Are we lost in the abyss? What Corporates can learn from SMEs...
They were very clear on their culture and values.
They were quick decision makers but not rash.
They had built and grown their talent from within.
Everyone was focused on the customer.
They were team players; no desire or time to be 'precious' or playing politics.
They were flexible in practice around people's roles and hours.....
Is this reality? Yes. I've recently worked with some SMEs (small-medium businesses) and what a refreshing change it has been. The above points are a quick outline of my experience, and what can often be so different to that of large organisations, especially multi-nationals.
Have we lost our edge in large businesses? Are we too slow, with too much red-tape, politics and misalignment? Have valuable principles and structures not been preserved and cherished through growth and expansion?
To me, the magic question is how do you retain (or bring back) that agile, nimble 'start-up' feeling as your company grows? How do you speed up decision making, reduce excessive controls, empower your people to deliver an outstanding customer experience without checking the process manual...........?
I've heard Leaders vocalise this desire and talk about needing to be made up of "a lot of start-ups" but fail to deliver that in practice (for various reasons). Once you're big, the ability to be like that is significantly harder than it would be if key principles, work systems and habits had been retained during growth.
There is no doubt that SMEs can learn a lot from corporates, and indeed most of the material posted online comes from that angle (Exhibit One, Two,...with many more) but my challenge to those of us working in corporates, is what we can learn and implement now from SME's?!
And we can't muck around with this. Now is the hour, as those of us who have spent time in Silicon Valley and *other places know. The need to act quickly, innovate continuously and be agile with our
customers, is not a nice-to-have but a must-have if organisations (and New Zealand) are to succeed.
A conversation recently with some former workmates makes me hopeful that this could happen. They are out there determined to do this; actively working to help their large organisations become more nimble and agile. Fighting the good fight! There are like-minded communities meeting to share ideas (check out Meetups in your area), and places like Tech Futures Lab, who both educate and challenge us on exactly what is happening 'out there' and why we should be innovating and moving quickly.
Keen to join the movement and help our corporates step out of the abyss? Let's do this.
*no less than three people in the last fortnight have talked to me about what Israel are doing in the innovation space
Bron Hall is the Principal Consultant for Workplace Redesign, employee & customer experience specialist, and passionate advocate for NZ Inc.
Workplace Redesign. Helping New Zealand's organisations succeed through progressive and innovative workforce and workplace practices.
Website: workplaceredesign.com
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