Immediately after writing one of my insights in September 2013 titled: “How big or small your organisation is don’t matter”, and based on the feedback I got, something became more evident to me. Many assumed big organisations most times think that they have an “air of invincibility” over the perceived small organisations. Surprisingly, now, with the global events and disruptions that are going on, it is quite obvious that regardless of any organisation’s financial or structural size, no organisation in or outside Nigeria can boast of “having arrived” or has an air of invincibility over others.
An obvious truth is that it will be more challenging for organisations to increase revenues and maintain adequate profitability. But then again, regardless of what happens to all the organisations, the level of shock will not be the same for all of them – this is not a function of size as to say, our organisation is better cushioned because our size is big. In a major discussion I had with a bank CEO some time ago, I pointed out to him that any bank or organisation that is not well managed can go under with what portends in Nigeria today. This again is not a function of how big or small any organisation has been.
With the current spate of uncertainties and economic toughness, it is not advisable to say that your organisation can not or will never go under because of the sterling results you have to achieve in the past or the quality of the executives therein. The truth is that the survival of any organisation is not only in the hands of the executives but in the hands of everyone on the payroll. This means that everyone has a role to play.
One of the ways your organisation can be strengthened to withstand these tough times is to get your people, to move away from focusing on what is “outside their control” to start focusing on what is “within their control”. The big temptation or probably the reason why some organisations will post better results more than others stems from the fact that some are busy fighting or chasing policies, regulations, economic hardships and political uncertainties that they don’t have an iota of control over, while those winning are building their foundations on things that are within their control. This doesn’t mean to say that organisations shouldn’t scan the future environment, they must have to in order to prepare for the future and the changing world.
Recently, during a strategic thinking retreat for a key player in the construction company, we had an exercise that showcased why some companies will thrive in difficult times while others won’t. I call it the “Inside Tools and the Outside Tools” (which I developed a few years back). The Inside Tools represent those tools that are in your hand (in your organisation) that you can work with and that you have control over, while the Outside Tools represent the tools that are pretty much difficult to control – those that are out of your control.
The shocking news is that in difficult times, more organisations spend more time talking about the outside tools (and how they are not achieving results as a result of lack of it), and having less time making use of their inside tools. Things that are not within your organisation’s control abound (the list can be endless), and working day and night trying to change them may only bring ruin and fatigue to your organisation.
Now, the way your organisation will not only withstand these turbulent times but also thrive will be to focus on the things within your control – things that can be institutionalised. Your organisation has 100 percent control to make teamwork a driving factor in your organisation especially in times we are in, and the same level of control to make customer service a veritable tool that can generate continuous business for your organisation.
Every employee can be a customer service advocate, every employee has total control to cross sell the organisation’s product, your organisation has absolute control to diversify your assets away from risks prone portfolios, same level of control it has over cost containment across board etc.
From the above, one can see that there are so many things that your organisation can do within your control to stay afloat in these turbulent times. Remember, when people and organisations have choices and options, they always choose the best as opposed to doing the best. Now, the reality is that no organisations can boast of having the luxury of having external options available to them in building their organisation – as they do before, the ball is now in your court to always do the best regardless of any circumstances.
Whether in good or bad times, some organisations will still make every effort to do well, let your organisation be among them.
I look forward to receiving your comments or perspectives.
The trusted advisor.
UJU ONWUZULIKE
