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A TIME FOR EVERYTHING - DEVELOPING CORPORATE MATURITY |
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TIME TO REFLECT Looking back in many ways, the first few years of this millennium could be described as the perfect storm. After a build up of international tension over the last few years, SARS, war and a string of terrorist bombs around the world added to the conspiracy to change the way we view the world. We no longer take for granted the ways we travel and conduct business. Some have become overwhelmed by a sense of desperation, but for others it has helped them gain a more mature view of the world. TIME TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP All people go through stages of development. Although most people are aware of how we develop physically, how many of us appreciate the other ways in which we need to mature as humans? Psychologist Jean Piaget showed us how people develop their mental skills, Eriksson’s research demonstrated the emotional stages of transition from birth to death, and Fowler helped us understand the ways our beliefs develop over time. As we mature through these stages we are better equipped to deal with the ambiguities of life
TIME TO MOVE ON The only way we will be able to continue to face the future with a positive outlook is by learning from each new experience and recognising it as a maturing and growing process. There will be many more crises in the years ahead, that has become blatantly obvious, so the faster we can learn to adapt and move on the better. Once we become conscious of the new realities of life, we must then become competent in dealing with them, until finally we are capable of internalizing the new skills acquired and acting in an ‘unconsiously competent’ way.
IS IGNORANCE BLISS? In one survey, 95% of people questioned felt that ‘issues’ in their companies were handled in a reactive and ad hoc manner, often to the detriment of reputation and financial performance goals. Research has shown that effective use of issues management techniques and awareness can:
The earlier a relevant issue can be identified and managed in terms of a systematic organisational response, the more likely it is that it the organisation can resolve conflict and minimalise cost implications to its advantage. THE IMPORTANT AND THE URGENT Companies must learn to determine the urgency of the issues and need to realize that as the issue turns into a crisis if not dealt with adequately, management’s attention evaporates in favour of more immediate and pressing matters. Urgent matters take precedence over important long term needs. The longer an issue survives the fewer choices are available and the more it costs. Early action allows for flexible and creative thinking. RISKING REPUTATION The top 250 companies in the UK have claimed that damage to reputation is the biggest business risks they face. Good will is believed to account for 71% of total market capital. One would hope that a year like we have had would fast track individuals and organisations to maturity, but the research shows that most people actually learn very little from past experiences and are often doomed to repeat them. How mature is your organisation in coming to terms with the world that we live in? “Response to disaster is directly proportional to the recency and impact of the last disaster.” PATA END QUOTE: “Business today suffers from the perception that its leaders are complacent, greedy and unconcerned about the long-term welfare of their companies and the employees that have not been shown the door through downsizing. Government regulators are considered to be in the pockets of industry, examples of bureaucratic sloth. The media is widely believed to sensationalize the news as a means to establish its own agenda. Consumer activists, often considered to be agents for constructive change are being criticized for exaggerating the dangers facing society. To understand why, we urgently need to examine trends affecting the changing relationship between business and society.” Regester & Larkin 2002
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by Andrew Grant (C)
Business Simulation Crisis Issues Management Program |
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