Despite the return to economic decline in the UK in the final quarter of 2010, the Chancellor, George Osborne, has re-iterated his view that there is no “Plan B” to his deficit reduction plans.
Really?
All effective business leaders set a clear future direction for their business, but they are equally willing to be flexible in how their goals are achieved. New unplanned opportunities, events and environmental changes demand that business organisations need to be agile and able to adapt to rapidly changing situations.
As Jeff Bezos, the boss of Amazon puts it, you need to be “fixed on the vision, flexible on the route.”
I hope that Mr Osborne is merely unwilling to share his contingencies, because if he really doesn’t have a “Plan B” the future fiscal and economic performance of the country will be based on luck and hope, rather than effective management.
© Stuart Cross 2011. All rights reserved.