The Human society works at its best when there is conducive atmosphere for people to hone their skills and meritocracy in place which acts as impetus to strive for excellence. The rise of profitable and healthy capitalism in a society relies on enduring and enterprising spirit of the people. All the major corporations are created by the set of enterprising people with a fire in their belly - a spirit of creating something.
As the company grows bigger, more people join in bringing their expertise on the board which helps the company further flourish. This along with the conducive environment leads to a corporation - a profitable entity which participates in the growth of society. It is very interesting to see so many gigantic corporations around the world which have changed the very way we live and operate. It touches many aspects of our lives even without we knowing about it. These corporation also gives an identity to a vast pool of people who are associated with it and to many it is a major driving force in their lives.
This self fueling system of profitable growth though is a subject to variety of cycles - right from the products to the industry.. from people to their fates. It is this cycles which really tests the character of the very organizations and its people. It tests the state of minds of the leaders and their competence. Their spirit to lead and to give the new direction to its people and the company. It also tests the people who work in this companies. The labor of whom have created the fortune of the companies. Above all it exposes the very driving force of the corporation, its leaders and all the people.
The driving force ultimately decides the fate of corporation. So, what does this challenging time tells us? Is this a chaos that will destroy the companies and the prosperity that it generated? Or is it a harbinger of a new order? This are some of the very interesting questions that we all are facing. History has taught us that a system that does not reward excellence - ultimately demoralizes its people and brings down the very system that was the hope of people who worked hard to build it. Communism did not work as the way it was designed because meritocracy was substituted by bureaucracy in the name of social justice! Fear ruled wit an iron fist and the people were nothing more than the instruments for the ascension to power. People suffered, revolted and bought down the very system which in the name of justice pushed them in the state of despair, agony and poverty.
On the other hand, this crisis has exposed the greed that has plagued the system in the name of reward of excellence. The greed of its own people has destroyed corporation which was instrumental in bringing the prosperity and innovation. The companies that were used as instruments to suffice their own greed is bleeding profusely and is also hurting all the people in it. This again instantiates the fear in the minds if people and amplifies the chaos.
This circle of greed and fear has something for us to offer. It teaches us the values that we forget. It ushers in a a new era of innovation and the enterprising spirit of all the people. It is the challenges that inspires people to strive harder and weather the storm. Fear and Greed both will ultimately fail. Companies where the self-interest of employees and leaders are not aligned are destined to doom. When Business strategy and culture collides - Culture has to win. This stress test of time ultimately shapes the lives of people, society and ultimately country and world. It is the time that calls for not just rejuvenation of spirits, but the re-invention of the soul itself. If the booms were not permanent, the busts too wont be forever. However this phase will definitely bring out something tremendously positive from those who work hard and do not succumb to fear and greed. It will also cleanse the corporations that is plagued with the greed and complacency and may even cause death of some companies who did not prepare itself in good days for the challenges ahead and just thought that the ride that they were experiencing will be forever.
I don't intend to predict the revival and prosperity or doom of a company or for that matter even any economy. However it is a good time to reflect on what went wrong. What can we learn and how do we make things better in the future. The cycles will continue to give a roller coaster ride to many - But it is the strength of its people that will eventually define the fate of a corporation, its people and ultimately the society.
