Last month I discussed managing organizational anxiety. It appears that the Sequester is a certainty and the odds makers in Vegas are turning their attention to whether the Federal government will shut down on March 28th. One would hope that the ideological divide between our political parties will dissipate as the electorate slips through the five stages of loss. (I think I’m stuck in depression…)
Accepting or not, there are trends that will be with us in the long-term and businesses had best learn how to cope with change. Managers need to become more innovative in addressing:
- How to retain and develop a talented workforce
- Managing the consumption and procurement of natural resources and energy
- Coping with increasing taxation and regulations
- Remaining competitive in global markets with global supply chains
- Nurturing employee innovation and engagement to invent new products and services
While this list can seem daunting, the rewards for those who plan and succeed will be great. Sustainability Planning is a vital element of a company’s management process. These plans identify which of the externalities listed above pose the greatest threat to an organization’s future and allocate resource to action plans that assure competitive advantage and sustainability. Sustainability has many parallels with the Quality Movement of the 1980’s. Like Quality, well-reasoned sustainability measures generate cash in the short-term and profitability in the long-term. I’m happy to field questions on this topic and please comment on any successes you have had with sustainability initiatives.