"We can't be chasing the puck; we've got a skate to where the puck will be." I’m sure you have heard it too. Skating to where the puck will be is the best known quote attributed to Wayne Gretzky.
If you are a younger person (a Millenial as you might be called), you might not know that Wayne Gretzky was a hockey player. He made it to the hockey hall of fame. Wayne Gretzky retired from playing ice hockey in 1999.
HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE LEARNED IN 1999 APPLIES TO BUSINESS TODAY?
"Skating to where the puck will be" became a popular business phrase in the late 90s but I'm shocked that some executives are still using it today.
"Skating to where the puck will be" became a popular business phrase in the late 90s but I'm shocked that some executives are still using it today.
Unfortunately, although that phrase may be good for ice hockey, BUSINESS IS NOT ICE HOCKEY.
You see because ice hockey operates in a closed system, the puck has a well defined area in which it can travel. The puck can only go so many places. NO UNEXPECTED EXTERNAL FORCES CAN INFLUENCE THE TRAVEL OF THE PUCK. Nothing can enter that ice area from the outside to alter the dynamics of the game.
Business operates in an open system. Business does not operate within closed system defined boundaries. Why are we still talking about Wayne Gretzky when our businesses operate subject to open system dynamics?
The New York Times published an interesting article regarding how the open, instant and transparent communications culture of Millenials (younger people) is challenging our top-down, fear based business organizations.
It's worth your time to read it.
The New York Times published an interesting article regarding how the open, instant and transparent communications culture of Millenials (younger people) is challenging our top-down, fear based business organizations.
It's worth your time to read it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/jobs/embracing-the-millennials-mind-set-at-work.html?ref=technology
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