Business & Organizational Evolution- How Are You Changing to Meet Different Needs?

It’s interesting how seemingly unrelated fields can help us improve entrepreneurship. Small businesses are often cited as part of an “ecosystem” by modern business experts, and the reference to a interdependent, almost biological, system that enhances small businesses is relatively new. Earlier descriptions would describe entrepreneurs as part of a “machine” during a more industrially focused era. Further back in time, businesses were compared to governments, communities, tribes, or families. However, the biological reference seems to resonate because we all know that entrepreneurs need to be dynamic and should be constantly looking for an edge in an ever changing and competitive environment.

A quote often attributed to Charles Darwin says: “It is not the strongest nor the most intelligent of species that survives, but the one that is most adaptable to change.” If we think of change as an outside stimulus (changing consumer wants/needs, changing economic drivers, changes in technology, new/changing competition, changes in resources, etc.) we know that businesses are constantly engaging a changing environment. Successful businesses find ways to adapt and create competitive advantages.

Organizations are similar to businesses in their need to constantly adapt. If we do things the same way we did thirty years ago, offer the same services, and employ the exact same approaches, we are doing something wrong.

Leadership in both businesses and organizations must identify shifts in the market, technology, consumer preferences, and more. The identification process requires businesses to view the environment outside of their own business or organization holistically to make adjustments. When you see a business or organization make changes, but those changes reflect their own individual interests or limited outside input, the alterations implemented can hurt more than help. Here are some things to think about:

• Is your user base growing, shrinking, or staying static? When was the last time you thought about adapting your model to meet the needs of the consumer?
• Technology is streamlining some management requirements, aiding in interorganizational communication, and assisting with consumer outreach. When was the last time your organization upgraded technology?
• Consumer expectations in dealing with both businesses and organizations have shifted dramatically as the boomer generation retires and millennial or Gen Z consumers emerge as the dominant consumers. When was the last time you changed your business layout, your messaging, or updated your mission to reflect changing consumer tastes?
• Trying to view your business/organization through the eyes of a consumer; why are you necessary? What clear value do you bring to your target market that aligns with your stated mission?
• When was the last time you had a discussion about the changing marketplace and how it could potentially impact your business or organization? How do you plan on positioning your business or organization to take advantage of a shifting landscape?
• When you make changes, are you engaging your consuming public to do what’s best for them, or are the decisions internally motivated to reflect your interests?

These are tough questions, but they aren’t meant as a negative indictment. Questioning a business or organizations place in the larger ecosystem is a healthy sign of growth and adaptability. NOT asking questions; that’s something that should worry you.

You don’t have to be the smartest, the strongest, or have the most wealth to succeed, but you do need to adapt to the changing market. How do you plan on adapting?