Leaks are often invisible in organizations, thus unconsciously risky
Fix the roof while the sun is still shining. As I write this blog, it's 25 degrees Celsius and the sun is shining brightly! That's wonderful, of course, but unfortunately, tougher times are coming. Times when it's cold outside, windy, and rains too often. Leaks within organizations are often invisible, making them unconsciously risky.
If we now discover that we have a roof leak, or if we anticipate one in the near future, we will work hard to get it repaired in time. After all, no one wants it to start raining inside…
The metaphor 'fix the roof while the sun is shining' is undoubtedly known to all in the business world. And everyone probably understands what it means, or do they? Why then do organizations view 'leaks' differently? Or perhaps they are not even aware that there are leaks... In that case, you are running unconscious risks and are not in control, as we call it. And then you might face unpleasant surprises, such as cash flow and liquidity problems. Because if you don't know about the leaks, you don't know their potential impact either.
Always Ready for Economically Tougher Times
Within an organization, from the metaphorical perspective, we're not talking about the roof. No, actually, we are discussing the foundation under the business operations or under the performance to be delivered. So it's logical that this is less noticeable. But how do you recognize the foundation and see that it's not in good order? Research shows that many companies and institutions lack the knowledge and skills to identify shortcomings in their organization's foundation. And what is not visible, does not get attention.
Interestingly, the best entrepreneurs are able to recognize deficiencies in the foundation of their business. They also possess the necessary knowledge and skills to manage everything perfectly. They continuously develop their organization to keep delivering top performances. The good news is that this is also achievable for your organization.
For businesses, this means that the foundation under their performance must always be in good shape, regardless of the economic climate. Therefore, it is more than worthwhile for your organization to take a critical look at this. Initially to prevent unpleasant surprises, but subsequently also to always deliver top performances, even in tougher times. Is your organization always ready for economically tougher times?
