I’m not normally given to irrational bouts of optimism in January, but this year I may make an exception.
There is, without doubt, something afoot – and I’m not talking about the excitement of politicians at the fact there may be a slight recovery, and that we may be on the cusp of creating a whole new load of low skill low wage jobs.
I’m talking about the recognition by significant numbers of companies and individuals that it’s time to take charge of their own development. they are realising that they do not need government sponsored initiatives (valuable though those are for some businesses), nor do they need to go after yet more efficiency and cost reduction.
They are moving their mindsets from efficiency to effectiveness, and from marginal innovation to breakthrough thinking. They are embracing risk, and mitigating it more through lean innovation thinking for radical ideas, than caution about the ideas themselves.
They are having to break out of the strait jacket of years of cautious thinking, and give themselves and their teams permission to think radically, and to go “off reservation”. It’s exciting, challenging, and a breath of fresh air.
The percentage of individuals and businesses doing this is still tiny – probably well less than 10% – but it’s enough to start a movement.
And it’s not just me noticing. Here are two things that passed through my mail box today:
I’ve even set up a new business to support these radical thinkers – GrowHouse
We’ve become used to caution, of thinking, “maybe not yet” – but the old ways are failing fast, and if not now, when?
Happy New Year…….
