What could NZ do better?
We need to strive to continually improve how effective we are. As nation we are disadvantaged by being based so much further away from large portion of our traditional export customers compared to our competitors. This means we need to be more attuned, and understand subtle changes, to markets, trends and customers. We need to be agile enough to modify our products and services ahead of competing organisations and countries to overcome some of the challenges our distance brings.
How could our business leaders help with this?
Our business leaders must understand their market very well and think about what it may look like in the future. They need to ensure that they, their company’s processes, technologies and cultures enable staff to be agile, sensitive to small changes in the market place, and have an appropriate exposure to risk. This is just as important for non-exporting businesses, to ensure that the whole supply chain can adjust to enable us as nation to be as effective as possible.
It also requires business leaders to ensure that people are working to their strengths and passions to bring about high level of engagement and desire to achieve.
What would it take for everyone to make difference?
We all need to keep asking ourselves why we are doing things the way we do. Does it still make sense? Can we do it better? New Zealanders are pretty adaptable people and generally keen to give things go. If we focus bit more on getting better by strengthening ourselves and not pulling others down, I think we could step up another gear. M
