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This week’s focus: The beauty, joy and frustration of business, as with life, is that the future is unwritten. The pace of change in the world – technological, political and economic – makes business more chaotic, turbulent and unpredictable than ever.

In the face of this uncertainty, it may be tempting to hide, to avoid taking risks and trying new things. But one thing’s for sure – tomorrow’s winners are those companies and business leaders that are ready and willing to reach out and pursue and exploit new opportunities, not simply hold on tightly to current successes.

As my own business coach tells me, we are on a lump of rock flying through space at over 60,000 miles per hour around an exploding star, so even in the midst of some political uncertainties we should be willing to take the odd business risk! The lesson is not to spend excessive time on planning and analysis, but to think big, start small and learn fast. We can spend our whole lives trying to understand what might happen in the future, or we can actually get out there, try something, see what works and what doesn’t and then improve it.

I know which route is more likely to lead to success. How are you trying to learn and innovate faster than you did last year and faster than your competitors?

Off the record: Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

I’ve looked at life from both sides now

From win and lose and still somehow

It’s life’s illusions I recall

I really don’t know life at all

 

© Stuart Cross 2016. All rights reserved.