Change Agent Or Follow Conventional Wisdom?

Though conventional wisdom has its place, an unknown author wrote “If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you ever got.” In an economy where so many organizations chase after too few dollars, it is also time to challenge conventional wisdom regarding how to operate your organization and to innovate and adapt in an era that presents new types of difficulties and obstacles.

To remain viable, you must be a driving force that moves your organization forward. So test conventional wisdom and institute conventional best practices that help your organization, but also become an agent of change in areas that separate your organization from the competition and build competitive advantages.

Examples of change agent innovations include:

• Eliminate your organization’s non-core activities that drain management time and money.
• Discover how other industries handle issues your organization is facing. Ideas or methods routinely used in one industry can be ground breaking in another industry.
• Improve your clients’ experience with your organization. Make it easy, meaningful and rewarding for your client to do business with you.
• Form strategic partnerships with organizations that share philosophies and objectives as a way to work toward a common goal. These alliances extend your reach without expensive internal expansion.
• Implement new technological solutions that increase your organization’s efficiency.
• Market your organization to current and future generations of clients via inexpensive online and social media methods.
• Lobby your interests with local, state and federal governments.
• Work with a banker who understands your organization, can introduce you to strategic partners, and offers innovative ideas and solutions.