Empowerment through economic opportunity with Don Samuels
When I say “Doing good anywhere does good everywhere”, what comes to mind? What if it were possible to change someone’s life by empowering them to take action within their […]
I’ve spoken before about the idea of “survival of the fittest”, and how the idea of “fittest” really refers to which are “most adaptable”. In times of change (would it be safe to say that’s always?) the ability to adapt to that change determines which individuals and which organizations survive, which ones thrive and which ones do not.
A hundred or so years ago, among the dominant businesses of the day were the railroads. The railroads were among the largest, best capitalized and most successful businesses of their time. And they failed to adapt.
It’s not that the railroads disappeared. They did not. Yet, because the railroads failed to adapt because they failed to understand the industry that they were actually in, they missed a great opportunity to continue to be the largest, best capitalized and most successful businesses.
The railroads failed to adapt and missed an opportunity because they believed that they were in the railroad business, and failed to understand that they were actually in the transportation business. If they had understood that, they were in a position to be dominant players in the new transportation opportunities that were emerging at that time. The automobile industry, the airplane industry and later the airline industry might all have been part of the railroad/transportation industry.
So, what’s your industry?
Really? Where is that industry headed?
Let me make this observation. As professionals in business, and especially HR, our industry is always — People.
I’ll always remember something said by one of the great captains of industry from those olden days. Andrew Carnegie, founder of Carnegie Steel (Later US Steel) one of the wealthiest and most influential businessmen and philanthropists in American history. He said, “If I lost every dollar I ever made, but still had the people I work with, in five years I would be wealthier than I am today.”
Oh yeah, and one other thing that he said, that I like a lot: “I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”
Stay tuned. We’re going to take a closer look at culture next month.
This Article was written by co-Founder of Perspective-Power, Brian Reinbold: Originally written for Chicago SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) January 2017 Column: “Organizational Development Perspectives. Fresh ideas on Leadership, Culture and Communication”
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