Management: A fish rots from the head

In Today’s competitive world where the competitors fight neck to neck, the only way to sustain the Competitive Advantage is to not overtly remain focused on the present but to think from a long term perspective.

Most Organizations have capable people who perform their best on a day to day basis but do not have time or willingness to look beyond their current activities. These are the people who keep running around the corporate corridors but do not know why. Any Organization, definitely, needs these people. They make a perfect execution team. But an Organization filled mostly/solely with this type of people would fail in the long term.

With such people in management, they clasp the outdated ideologies, hang on to the status quo and fear the slightest change but wish the profits to go up year on year. In most Organizations, the Vision statements are mere wish lists or decorative strings of ornamental words hanging on their websites, with no apparent efforts/plans towards achieving the same.

These types of Organizations fear change because there are no people who could foresee the unforeseen. So, they clasp each other's hands, close their eyes tight and say “nothing’s going to change” when in reality, everything’s changing… at their own pace.

What to do about it?

“Employers and business leaders need people who can think for themselves – who can take initiative and be the solution to problems.” – Stephen Covey

As Stephen Covey mentioned, Organizations need people at the top who can think and look beyond the status quo.

A guy who can take a short break from the rat race and observe from a distance or take an aerial view of the situation and make appropriate corrections.

Top Management or Business owners must actively spot these people, either inside the organization or in the market, and reward them with the right opportunities.

Hiring or promoting such strategic thinkers should be seen as a long-term investment for the organization rather than as an expense