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Back in 1990, I came up with the "10 Actions Steps for Surviving Success" for family businesses. The Action Steps were illustrated in a proposal for a pre-conference event at a national trade association meeting.

It was a push to come up with 10, but neither the sponsoring organization nor I understood that less is usually more.

Over the last decade these action steps have evolved into the Five Keys for Success in the 21st Century.

Since time began those who took advantage of current information outlived those who stuck to the old ways. The saber tooth tiger today is information knowledge. Either we tame it and use its power to help us or it will eat us. It is really that simple.

If information (knowledge, technology, planning strategies, etc.) is available and we do not seek it or do not act on it, whose fault is that and why? Remember the cartoon strip Pogo? He had the answer when he said, "We have met the enemy and he is us." But who is us? Us, means everyone, whether involved directly in the business or not.

When there is already more information than seems necessary it is often counterintuitive to ask for even more. In part because most of us equate new information with either new messengers bringing us more and more of what we already know (just a new take on it) or our current advisors and vendors bringing additional `new' advice.

Yet, access to help is just a click away some anonymously so you get the knowledge in an unbiased format. Search engines and databases of course. I have spoken to business owners who continually use public, private, and industry databases to protect their current position and look for new and better ways of doing things. They read magazines and newsletters too reaching out for help without even having to identify themselves.

In addition, growing numbers of your contemporaries are online and easier to reach. These are the folks who may have already found the answers you are seeking. Even if you do not know them personally, you can reach out to them. Who better to ask for help than people just like you?

I am so impressed with the lengths to which some trade associations have gone to build and online community of their members. One association, working with a committee of its members, created a technology certification program. These members win and so do their potential customers.

Recently a trade association exec (who prefers to remain anonymous for reasons that will become obvious) made an interesting observation. When I asked him about the adoption of technology by their members (a bell weather activity in most industries) he said, "10% of our members are as close to the cutting edge as their Fortune 1000 counterparts. About 20% will never adequately adopt the strategies required to compete, and will therefore go out of business. The remaining 70% are the ones we are concerned about."

What did he mean? Seventy percent of the members wanted to take advantage of all that is available to them in order to compete, grow, and continue to succeed. The association was doing everything possible to help them. Access to ideas, vendors, techniques, and their fellow member were just the tip of the iceberg.

As a likely member of the 70% (the 20% are not reading this article) you attend industry events where members of the 10% take the platform to tell you their strategies and solutions. You make notes and think about how their ideas might apply to you. With notebook in hand you approach the front of the room only to be swept aside by others who are also eager to catch the speakers' ear. So, you go back home and try to reconstruct these incomplete ideas for your managers and employees.

Now, you can track the speaker down get his or her email address and contact them when you have a chance to put your thoughts in order. If they are like the industry leaders I have met, they will gladly share their knowledge with you. Email makes it possible for them to respond when it is convenient for them making their answers to your questions more thoughtful.

The relationship may grow into a powerful asset in the ongoing development of your business. When I take a minute to think about it, there are several business owners who are important to me personally a couple that I have never even met that I communicate with regularly. The value of these relationships makes all of my investments in technology worthwhile and will yours too.

It is important to remember that asking for help is only the first part being willing to accept it and act on it - is what will have the impact. But donÇt worry about that. If the organization develops an environment where the owners, managers, and employees are looking outside their company for help taking advantage of the results that makes sense to everyone is human nature.

Successful companies have always looked both inside and outside the organization for tips, techniques, and strategies to help them grow and keep their successful business. Today the velocity of information is so great that "picking up a few ideas in the exhibit hall at next winter's annual meeting" just won't get it.

Being willing to reach out for help must become a regular, systematic, and important activity of everyone in the organization. And how will you (all) recognize the ideas that make sense? That's where the second key element, Identifying Family Goals comes in.