Image source: Creative Commons HQ, Creative Commons
Almost all of my clients (all successful business leaders) are in their mid-forties to mid-sixties. That means they were born between 1950 and 1970 and developed their approach to leadership at their first jobs in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Think about what was making our businesses strong and prosperous during that era and later:
- Constantly increasing productivity
- Getting as lean as possible
- Creating ever-increasing efficiencies
- Precision in operational systems
- World Changing logistics
Change and innovation in this environment is risky. Corporate boards and investors don’t have much stomach for anything beyond the list above. And, by the way, get better at each of them every quarter! This doesn’t leave much room for trying something new, bringing forth a new idea or innovative approach or certainly launching a disruptive product that is going to be self-disruptive.
In a meeting the other day, one VP said, “I think we can reduce the number of jobs in one area and then use the saved headcount to put toward some change initiatives.” The second VP immediately responded with “I’m pretty sure if we found out how to reduce headcount, we would simply make the reduction in order to get the cost savings. We don’t have any other choice.”
He’s probably right. Reducing the headcount this quarter and for the next three quarters will be highly rewarding but I’ll guarantee you that someone, somewhere is launching a disruptive idea today that has you in the crosshairs four quarters from now.
Change and innovation is hard, really. Lack of change and innovation is deadly, really.
What restraints have you seen that makes it difficult to change and innovate?