Survive + Thrive
Will your organization survive this economic uncertainty - or will you thrive?
Kotter’s Survive + Thrive visual
As we track the news coming out of the US, we're returning to a concept from change management that's designed for times like this: the notion of "Survive + Thrive" from John Kotter's Book, Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard to Imagine Results in Uncertain and Volatile Times. In essence, Kotter argues we are hardwired to respond to uncertainty with one of two modes: the Survive mode or the Thrive mode (pictured left).
When we're in Survive mode, we're constantly scanning for threats. If we see anything that reads as threatening, Survive mode tells us to shut it down, triggering a "fight or flight" response. Useful for emergencies, but many of us (and many organizations) spend far too much time in this mode.
In Thrive mode, we're on the lookout for opportunities. When we see something new or unfamiliar, Thrive mode tells us to go check it out, bringing us curiosity and a sense of expansiveness. This channel drives our ability to learn and innovate.
What does this have to do with business?
This economic environment is completely unfamiliar and seems to be filled with new challenges. Environments like this can easily push organizations into Survive mode, which looks like hunkering down, cutting costs, and avoiding risk.
But there are opportunities here, too. Many business transformations that were in the planning stages will remain important in this environment: projects that offer the potential to increase efficiency, improve service levels, or adjust resourcing to make the most of existing assets including people, technology and equipment. Oil & gas projects are enjoying more positive sentiment than they have for decades, and our governments seem poised to continue investing in these and other long-term projects. Businesses that can maintain their competitive edge now will be ready to take advantage of new opportunities as they emerge.
Our firm offers a few ways to mitigate the risks of undertaking a new project in this environment:
We're cost-effective while maintaining the same quality and standards as larger consulting firms
We bring in specialized skills and resources for a fully resourced project team. Bringing on dedicated change management, process improvement and project execution resourcing can help ensure your project delivers, and sustains, the desired business results.
We have specific expertise in Alberta industries such as oil & gas, utilities, municipalities and more; we deeply understand this environment and have been successful in it for years, in all kinds of economic conditions.