adminShelter Chieza Change Management
Most managers I have interacted with are uncertain of their future especially as a result of digitalisation in business. Most managers collect data from reports and meetings but do not know how to utilise that data. We have managers that have studied management but the business models, structures and patterns they have learnt are now ineffective. In Economics, there is a condition termed “Ceteris Paribus”, which refers to “all things being equal, which attunes to normal conditions of doing business. But those do not work anymore. Probably now is the time for managers to cleanse their lenses so they can try figure out the future more clearly.
So how does the manager develop a future outlook?
I believe some of our management books have incapacitated the current manager to think outside the box. Managers can form groups by themselves to share emerging trends and discuss specific business challenges.
Managers epitomise change and they must strive to map a way forward for everyone. Your responsibility is to insist on sticking to the new rules. You may recall that Boeing started off being an insignificant company in the airline industry.
Douglas and Lockheed kept refining the propeller aircraft. Then they decided to build jets. This position did not seem to work for a long time. What is admirable is that the leaders and visionaries stuck to their plan. It is not easy to stick to your guns in the face of seemingly non-progressive state of affairs. The manager must also find ways of dealing with individuals that always stick to the status quo.
Organisations that face a lot of crisis and turbulence do so because of direction-less leadership. When leaders are not sure about the future, the entire organisation suffers. Managers must quash all confusion. The Mc Kinsey and Company report aptly puts across dynamics that leaders must be wary of.
The unfortunate thing is that its not only managers that are unprepared for the future, even many global supply chains are not equipped to cope with the world we are entering.
In the current world, China has led a number of innovations and even high volumes productions. The future has a different ballgame, the attractiveness of manufacturing locations are going to be influential. The Mc Kinsey and Company report suggest that some global companies have been proactive by breaking their supply chains into smaller units that can make it better to handle the complexities.
Other global matters worth considering for the manager are the issues of climate change. Economic growth is good but around the world it has brought other headaches such as the increase in global energy consumption which brings about other challenges on managing the environment. The managers’ job is becoming more and more complex.
The customer is now spoilt with numerous more diverse requirements than before. The report pointed out that mobile-phone makers, introduced 900 more varieties of handsets in 2009 than they did in 2000. These companies are building diverse and more resilient portfolios of supply chain assets that will be better suited to thrive in a more uncertain world.
This aptitude has to spread to the smaller companies too. Any time the ball game may change. The terrorists threats by different groups has not made it easier.
Some years back, it was easy to develop a well-thought-out strategic plans where you could track progress and experience results and gets the opportunity to perform some form of review. In this current environment, yes companies are still planning to some extent but the results may not be what is expected.
When making out your strategic plan, make sure you highlight the critical decisions and what must be put as major to happen. A critical issue at our company is the out sourcing of software. One must make a rigorous exercise to determine which tools to use that support your overall goals.
There must therefore be agreement and coalitions formed at the top level management. In our current economy, cost is a huge issue more than ever before. No one wants to use software that is heavy with excess codes and unnecessary functions. Organisations must change to remain relevant to the ever-changing needs of the customers. If you look around you and you see outdated management theories and processes, you may need to sit down and plan for the future.
It does not matter even if those processes have become part of the company, as long as they are not responding to the customers’ needs , they must go. One of the phrases that I have grown to dislike over years is “This is the way we do things around here”. These beliefs on most occasions are institutionalised. Innovation is not easy, it clashes with all other worthwhile company pursuits such as efficiency. A look at the top innovative companies in our country may lead you to rethink of current management processes that were laid down way back.
Till next week, may God richly bless you!
Shelter Chieza is a Management Consultant. She can be contacted at [email protected]
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