The following post was written by Adriann Meyer, a forward thinking, conscious business consultant and trainer residing in South African. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Adriann as we both pursued an accredited entrepreneurs mentoring certificate. Adriann’s post reflects on the changing nature and definition of success.
In a rapidly changing world, the idea of success too is changing.
Increased transparency, availability of information and instant feedback is making it impossible for old-style business models to sustain itself. Those who deal in opinion manipulation information control and false barriers to entry will find it increasingly difficult to compete with transparent and dare I say vulnerable, mission-driven business models.
Let’s imagine what this model will look like. Imagine people competing unfairly (according to the competition) by doing what the others are not doing or are unwilling to do because they don’t have the time, or the shareholders are going to be peeved by the extravagance. If there is no way to achieve a particular goal, they make a way by going back to the first principle and then creating a new way.
Imagine people setting and achieving their own high standards. If they maintain that measure, the rest will have to compete for what is left. They do not enter the fight, they lead. Imagine people seeking the prosperity of every stakeholder in the business process. This new team approach includes the customer, the company and the supplier. The customer becomes part of the team as they engage with the company in a unique and meaningful way. The customer feedback steers the future endeavours of the upstream side.
Imagine people defining their success by the prosperity of experience delivered to the community they serve. Imagine people encouraging people to their best efforts while understanding that their competitors will throw up doubt against them. Watch as the doubt crumbles in the presence of the irrefutable evidence of happy customers who become followers and fans.
Imagine people advertising the success of their customers and turning their own trumpet (yes, the one they used to blow themselves to show the world how great they are) into customer trophies.
Imagine the teamwork when people include their suppliers in their mission and encourage them to become part of the process of delighting the customer to everyone’s benefit.
Imagine people being more patient with people willing to learn and more impatient with BS merchants who pretend to be awesome but without any substance, making a lifestyle out of “faking it” and no intention of ever “making it.”
Imagine people having the courage to make the difficult decisions when they need to without fear or favour.
Imagine people encouraging others to believe in themselves and what they are doing, promoting the good that it brings into the collective experience of the cooperative and showing them actual appreciation
Imagine the vulnerable superstar. Indeed, it is happening already.
Imagine the company making a mistake. The CEO comes online: “ sorry guys we screwed up, and this is how we are going to fix it.” The competition winces and whines calling for scalps. In the quiet, they instruct their battery divisions to start research on electric vehicles.
These ideas are not far-off dreams; it is happening. Exciting times ahead.
Simple really, its just a jump to the left…
