The golden rules of growth: Mike Lazaridis

No one knows how to build a business better than the entrepreneurs behind some of Canada's most successful companies. These are their most powerful lessons. Mike Lazaridis Co-CEO Research in Motion Ltd. Waterloo, Ont. Keep information flowing Products move so quickly these days from concept to production to market, says Lazaridis, it's easy for top executives to make mistakes or fall behind. To avoid this, a vigorous flow of information within your company is essential. Lazaridis and co-CEO Jim Balsillie host town halls and weekly vision meetings connecting staff gathered in RIM's auditorium with those teleconferenced in from its other offices. "We talk about where we're heading, why we're making decisions and where we need to focus," says Lazaridis. "You've got to communicate to your employees; you've got to keep them in the loop." The flow isn't just top-down. Not surprising, everyone on staff carries a BlackBerry, facilitating RIM's always-connected collaborative culture. For instance, staff routinely BlackBerry questions to each other, knowing they'll get speedy replies. "Everyone can contribute," says Lazaridis. "We can test what we're working on. We can try new things, very quickly disseminate them to various groups in the company and get immediate feedback. It's like a continuous focus group across thousands of employees." —JM