The Story of Two Roads
The story of a business typically begins with some differentiation, something different about that organization that yields a competitive advantage. Maybe it’s a new method of production, new product, secret recipe, or a new combination of many things.
The competitive advantage is born from creative thinking. The business manages to get a foothold in the market, because of the new value it can offer customers.
Why: We Need New Leadership for These Turbulent Times
The story continues. Positioned for growth, the company begins to change. It leaves behind its dreamer and strives for streamlines, efficiency, and scalability.
It hires John Sculley, who fires Steve Jobs. And the company grows. It grows massive, captures huge portions of market share. Fat and happy it seeks to maintain its place. It hires lawyers and lobbyists to help prevent trouble from the law, hires marketers to keep the consumers wanting more, and managers to keep the labor in line.
And then something happens. Growth slows, perhaps even halts. The company scrambles to figure out why. Did the consumer change? Did the competition change? What happened?
The truth is that the environment, consumers, and competitors are all changing ever faster. Some companies dwindle here. They lay off employees and sell off divisions in an effort to get lean and mean again. But some lucky firms rediscover creativity.
It was always there, the company was born from an idea. Some companies find their dreamer again; they get Steve Jobs back. They take risks again, make mistakes, open their minds and learn from experimentation. And, because these firms know efficiency and creativity, they can innovate like no other.
It is imperative that our companies know creativity. Survival is hinged on it.
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. You can find him and his writing on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
