So What’s Changed?

Two weeks ago I was in the UK facilitating a strategic review session. The client is an organisation in the financial services market and I began by asking the the simple question: ‘So what has changed over the last 6 months?’ To my shock, the answer from around the room was “Not much…’

On throwing around some thoughts into what I thought was change with regards to the global financial markets, the discussion delved deeper and the response slowly shifted to ‘Well…I guess things are changing…’

What this initially led me to believe was that these guys are either disinterested or simply clueless. Given further thought, I now believe that for many professionals who have got reasonable jobs and whose livelihood hasn’t really been affected by the financial crisis, it is far easier to put their head in the sands and simply carry on with their work, lifestyles and the accumulation of wealth rather than face the facts of a changing economic playing field. There appears to be an ‘I’m alright Jack’ type of mentality which is ultimately steeped in self interest as opposed to a broader picture of collaborative progress.

It is not just the British who are myopic but most of Europe as well. Many of these individuals and corporations remain singly focused on how they can better their own careers or organisations whilst ignoring two critical points.

1. They are focused on how their environment USED to be rather than seeking to understand how the global playing field continues to change. Very little appreciation is given to the Chinese, Indian and other emerging economies. Additionally there appears to be a general obliviousness towards many of the significant catalysts which are changing the world business environment today. Technology, sustainable energy and (need a few more ideas here)

2. How the rest of their peers, countrymen and global citizens are coping as a result of this financial recession. It may seem idealistic to suggest that you should be caring about everyone else and it is indeed so. This does not, however, provide an excuse to live with a single minded desire for wealth at the expense of others. This current recession is here as a result of greed and self interested decision making. In the next decade, the shift will be towards a culture of holistic abundance and sharing.

Much like the imperial hubris of Britain at the turn of the 20th century, so today this empire and its neighbors face an economic hubris which has already begun. The notion that the present financial crisis will simply pass with the weather, displays on a much broader scale, the above described mentality. It’s just so last century I’m afraid.