Upside Down

Posted on Apr 18, 2010 | 0 comments

Think about your business or the company at which you work. What is it that your business or your employer is fixated upon? I’m sure you can guess but I’ll give you another minute to think and read on before I reveal the obvious answer to you.

It’s this exact fixation and focus that resulted in General Motors being owned by our very own United States government (a 61% ownership stake to be exact). It’s this exact fixation that is shipping jobs overseas to folks who can perform routine duties faster and at a more economical rate. It’s this exact fixation that I predict will cripple the US healthcare system at some point in my lifetime (God-willing and if you don’t already consider it crippled). It’s this exact fixation that has shifted the intended execution of democracy from the ‘voice of the people’ to the ‘needs & desires of an individual politician’.

Here’s the answer ==> MONEY

In all likelihood, your business or the company at which you work is focused on one thing ==> generating profits. Now I’m not here saying that generating profits is inherently a bad thing. Let’s face it – business is about generating a profit. What’s at stake here is the methodology behind doing so. Frank Reichhold refers to this as “bad profit” in his book The Ultimate Question.

Look around – with a bit of stereotyping one can conclude that most profits are being generated at the expense of humans. Profit being generated at the expense of human customers through higher prices in exchange for reduced value. And profit being generated at the expense of team members as people are continually pressed to work longer and harder.

It’s time for this old approach to be turned upside down. It’s entirely possible to generate profits in a way that creates fanatical customer movements and relies upon a team that prides themselves on working less hours and cultivating something that is missing from our culture (family).

Those that can turn their minds upside down will prosper. Those that push that resist will fail.