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Shifting Corporate Consciousness:
Creating A Business Model for the Future
Step into the Future | Brenda Miller
There is resistance from people and businesses to shift from competition to cooperation,
and from single mindedness to a holistic perspective. Their fists are holding on
so tight to their intellectual property, quarterly earnings, old ideas and ways that
people fail to see that with closed fists and closed minds there is no room for abundance
and new opportunities to come. A hand has to be open to receive. By working collaboratively,
much more can be accomplished. This is a revolutionary idea for some and anarchy
for others.
It's a time of transformation both in personal and business relationships. With jobs
being outsourced oversees, manufacturing disappearing and the economy in trouble
far more than government officials are willing to admit, money and resources are
tightly scrutinized. It's a warning sign that businesses and people must work together
to succeed and flourish. Many businesses and organizations will not succeed if people
are unwilling to share their knowledge and resources with others.
Can a cooperative spirit of professionals work together from a competitive-free and
holistic perspective for the good of the client and their individual businesses?
Yes. This new dynamic work environment is novel to most and suicide to some, but
my associates and I believe that relationships, partnerships, alliances and innovation
thrive in such an environment, and without these, people and businesses will ultimately
perish.
Organizations will not survive with the same mind-set they have worked under for
decades. For those who refuse to change, I am certain one day I will hear about their
demise: "They couldn't make it happen, couldn't increase membership, couldn't
convince the public to purchase their products or services, another business did
it better, faster, cheaper...." The excuses will be endless, and even seem convincing,
but it all can be averted.
Few are willing to take such "risks" and are unwilling to see that risks
are only camouflaged opportunities. All it takes is a paradigm shift and a change
of consciousness.
People consciously and unconsciously sabotage themselves so they eventually become
part of the herd, following each other like sheep, surely to the slaughter. Even
those who pride themselves on being open minded and aware fail to see the road signs
on the path or listen to those who are placed in their path to point them in a different
direction.
People and opportunities are sent to us all the time, but only a few take notice
and even fewer take action. Pride and ego are the number one destroyers of success.
I can almost guarantee that a burning bush with a booming voice will not appear in
a living room, much less a boardroom. Even if it did, most will excuse it as an aberration
and merrily get back to business as usual. They may see white light, but only after
they have been hit over the head by a two-by-four by the universe trying to get their
attention.
I recently spoke to a friend who was interviewing for a "job" because he
said he wanted "stability." The dictionary defines stability as resistance
to change. It's this very reason that people who are closet entrepreneurs don't succeed,
and companies who stay with the status quo don't change, lose market share and are
taken over or go out of business. Moreover, it's the reason why most people do not
reach their full potential and follow the path of their destiny. Moses could come
down from the mount with proliferations and decrees but for most, it would make no
difference and he would be simply ignored, like many that have a message and could
make a tangible difference.
But for those who are willing to take a deep breath, face their fears and reach out
with a new mindset, it's not only possible, it's doable.
In helping professionals and companies with this shift, I have seen successes that
they couldn't image when they started the process. For those unfortunate others,
whether because of greed, fear, ego, obstinance, resistance and a variety of other
excuses, they could never master the vision of what could have been. For some, no
matter how open their eyes, they still won't see. The challenge is convincing someone
to taste sweetness when they've only tasted bitterness, accept abundance when they've
only known lack, experience happiness when they've only known heartache and oppression.
Just like bringing down the walls of Jericho and the Berlin wall, it is only a matter
of defeating resistance -- resistance in the mind. Resistance can be strong, but
it isn't insurmountable.
Collaboration, cooperation, creativity and vision are paramount. I had discussions
with an executive recently who said he tried a few years ago to merge companies to
obtain more business and contracts, but after the first meeting, it fizzled. Nothing
ever developed past the second meeting.
The difference is having a third party involved to hold the vision for the new group,
help facilitate a new business purpose, establish a buy-in of all parties involved
and create a win-win-win situation where competition is exchanged for collaborative
ventures, flexibility is adopted as the core element, and creativity, open dialogue
and honest and respectful communications are encouraged. Without this vision and
the creation of a new environment, all is surely lost.
As the Borg on Star Trek used to say, "Resistance is futile." The question
is, are you willing to change to a better future, or are you willing to stay the
same course and conduct business as usual?
Brenda Miller is a forecaster and whole-systems design strategist. As a Certified
Master Professional Futurist, and Certified Trainer in Emotional Intelligence, she
specializes and helps people, businesses, and organizations see, understand, and
respond to change so they can creatively design a brighter future. Ms. Miller is
President and Chief Global Strategist of New Crotona, a Futures-based consultancy
providing services in futuring, strategic messaging, vision and mission design, team
building, leadership coaching, and Internet business solutions and website development. Ms. Miller is President of
the Minnesota Futurists Association and a Professional Member of the World Futurists.
For more information, contact her at (651) 731-4037 or e-mail brenda@newcrotona.com,
and visit www.NewCrotona.com.
Copyright © 2005 Brenda Miller. All rights reserved. |
| May 2005 |
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