Changing times. Unchanged plans.

It’s curious how strategic plans rarely allow for the seismic changes that may profoundly affect an organisation. How many well-considered business plans envisaged unprecedented energy prices, the demise of major financial institutions or heavyweight US government intervention in the workings of the free market?

We all know that we have lived through an exceptionally long and heady economic cycle and that we now need to re-think all those plans based on our aspirations and best judgments for the future. We are faced with disruption and discontinuity and seeking orientation in a new political and economic landscape.

So how come most organisations we talk to seem to have no better strategy that cutting costs or ‘keeping our heads down’? Why are short-term considerations still dominating corporate thinking when it’s pretty clear that short-termism played a major role in the events that have fractured Wall Street and the City and are sending aftershocks through the High Street and into every home?

The immediate instincts and received wisdom will be to slash and burn: cut costs, preserve the illusion of firm management and short-term profitability. This will be the time to let go of irreplaceable people, to cut back on research and development and to can the advertising. Counter-cycle theorists will struggle to be heard despite the growing weight of evidence in their favour.

For many organisations, drastic downsizing may seem to be the only choice although it would be good if the marketers, HR managers, product developers and strategic planners were given at least a few days to offer creative options to the strident calls for cuts from the finance department and, ironically, the bankers. Could this be a time to consider economic, social and environmental sustainability?

We can all wait for outside pressures to change the way we think and act – or, if we are spectacularly incompetent with our shareholders’ funds, we can hope that the taxpayer has enough left spare cash to bail us out after paying his gas bill. Alternatively, we can use this time to drive positive change from within. This could be the moment to make the best of your human and physical assets to put yourself in control of change rather than at its mercy.

Not surprisingly, at Change Agency, change is our business. Low overheads, no debt and a wealth of talent have put us in good shape to help public, private and voluntary sector organisations to develop a positive agenda while others are still adjusting their tin helmets in the bunker or waiting for the Treasury to come riding to the rescue.

Welcome to Change Agency's blogsite

Change Agency is an eclectic group of business professionals (aka Change Agents) with different skills, experience and points of view, but united by a shared interest in change. Our core belief is that Change Comes From Within, and that this is universally true of individuals, organisations and communities.

We think we can substantiate this claim through the projects we've run, our working methods and the modest impact we've had so far. But we also believe that the idea is much bigger than we can do justice to alone, both conceptually and in terms of its relevance to people, business and society.

Help us use this blog to make the case or challenge it. All contributions welcome.