Think about this.

At a recent Institute of Management Services event in the UK, I was lucky to share a platform with Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas - -a an expert in corporate transformation.

His views (thankfully) overlapped with, and complemented, mine.

My 'executive takeaway' of his presentation is that:

In high performing organisations, rarely are key business processes carried out exactly as specified and trained. They rely on people who are above average and above mere compliance.

We need to explore new models and build flexible, adaptable, networked organisations - combinations of people and technology.

Think about those statements for a minutes or two - and then think how you can enact them.

What's your productivity plan?

Productivity doesn't just happen - it has to be designed in to the business, supporting the overall strategic vision and plan and underpinned by the establishment of key metrics.

So, you need a plan.  What are you going to change?  What are you going to investigate? What do toy NEED to change?  Where are your problems? Where are your opportunities for improvement?  Where might technology help? How might you develop your staff to help them improve your business? What do your competitors do better than you?

Answering these - and similar - questions should help you stat the planning process. 

You don't need a revolution - but you do need to think about where you might make a number of small improvements that  could make a difference - impacting on what you do or how you do it - and impacting on your 'bottom line'.

So, as from next week - or even today - question, think, plan  and act.

The future, not the past

In 1940, one farmer supplied about 11 people with food for the year. Changes over time -especially in technology - mean that today the average farmer in the United States supplies 155 people with food for the year.

How many industries can match that kind of productivity growth? 

But history is not important.

A more important question is ...Where will the next phase of growth come from?  

Has technology still got potential for us?  Have new pesticides? Or doe we need new practices, new systems of crop growth. 

We certainly need new ideas if we are to feed the growing global population.

No Thingy for me!

'Thingy' is a word used in the UK by many people to represent something whose name they cannot recall - a 'whatdyacallit', a 'thingymajig'.  All cultures and languages have such words.

I use it here because it reminds me of the 'next big thing' (or should that be next big thingy)?

This - according to some - is the Internet of Things - the networking of physical objects.

Manifestations so far seem to be 'home automation' - devices that will change the colour of your lighting or switch on your kettle as you enter the house, or when you use your phone to direct it to.

So far, I have been underwhelmed. It seems remarkable how few of these things I want to do at all, let alone automatically or 'more conveniently'. It might be 'early days' and in a few years I might be amazed at the possibilities but, for now, you can keep these thingies that are so clever - I'll work with my old technology for now.