The ten biggest problems with the last business age - the so called knowledge economy and information age - how much more information do we need, before we make a true decision, and take action...and ten suggestions...
THE PAST
3. Ah yes, people. I remember…
…If an organisation’s perception in the world (read ‘customers’ and ‘potential customers’) is low, people in that organisation feel low, and they are not valued as they could be, as an organisation’s only asset. Organisations do not change, people do, and it is the re-awakening of people’s energy, talents, ideas, gifts and potentials that will play a massive part in being a next business great, especially in difficult times. Senior business leaders talk a good story about leaders being everywhere in their organisation. Few do very much about it. Terms like ‘empowerment’ have not helped – it is not possible to ‘empower’ another human being, they are already empowered. The last 15 years have implied that senior people in an organisation have some kind of hold over other people, which is simply not true. Real, cultural (read: people) transformation, reflected in openness, communication with no fear, and unleashed ideas and opinions, has not happened, and this has combined with financial uncertainties to make people focus more on their pension, than their passion…
THE FUTURE
3. Leadership – at last, its time has come
Place leadership at the very heart of your organisation, in all that you do. Make it your number one priority to awaken the natural gifts, energy and potential of all of your people. Everyone has value, so welcome and value our differences, while ensuring people play their part through openness, trust and liberation. Control your people, by setting them free.
• Hold genuinely open forums
• Appoint a Leadership Director to the Board – this is absolutely critical to your success
• You only need one supplier on leadership training and development – yourselves
(And a 4th on this one - confront the ‘negs’ those people who disagree with everything you do, behind your backs - just before they put the knife in)
Anonymous from hotmail wrote to me yesterday:
"I am a born cynic, and nothing you say about being poisitive is going to change that"
"Three things - firsly you were not a "born" cynic - if you had been, given the pain and effort you and your mum had to go through, you would have stayed inside your mother. Secondly ask yourself whether you are happy being a cynic - if you are (i.e. it serves you in life) then great, if not, the don't, and thirdly, what you are is up to you.
e-mail me david@nakedleader.com or post a comment