…that directly points into a new world of work. There are some indications but not much more.
I may be a little harsh, but I think the normally so wise Guy Kawasaki falls a little short of the mark here. I agree fully about the first part as a good description of "clueless". Then I created my own clueful list… Not to replace Guy's but as an add-on:
- Your customers don't need you or your service/product (with relatively few exceptions)
- The employees don't need you either. They might pretend. And what they might be is dependent on you. But they don't need you. Pay them some respect for putting in hard work. Accept that they are there for other reasons than you might think.
- To earn your way you need to provide your customers with something that sticks longer than the sale – the personalities, ambitions and values of you and your collegues (hopefully you measure up)
- All things equal customers pick the honest and responsible people that are in their business for the long run. Probably true if you are 5% more expensive. But not 15%.
- You can never manage/control your business on your own. Engage employees and customers genuinely. Invite them to improve and develop the business. Help them get the right things done.
- Change the way your company is managed. Design it so it is people friendly and supports the behavior you want in the market. If you want innovation, then you have to craft management practices thereafter. If you want service… yeah, you get it.
- Hint: networks make hierarchies nervous. The future of work is networked, not siloed. Deal with it and make the approriate changes to your organization's work practices.
- If you are only cutting costs, you'll soon be irrelevant. You have to be reinventing at the same time.
- Stay away from investors if you can. Try to figure out a way to develop/grow your business with other means of financing. Ideally grow organically.
- Stay small if you can. Better to be small and relevant than bigger and irrelevant.
- Surviving is fine, not every business can thrive financially. Being mediocre in ambition and performance is not. If you've lost your ambition, find it again or get out.
- Find a compelling vision and/or mission. Make it your quest. Engage people. Don't give up.
- If you have excessive power and money ambitions, be very open and frank about it. Let people chose if they want to work for/with you. A lot of people want to stay clear of such ambitions.
- Lead. In its purest form, lead. Don't dick around with people. Take charge over your ego. Lead and they will follow.
//jan