To be a true leader in today's world you must be ready for change, adapt to change and, better yet, LEAD change.

Change is certain. Ignoring change, not being open to different views or different ways of doing things is one of business’ biggest limitations of growth.

If you want to enhance your ability to innovate, to run a more competitive organization, be a better leader, to lead change, you need to understand the Business of Paradigms. It’s imperative that you develop the ability to see with “new eyes”. Decisions you face, challenges presented, questions to be answered - you must be able and willing to see them un-filtered by your perspective – your paradigms..

PARADIGM – The definition of paradigm given in the dictionary is “Pattern or Model”. Futurist, Joel Arthur Barker, gives an expanded version of the definition that helps relate the term to business discussions easier.

A paradigm is a system of rules and regulations that does two things:
1. Some rules set limits or establish boundaries, like a football field goal line or sideline; or like the foul lines of a baseball diamond.

2. Other rules offer guidance on how to solve problems that exist inside these boundaries.

So a paradigm is, in effect, a set of rules for problem solving. And a paradigm shift is when you change from one set of rules to another. In business, the rules are changing all the time – the shift is happening all the time. Those who don't (or don’t want to) see it, will be left behind.

The Portland Press Herald series “Portland at a Crossroads” illustrates perfectly the challenges created when a paradigm shifts – and there are those who lead the change sitting side by side with those who don’t want things to change. Sticking your head in the sand is the most unproductive, dangerous thing you can do because change happens - the future is coming whether you want it to or not.

As an example of a business paradigm shift consider the watch industry. For centuries, the Swiss owned the watch industry. In fact, in the late 60's the Swiss had a 65% share of the global watch market and over an 80% share of the global profit.

How then, within only 10 years did the Swiss market share fall to less 10% market share? What happened? The watch paradigm shifted. The quartz watch happened.

Quartz watches didn’t have the sophisticated watch movements, there were no bearings, no main springs, and no moving parts. The Swiss watch manufacturers did not “SEE” quartz watches as competitors – quart watches weren’t “SEEN’ as watches but as fashion accessories.

So, who developed the quartz watch? …The Swiss…

Swiss design-engineers created the quartz watch and presented it to the Swiss watch manufacturers – who turned the engineers away. They were so blind to the “quartz” possibility that they didn’t even patent the idea. Later that year at the global Watch congress, the Swiss research engineers displayed their quartz creation.

A little, unknown Japanese company named Seiko, happened by, saw the design…and the rest is history. Within 10 years – The Swiss had gone from owning the market, to not even being a player. Seiko went from nowhere – to being a leader in the global watch market.

Change is inevitable and today changes come faster and faster. Whether it’s your competition, your marketplace or the community in which you live – change is happening. It’s not going to stop so sitting around and complaining that you liked things the “way they used to be” will only prove to be your downfall.

What's next? For you - For your business – For the Greater Portland area? Who knows. What I can tell you though, is that almost without exception, all new inventions, new concepts, the next BIG THING, they are all conceived "on the fringe". If you want to be ready for the future; if you want to stay ahead of the competition and lead the way, be open to seeing with new eyes. Watch what’s happening on the fringe of your industry and in the world. That’s where the future is born, on the fringe. Be careful when you dismiss that next "crazy" idea.

On Tuesday, December 6, I'm holding a free workshop I call "Visionaries - Making It Happen". It's at the Portland Harbor Hotel and the space is limited, but use this link if you would like more information. The workshop covers a number of areas that typically hold people back from achieving the results they want, one of the most critical of which is self-limiting paradigms.

If you are reading this after December 6 and would like information on any upcoming workshops and seminars, please check my website at www.BoldVisionConsulting.com

Until next time – Bold Results start with a Bold Vision! Go out there and Be Bold!

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