{"id":1866,"date":"2012-04-27T06:08:18","date_gmt":"2012-04-27T12:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/corevalues.com\/?p=1866"},"modified":"2012-04-27T06:08:18","modified_gmt":"2012-04-27T12:08:18","slug":"is-business-as-usual-the-ultimate-demise-of-your-organization-in-2012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/2012\/04\/27\/is-business-as-usual-the-ultimate-demise-of-your-organization-in-2012\/","title":{"rendered":"Is \u201cBusiness as Usual\u201d the Ultimate Demise of Your Organization in 2012?"},"content":{"rendered":"

C\"\"<\/a>opyright TIGERS Success Series<\/p>\n

By Dianne Crampton<\/p>\n

As the saying goes, \u201cThe only thing you can count on is change,\u201d and in this economy and chaotic business climate nothing could be farther from the truth.<\/p>\n

In the last few years, we have seen the greatest recession since the Great Depression, a housing bubble burst overnight, financial markets tumble, unsuccessful bailouts, and traditional jobs disappear into thin air. So why do corporations, small business owners, and organizations have the mindset to bury their head in the sand and continue \u201cbusiness as usual?\u201d Today\u2019s business culture is in transition and if you continue forward with the status quo, you could be out of business sooner than you think.<\/p>\n

Good Old Days at the \u201cC\u201d Suite<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the not so long ago, good old days (pre 2007) business growth meant massive hiring, money thrown at capital expenditures, and a rigid chain of command to inaccessible management. And\u2026<\/em> forget about employees voices being heard or acknowledged at the \u201cC\u201d suite level! In today\u2019s abruptly changing business culture, leaders can\u2019t afford to be demanding<\/a>, self-serving, and at the helm of an organization that is slow to respond to a changing global marketplace.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So how do 21st<\/sup> century organizations remain competitive when the rules of the game have changed? According to authors of the Elastic Enterprise, Haydn Shaughnessy and Nicholas Vitalari, it means successful organizations will master the ability to move into new geographical markets or new product areas that aren’t part of the firm’s core competencies.\u00a0 <\/em>It means stepping outside the core of the business and operating in new markets with assurance and ease. <\/em><\/p>\n

Your Business Plan Shelf Life has Expired<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

These companies go beyond traditional business strategies of updating the annual business plan and then putting it back on the shelf until the following year. These companies are \u201celastic\u201d and utilize an active, action planning<\/a> approach in business that enables them to act upon <\/em>new opportunities in \u201creal time.\u201d<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

They are infinitely more agile and can grow without massive increases in overhead and management. <\/em>IBM<\/em> has celebrated its 100th<\/sup> birthday because it constantly redefines itself, going from hardware manufacturer to service provider. Google has made strides in dominating the marketplace in leaps and bounds. From humble beginnings as a search engine provider, they stepped outside their core business into the mobile arena, applications, and conducting business in the cloud. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Does Innovation Create Jobs?<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to GE\u2019s recently released Global Innovation Barometer, nearly 3,000 senior executives in 22 nations around the world were surveyed. Ninety-two percent of respondents said innovation is “the main ingredient for a more competitive national economy” and 86 percent said that “innovation is the best way to create jobs” in their countries. But just how do you define \u201cinnovation?\u201d\u00a0 Do companies in the 21st<\/sup> century have to keep inventing the next \u201ci-pod\u201d phenomenon to remain competitive in the market? The answer is a simple \u2026no.<\/p>\n

Innovation in this day and age means that companies have to learn \u201cto think differently\u201d than in the past. Leaders need to ask themselves some hard, fundamental questions such as:\u00a0<\/p>\n