“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.” ~John F. Kennedy
Companies go out of business (or lose any market relevance) through comfortable inaction all the time. Hayes modems (who’s PC still uses a modem?), blackberry phones, Kodak, Radio Shack, Circuit City, Sears and the companies that used to make (exclusively) horse-buggy whips all are either circling the drain, or have gone down it. Other companies, like IBM (at one time, typewriter experts who became THE big PC maker), saw a changing market, and changed their business plan to stay successful (Business consulting now). Sony started out making tape recorders and transistor radios, and evolved through making PC’s, Robots and now sell some of the best wide screen TV’s.
Leaders also succeed or fail based on how they react to risks that are looming down the road. Some put their head in the sand, and pretend that SOMEHOW, divine intervention will save them. Others recognize threats to the status quo, and formulate a strategy to evolve their department/team/division/products to anticipate the coming future. In almost all cases, when you see a threat coming, start moving. Movement in any direction, as long as it’s towards some new goal is better than sitting still. The only way to guarantee that you won’t get there is by not moving at all. Movement might require a course correction or 2, but at least you’re still moving!
Speaking of…
Rubes cartoons used with permission. www.rubescartoons.com
Good points raised and one or two I comment on within my own business to clients. Keep up the good work with best wishes from me and my team at http://www.jamsovaluesmarter.com