What Does Charles Darwin Have to Do with Revolution?
Why is it that some companies flourish and others fail? Why do some dreams become reality and others fade away? Why are some ideas transformative and others not even worthy of consideration? What really determines staying power and competitive ability in an environment that, at its best, provides equal challenge and equal opportunity to all? Read on….
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I find it ironic that Charles Darwin gets as much attentive emotion today as he did when he first wrote Origin of the Species —maybe even more! The irony I see is not politically or religiously charged (or even related) but refers to how we use evolution as part of our everyday speech in various metaphors in business and personal contexts.
Having said that…(and not wanting to get into the socio-religious arguments), I do believe that evolution, as described by Darwin, plays a critical role in our lives and success. How? Listen:?
“It is not the strongest of species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
—Charles Darwin
Think on that a minute…not the strongest….the bully…the power-grabber…the company too big to fail…..not the intellectual…the self-appointed smartest…the company who has disrupted all others with their thinking….rather, it's those who are most open to change….the most likely to change who are ultimately the strongest and smartest if they drive change.
Think about both Amazon and Walmart, who have pivoted and moved in new directions…..or Netflix, who moved from the mail stream to streaming content. Please add to the list!!!
Driving change is the key. You can't sit around hoping for change or praying that change doesn't come. You have to make it happen. You are the architect of evolution.
The Fruit Fly might “evolve” over a few short generations through forced means, but companies or people that don’t drive change never do change or change so slowly and irrelevantly; they quickly run the risk of falling by the wayside into a landscape already littered by the bleached bones of corporate or personal intransigence.
The examples are numerous and powerful:
And so on...add your own.
And there you have it. Evolution in business or in life is not a passive action. Don't wait for it to happen…because it won't. It is not just about survival…it leads to strength, growth, and a real future…but only if we make it so.
In human terms, I'd argue that evolution may begin with revolution, whether in business, personally, or otherwise. Think about that....
So be open, actively promote change, and become a REVOLUTIONARY EVOLUTIONARY!!!
What’s your view?
Entrepreneur, strategist, creative thinker and lifelong apprentice.
2 个月Great article David, with a provocative question. I think being “responsive to change” is increasingly important and a key component of why some companies flourish while others fail. But change without a strong plan or culture can be reduced to just trial and error. As Jim Collins put it: To be built to last, you must be built to change. And to Be Built to Change, you need a strong culture; disciplined and committed to a lasting purpose. Netflix’s business was not shipping DVDs just like IBM’s business (despite the name) is not building Machines. Once these companies understand what their core is, it’s much easier to adapt and find new ways to fulfill that purpose. ??
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2 个月Great piece ??