Acceleration During Disruption
Ended soon
by Robert Heiblim
Going fast can be fun and exhilarating. It can also be dangerous and scary. When it comes to business, particularly in the technology space, speed and execution are the key advantages and moat builders for successful enterprises. More often than not, great ideas and even patents don’t win the day. Instead, the winning formula is speed – getting there first, scaling and executing well.
For many companies, stepping on the gas is a challenge. As is true in driving, moving fast shakes things up unpredictably. Speed can reveal weak spots in structures or processes. Hazards and threats pop up more quickly from more directions. Lack of experience or skills become obvious, potentially ending up in an accident or worse.
To avoid these outcomes while moving fast, it takes an honest assessment of readiness and the willingness to prepare. Driving teams win their competitions through training, repairs and upgrades ahead of the race, not to mention ongoing maintenance so that they’re prepared to win the next one too.
However, as we’re seeing today, outside events can disrupt even the most tested preparations. Events such as the pandemic shift the landscape in ways we often cannot control or foresee. These outside events not only change facts on the ground, they often demand new courses of preparation. Are you prepared to be unprepared?
The pandemic has been a clear accelerator of trends that we must deal with, like it or not. Consumer behavior has been altered in many ways, such as an overwhelming shift to electronic transactions. This includes both pure e-commerce and online purchase for in-store pickup. The trends have also affected overall purchase focus, which has veered from areas such as dining out, travel and apparel, among many others.
We do not completely understand all these shifts yet, nor how many of these changes will persist, or for how long. What we do know is that many of them will not reverse quickly (at the very least) and they must be reckoned with in an ongoing way. This is especially true of business operations. New digital tools, new ways of communicating, both internally and externally, new sales and marketing approaches — these are all now imperatives.
Navigating Disruption
Businesses may understand all this in theory, but in practice, there are great unknowns. Do we have the knowledge to inform our choices as we make changes? Will we have some idea of costs or priorities? Do we have the staff skills and intellectual capital to execute on the plan? Can we train in these areas? Who do we hire? A range of searching questions arises in these circumstances. Best answers often come from getting help, advice, and talking it through.
When faced with both major disruption and the need to keep accelerating, it is valuable to get perspective and insight to the various responses to the challenges your business is dealing with. There are many consulting firms out there, but many of them were built for different times. Their model has not adapted to rapid change.
Business Acceleration
bluesalve partners is a disruptive firm. It is more important that we focus on outcomes rather than hours of billing. Our team offers an exceptionally wide range of talents and skills, and an unmatched network to expand those insights and skills as needed. We are flexible of mind and flexible in our engagements. We want to help our clients move ahead.
If your business needs to keep accelerating, if you need to deal with disruption and you are not sure how to best proceed, let’s have a talk about it. An hour of conversation may be priceless (and it is without cost from us) and invariably reveals a lot of value. Do not be overwhelmed or run off the road during these unprecedented times. Steady and assured wins the race at every speed.
At bluesalve partners, we have an active product development process we can share with clients to accelerate and improve their batting average. Better outcomes are good for everyone, the firms, the industry, and their customers. Let’s all get better together.
Bluesalve partners is committed to accelerating change, growth and success for our clients.