January 2009 Deep Insights

Turbulent times will not last and halting all investments for learning and innovation leads to a stale environment. Survival belongs to organizations that use turbulence as an active waiting period strengthening their skills, their knowledge of processes to improve employee and customer loyalty, and balancing investments in both long and short term learning. They commit to being AMBIDEXTROUS working both ON and IN the business.

In uncertain times organizations begin examining budgets to reduce cash expenditures without a focus on the skills needed to succeed today and tomorrow. The argument is made to reduce all costs and limit learning to what people already know. The organization is in “survival mode,” weathering the current crisis. The danger in this thinking is that an organization cannot allow its employees to become numb or complacent. An organization must focus its employees on HOPE, through an organizational commitment to learning the skills necessary to compete in today’s turbulent market as well as in better times. Learning energizes organizations to live through the turbulent times knowing they will be stronger in the future.

Energy through learning drives enthusiasm. It reduces inefficiencies, improves organic growth and helps an organization to focus on the opportunities not the turbulence. History proves innovations are not made by persons who have become complacent, but by those who are actively living today to improve tomorrow. These organizations know that their products and services must meet the customer’s needs, even more in turbulent times, and are constantly striving to create innovations that will exceed expectations. The innovations may be small steps or large leaps but they improve performance for today and lay the foundation for tomorrow. They drive personnel to exceed their capabilities delivering results beyond strategic goals. They commit people to a vision of survival painting a better life for themselves, their customers and the organization.

Energy through learning and innovations yields returns for short and long term investments. The foundation is laid for optimum results in a turbulent market and architecture for growth strategy. An organization will view itself in a light of leading change, leading customer and employee loyalty, leading its industry in return on investment and will be capable of sustaining itself in turbulent or good times.