World of the Ugly, Bad and Good

Current world environment and economic position can be summed in a single word Ugly. One needn’t be genius or Einstein to figure out why? Europe is under severe crisis, emerging markets' growth prospects are getting curtailed, China world's growth engine is slowing down, US unemployment figures are surging again and if you want other reasons, learned economists in and around us would give several more reasons to get depressed.

So this is the Ugly Side of our World in which we are all currently living in, with uncertainty looming large on Job front , financial stability, political environment and social structure.

Has this Ugly side brought some thing Good to us and in our lives or only Bad has emerged? I would argue that ugly scene of the market, had led to emergence of good and bad together.

Collaboration Vs Isolation - Organizations which work in Isolation during these tough times, would really find the environment Bad. But this is the time for collaboration, not only internally with in the departments but collaborating with like minded organizations and individuals who can manage one leg of the transaction and other can be completed by you. Need to connect with others increases as the environment becomes more unpredictable, CHALLENGING and uncertain. Good part is one start opening his / her cards folder. Starts talking and figuring out opportunities which otherwise, one wouldn't have bothered to look at.

Client Centricity Vs Client Indifference - During Ugly times, Client Pull revenue and client pull servicing dries up. Automatic call and autopilot business goes away. Thus individuals who have been thriving on farming and nurturing face the heat and starts feeling the pinch of bad times. What good happens during these times is that Client centricity increases. Individuals and Organisations focus more on client needs, spends more time to ensure client satisfaction and delight, in the bargain clients’ and organizations who adapt this methodology gets larger share of the shrinking pie. Hunting during these times along with farming and nurturing brings good times, and profitability to organisations.

Knowledge sharing with less / No external support - Ugly times leads to reduction in support and knowledge staff as organisations start focusing more on producers then on facilitators. Bad happens when organisation doesn’t understand the internal knowledge base with constant spends on external resources and consulting services. Good happens to an organisation when business development unit brings in knowledge and know how to source and execute in a compliant fashion and that knowledge of facilitation and execution together is gained in the process leading to individual and organisational growth.

Bickering and back biting - Humans when faced with challenging situation has a habit of complaining, bickering and bitching. That is bad, as it creates unhealthy and political environment in the organisation. But when the uncertainty looms large, people come together forcibly (Fear of drowning leads to holding each other) to bicker and then good happens, as people together start working and start sharing execution and revenue generation possibilities.

Merger of farmers and hunters - Bad Happens where Farmers and Hunters are not combined and are disjoint. Good happens when Hunters, farm as well as nurture.

Forced outbound activity might seem tough and bad from individual's perspective as it removes complacency but it brings Good for the individual and for the organisation.

Innovation - Bad invades us when innovation dies and especially during strained times. Good happens when you start thinking out of box and delivers solutions beyond ordinary.