Governments around the world are taking stakes in banks and private sector organisations ... on a temporary basis, of course ... just while the 'credit crunch' lasts.
I think it was Milton Friedman who said that "There is nothing so permanent as a temporary government programme." We have no choice but to 'watch this space' and see how right he is!
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Here ... and there
No sooner do I announce the fact that I am in Toronto ... than it is time to signal my departure back to the UK. We have, though, had a very useful - and productive - meeting of the Board of WCPS (World Confederation of Productivity Science) ... setting out our future strategies.
This was facilitated by a colleague and fellow Board member - Tom Tuttle - using a methodology used by him when dealing (in his real life) with clients. This methodology had elements I recognised and elements I did not- and proved to be highly effective.... in fact so effective I might 'steal' it for future use.
And so we progress .... learning (if we are sensible) from others .. and adopting (and often adapting) tools and techniques we see that could work for us. I would use the methodology in a different way to Tom - not because I would do it 'better' ... just differently ... because Tom and I are different people with different approaches, strengths and weaknesses. Recognising ourselves is the first step on the path to success,
This was facilitated by a colleague and fellow Board member - Tom Tuttle - using a methodology used by him when dealing (in his real life) with clients. This methodology had elements I recognised and elements I did not- and proved to be highly effective.... in fact so effective I might 'steal' it for future use.
And so we progress .... learning (if we are sensible) from others .. and adopting (and often adapting) tools and techniques we see that could work for us. I would use the methodology in a different way to Tom - not because I would do it 'better' ... just differently ... because Tom and I are different people with different approaches, strengths and weaknesses. Recognising ourselves is the first step on the path to success,
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Toronto Turnround
Besides being Director of the National Productivity Centre here in the UK, I am also President of the World Confederation of Productivity Science (WCPS). The WCPS is this week taking some of its own medicine. There is a Board meeting in Toronto to review our forward strategy ... and make the organisation more productive ... in terms of spreading the productivity message both to, and beyond, our own direct stakeholders.
In this 'credit crunch' world, there is no more important task for most organisations than to raise their productivity ... there is a danger that in doing this, many will concentrate on economic productivity and forget about social and environmental productivities. However, this will simply be a reversion to the old practice of the short-term fix ... if we are serious about multiple productivities (and we in the WCPS certainly are), we must maintain our focus now and into the uncertain future.
In this 'credit crunch' world, there is no more important task for most organisations than to raise their productivity ... there is a danger that in doing this, many will concentrate on economic productivity and forget about social and environmental productivities. However, this will simply be a reversion to the old practice of the short-term fix ... if we are serious about multiple productivities (and we in the WCPS certainly are), we must maintain our focus now and into the uncertain future.
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