Adaptive Strategies Blog

I named my business Adaptive Strategies in the early 1990s in response to an economic downturn. As they say, what’s old becomes new again. That said, the reality of our world is that we have always had to adapt. The problem is that too many people are waiting for “normal” to return. It never will.

Adapting is not an option; it separates the winners from the losers. Just think about past inflection points and those who did and did not adapt.

• Electronics in the 1950s — from vacuum tubes to transisters
• Aircraft in the 1960s — from turboprop to jets
• Autos in the 1980 — from quality vs. price to quality at every price
• Internet in the 1990s — from bricks and mortar to bricks and clicks

Think this “adaptation thing” only applies to businesses? I was a darn good Fortran programmer in the 1970s. Anybody want to hire me today?

Look at your career and your business. To what do you have to adapt? Are you adapting fast enough?

The title of this post is from the March 23 & 30, 2009 issue of Business Week — and I love the message. So much has changed that “the game” is permanently changed — and that is a GOOD thing.

“Big ideas” happen when people and organizations finally decide to do something to take advantage of tough times. When times are good we fall into the trap of active inertia — we keep doing what we’ve been doing. When times are tough we are forced to think differently or become irrelevant. And NOTHING should be more embarassing to you or your business than to become irrelevant to your customers or your team members.

In the coming years we will look back and be amazed at some of the innovations that will come out of the current crisis. Face it, the current crisis will result in some people and organizations that will be labeled as winners — it might as well be you. What can you do to take advantage of this situation?

The metaphor “crossing the Rubicon” harkens back to the move the Julius Caesar move to control the Roman provinces. Once he crossed the Rubicon River there was no going back.

Our current economic times are tough, to say the least. But now is a good time to make some of those Rubicon Decisions you have been putting off. Should you kill a product line? Should you close a plant? Or, on the positive side, should you start that new business line and prepare yourself for the future of your business?

Standing on the bank your personal Rubicon River may make you nervous, but you will never know the results until you cross the Rubicon. And the river is much too wide to keep a foot on both banks.

Be honest with yourself. What tough decisions have to be made and are you willing to make them? If not, let someone else run you business. You don’t have what it takes. (Or do you?  It’s up to you, and you alone)