What can we learn from the LEADERS DEBATE - ELECTION 2017?
Last night on TV 1 they had the Leaders debate for the election 2017.
What were the words that grabbed your attention the most?
Was it about taxation, was it immigration, was it housing, was it the Capital Gains Tax or was it ‘people matter”?
For some strange reason I think about the song 'its all about that base' sung by The Koi Boys. This came from Jacinda Adern the new Labour Leader.
Meanwhile Bill English just stuck with the same old rule book or entrepreneurial betterment, reduce costs , increase production and then the profits will increase.
Sorry- BORING
We know that no longer works. We know that the business environment is changing and companies have to be elastic in what they do on a day to day basis to stay ahead.
Besides reducing costs – does that mean keeping salaries and wages down, bringing in robots and Artificial Intelligence, ensuring the supply chain within the organization and outside of the organization is run at the maximum efficiencies, chiselling costs where ever possible regardless of service provided by outside contractorS? i.e. insurance costs (and there are many others).
Increasing production. What does that mean? Does that include selling more product or services here in New Zealand and overseas? Does it mean increasing efficiencies and effectiveness within the business that creating more margins? Does it mean getting people to work longer hours on the same pay or shorter hours with less pay but higher use of Artificial Intelligence or Robotics?
Increasing production and reduced costs sounds to me like there is very little tolerance for mistakes or errors. Sounds like increased pressure upon the people within the business to perform to set KPIs. To be competitive for the resources dealt out by the department heads.
It’s as though people don’t have enough stress in their day to day existence which includes their home life. Yes I hear the words “people have to leave their problems at home”. Really!
Reduced tolerances for errors and maximum pressure for production created by the Accountants and department heads all in accordance with the business strategy and plans means that sooner or later something will break. Many businesses see these breaks occurring from time to time but they just place a patch on the breakage or increase the security of the systems to ensure it will not happen again, under the heading of 'Risk Management'. There is no comment about the build- up of stress upon the people in the business. Not only the CEOs and CFOs suffer from stress but also the people on the shop floor. There was a study done in the last 10 years where they found that those on the shop floor had a higher probability of a stress related illness than those in management.
There are now many books and articles on leadership and how it affects the results of business. It's the leader's role to facilitate the health, well-being and motivation of everyone in the business. It is leadership that will make the difference to the success or failure of the business. People will determine leadership success. This is one of many reasons why the Health and Safety at Work Act is so important in being the catalyst for changing the culture and environment within business in New Zealand. The Act is about people in business - including those on the shop floor.
In Tai Chi (a martial art thousands of years old) the practice is to understand the balance between all actions. How those actions and movements have an effect upon other areas of the body and mind. The practice also shows how it is better to use optimal power to create the maximum results through understanding the mechanics of the body. At all times the individual using Tai Chi in defence will win as the power used in each movement has ability to be increased at a moments notice. The Tai Chi practitioner will use the optimum level of power rather than the maximum power. When the maximum power is used all the time there is no room for growth when required. Endurance is dramatically reduced. When the use of force or power is at its maximum and the tolerances are minimal, there will be breakage or injury which could be fatal.
How does this apply in the business world? When pushed to the maximum all the time to keep costs down and increase profits, there is no balance. People become stressed. Fear and lack of trust becomes and over- riding culture within the business. Accidents errors and wastage will occur. When people become stressed they become ill . Sometimes that illness can be fatal. 1 in three people will suffer from cancer some time in their lives. 1 in three will suffer from heart disease. These are just some of the symptoms of stress and fatigue.
Who in a company holds a critical position in the supply chain management system of that company? Maybe that person does not have a title. That person is a critical link for the operation of the business. What happens if that person due to stress and fatigue in the ever increasing pressure to reduce costs and increase profits suffers from 1) an accident 2) a disease like Cancer or Heart? What does that do to the flow with in your business and the ability to ensure the continual production of product or services?
So it’s the people that matter the most and the profit will come in its own good time.
If you want to know how to utilise the benefits of Tai Chi in your business operations to keep your business healthy and profitable give Ritetrack NZ Limited a call on 027 289 3162.
As to who you vote for well that’s up to you.