From the Editor
Luis Ayala
The topics of business preparedness and adaptability have been at the top of many of my recent client engagements. Not only is this a reflection of the tough economic challenges threatening the alcohol beverage industry, but it is also a fundamental paradigm shift that visionary business leaders want to embrace so that their operations are even better prepared to survive future challenges.
While there are many business strategies and philosophies that can be applied, the one I want to focus on is Audacity.
The dictionary defines audacity as a noun that refers to “the courage or confidence of a kind that other people find shocking.” Audacity can be driven by desperation, when the only available course of action is irrational or counter intuitive, but audacity can also be part of a strategy, one that is exercised even during calm and prosperous times. I refer to the latter as “Planned Audacity” and it simply embodies the notion that procedures that are rehearsed regularly during periods of control, are more likely to be implemented accurately during periods of chaos. Think of the emergency evacuation drills on a cruise ship or fire drills in an office building: they are practiced so that those involved during an actual emergency can remain calm and effective.
In business, the emergencies can take on many different forms, including: poor sales, injuries to consumers, embarrassments caused by brand ambassadors, changes in political correctness (anyone remember “Whaler’s Rum”?), supply chain problems, etc. Having contingency plans that are actually “rehearsed,” enables the leaders and the employees to keep the implementation of said plans relevant in an ever-changing environment.
If you own or work in a distillery, there should be operating procedures that outline how to handle accidents (everything from material spills to injuries). If your team hasn’t rehearsed those, I suggest that you bring it up during the next staff meeting and, if you haven’t already, also think about extending your definition of accidents to include scenarios discussed in this article. Most important, have the audacity to come up with creative solutions!
Cheers!
Luis Ayala,
Editor and Publisher
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant