Surviving in a competitive global market takes an immense amount of effort and a real focus on delivering efficiencies. Despite the endeavours of politicians, economists, academics and business leaders, and the numerous methodologies available to assist them, increased productivity remains elusive.
Is the drive for greater efficiencies part of the problem?
Each improvement takes increased effort for smaller rewards. The intensity of focus on the same measurements and processes can easily create tunnel vision.
There's a paradox. The more mature the market, the keener the drive for efficiencies, the narrower the margins to invest and the less free thinking there is to break the cycle. Everything has to be measured. Efficiency doesn't encourage risks – and risks are inherent in the ambitious goals that create greater productivity.
Rather than sweating the same measurements and practices, is it time for a real rethink?
Given the frequency that we’re informed of ‘blue sky thinking’, it more than often probably isn’t.
In the environment where everything is measured it is almost anathema to hand someone some time and resources and not ask for a defined output – but without it we’ll only be making ever shrinking improvements.
Technology and new markets offer great opportunities not only to improve supply chain performance but to fundamentally alter the contribution it makes to the business. These changes will soon become threats if not addressed.
Exploiting these opportunities will take resources and the ability to sell and manage an element of risk. This takes leadership. To have the vision, sell the idea, create the environment and back the team, takes a leader – one with the confidence to not be distracted by the short term; one prepared to stop and think.
How many of us do this?
Most are rushing around and not doing anything new. It takes time, leadership, vision and ideas to make real productive change.
Perhaps a limited pot of unmeasured resources, or even just a clear hour to think big, would be a start?