. Sustain is achieved when maintaining the company requires only an "extraordinary small amount of effort".

We discuss how culture ensures sustainability: when the leader sets high standards (like keeping all pallets straight), the abnormal (a crooked pallet) is rejected immediately, maintaining order. Without Sustain, the owner is trapped and becomes a slave to the organization, just like the owner who allowed employees to stand around the time clock for 20 minutes every day.

The power of a sustainable culture lies in trust. Dean’s employees willingly stop working to wave at him and answer honestly when asked "How busy are you?" because they know he is invested in them, not just inspecting them. Leaders must be the person the business needs them to be.

If you are unwilling to be the leader your company needs, be honest about it. Otherwise, you owe it to everyone to make the courageous changes required to build a lasting legacy.

Your future depends on the change you make today.

• Find the comprehensive guide to transformation: Pick up your copy of Trojan Horse: The Unseen Solution to Critical Business Problems at your favorite book retailer.

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