|
Enterprise
Evolution.
Much as we would like to believe, enterprises are not mere economical entities, which can be engineered and run with certain opportunistic business objectives and strategies. They are organic, living entities co-existing, inter-acting and inter-relating in a dynamically changing ecology of value creation and exchange, following the laws of evolution. Some of the so-called large and successful enterprises have perished because they have resisted the process of evolution. Some others have miraculously survived with tremendous responsiveness and resilience having embraced enterprise evolution.
To ensure sustained growth and performance and more importantly survival, in a climate which is and will continue to be uncertain and disruptive, it is not just a need but an imperative for enterprises today to evolve consciously.
Key to enterprise evolution
The process of Enterprise Evolution encompasses the interplay of three enterprise processes
- An enterprise purpose for its existence- the single most fundamental and immutable cause for which the enterprise is living. Without a purpose, the enterprise does not have a right to exist in a given environment and does not contribute to the eco-systemic well-being.
- An enterprise culture of learning and learnability - the ability to continuously learn and unlearn by subjecting the system to the influences of disruptive changes at will, by choice - and applying the knowledge of what works, to let go of old habits and adapt to new habitats
- An enterprise practice of essential leadership – leadership from inside, that continuously governs guides and galvanizes the enterprise process to ensure enterprise evolution.
Some of the symptoms of an effectively evolving enterprise
are:
- Genuine belief of the executive management in enterprise evolution and commitment to support the same.
- Sensitivity to habitat and willing to let go habits (read ‘winning strategies’).
- A positive feedback loop to reinforce early success by enterprises-wide learning of what's working and what's not.
- Employees driven by a cause to overcome fear of change rather than being forced to overcome through short-term motivation.
- Continuous empowerment of employees as memetic agents for enterprises evolution through
- Alignment of their individual purpose / vision to the enterprises essence.
- Continuous development of competencies essential for evolution.
- Not obsessed with becoming for survival but believing in its being.
- Having permeable boundaries for knowledge osmosis.
- Encouraging a process of natural selection for creating and living interdependent relationships.
- Relying more on business instincts than on proven best-practices.
- Believing in change as systemic neutralizer.
|
