Forging Changes

Trouble Shooting: Replacing ‘Old’ School Thinking

In these difficult times too many management teams are putting off making decisions that could impact their future.  I can understand this ‘indecision’ lasting for the first few weeks of the New Year but I cannot see any sense in this ‘indecisiveness’ pervading the whole of the 2009 through to 2010 and beyond as it seem to be the case.

Governments are at last Shaping the New Economy

Now that the UK Government have developed a partial strategy for sorting out the Banks and hopefully reigniting trust and consumer confidence then stability will return to the markets.   Perhaps it is now time for business folk to start to take the odd risk and reclaim the losses of 2008.

Its time to be brave and optimist rather than passive and pessimistic.

Troubleshooting & Recovery Plans

We have a choice.  We can wait to see more Government intervention and do nothing or we can start to take action, go out there and start creating little green shoots of hope and optimism. 

With a fallen £ and huge debt comes opportunities.  Organisations should be employing the leading staff in innovative programmes of  organisation development using them as the ‘think tanks’ to support them in devising new strategies to win through.

Few organisations have ‘what if’ strategies to get them out of trouble but with the right expertise, planning and commitment to implementation no problem is truly insurmountable.  If energy, time and commitment are tied in with focus and planning the unimaginable can become reality.

Contrarian Optimists

Likewise, Obama’s Presidency may help illuminate the dark economic forces and give the vital lift and spark to a despondent world.  We need more ‘optimists and activists’ rather than ‘pessimism and inaction’. We need to listen to contrarian economists and steer our businesses into a new direction rather than waiting and following the ‘herd mentality’ of what everyone else is doing.

Growth does not come from Cost Reduction Programmes

Those who are not brave enough to venture beyond the ‘minimising loss strategies’ and who are hell bent on cost reduction and not much else - will fail to equip their organisation with the spark to trigger economic activity and growth.  And never confuse Lean with cost reduction or quality improvement.

The critical element of inaction is it will delay their recovery and growth, and fuel the expectations of their ‘savvy’ competitors to capture the markets and hearts and minds of customers who are looking for trust and authenticity in their providers and suppliers.

New levels of Performance demand New Thinking

Undoubtedly, there will be many businesses where the ‘Old School’ thinking will still remain and their future must be in doubt. 

The ‘Old School Management Style’ with values focused more on the 80’s & 90’s will have to be replaced by a more authentic style better fitting with the thinking, behaviour and values of the Millennials as staff or consumers.

Using old Thinking Styles will not get you to a new level of Performance

Consumers and customers are looking for a new management style which they can trust.  This is where recovery lies – in redesigning the organisation to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow rather than yesterday.  The questions on organisational expert lips are…………..

• How can we create a credible presence with our stakeholders so they know they are dealing with an authentic, trustworthy business?
• How can we banish turn the 'old culture' into the new culture?
• What strategies are open to us to win consumer support and retain our customers, win new converts and build life time value?
• How can we truly ensure our business is led by Lions rather than lambs?
• What can we do to ensure we hire and retain the best and retire the rest?
• How can we create an innovative strategy that will lead to measured growth?
• How can we troubleshoot through difficult times and ensure that the upturn flows to us before it does for our competitors?

Troubleshooting starts with Honesty, Candour & Action

• Top team review their effectiveness through speedy and accurate diagnostics
• Focus on the current business culture and the new authentic business model – then accelerate your implementation plans from where you are currently to where you want to be
• Develop your staff in true core competencies where behaviour changes to deliver more of what you need to grow
• Install this philosophy within the business and create an elite of line managers trained in change methodologies who are expert facilitators to protect your organisation in the future

If interested in this approach email me at Philip@philipatkinson.com