Does your company live in the past? It's an idea that might not occur to many business owners and managers. Often past glory days become more important than what is happening to the company today, or in its future. For the forward looking business person, these legends can be very discouraging. New ideas are often not welcome at all in a workplace that glorifies the past.
You've heard the stories of famous huge sales volumes, or some heroic sales representative from the past. Perhaps there was an advertising or marketing campaign that allegedly turned the company's entire fortunes around. There may have been a miracle product of pet rock proportions that scooped the entire marketplace. The list is usually long, taunting, and even almost threatening to you today.
Old stories of past successes might be fine for water cooler discussions, or reminiscing around the holiday punch bowl. That's usually a good place for them to remain. They are not always helpful to the current business situation and economic climate. While it could be argued that the past glories are part of the company's heritage, they often overwhelm modern decision making. What business practice is reputed to be the reason for the past heroics, might not be correct at all. What's worse, it might be imposed on the staff of today.
For example, a fad item that sold extremely well during a certain time period would probably be a failure today. The danger of success a freak success is the desire to find that one great seller again. Instead of research and development money and expertise going to the company's main marketplace needs and requirements, cash and talent are diverted to seeking an elusive fad item. While going for the home run might be fine for a small percentage of the budgetary expenditure, if past successes are glorified by management, the home run might become the sole target.
Aother possibility is crediting the wrong reason for success. The backward looking person might think that there is no need to spend money on marketing, advertising, or public relations. After all, just sending old Tom and Joe out into the field resulted in enormous sales. Usually such legends are not backed up with any actual sales numbers. The myth is sufficient, and woe to anyone who questions the tale's alleged wisdom. In fact, there might have been two real possibilties. Sales numbers were much lower than remembered, or sales were strong because of the undervalued marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts that backed up the sales staff.
Economic conditions change with time as well. As you look around, you notice there are times of economic expansion and of recession. New technologies, including home and laptop computers, the internet and the rise of marketing websites and business blogs, wifi, cellphones, and others change the way business is conducted in time and location. They are part of your world, that of your industry, and of your competitors. The power of modern and potential future technological change must be considered.
Other economic factors including offshoring, outsourcing, insourcing, and home sourcing must also be considered. Times change and the myths remain the same. The past legends are often comforting to many business owners and managers. The problem is they often become straitjackets or standards that are impossible to meet. Often the reputed standards were never even met at all. They are merely urban legend.
Don't let the myths of past glories hold you and your business back. Leap forward into the future with new and creative ideas.
Maybe you'll create a brand new legend for your company.
But don't glorify it too much.
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