1.5 - About University

their product or service no longer selling). These disasters typically take place after Curve A haspeaked and is tailing off. Being complacent while on the crest of curve A, they didn’t see themcoming! The Japanese word kaizen, or continuous improvement, is based on the assumptionthat there is no perfect answer in a changing world, and that complacency is the enemy oflong-term success.“One of the paradoxes of success is that the things … which got you there, areseldom those that keep you there.”—Charles Handy, THE AGE OF PARADOXLeaders are concerned that the first curve will turn down before they are able to find thesecond curve. Leaders need to anticipate and get on to the second curve as soon as possible, orpreferably before the first curve begins its downturn. But few want their peaceful existence onthe first curve to be disturbed until after the downturn begins! By then, however, it may be toolate. The trick is to find the second curve while still keeping the first one going. This requirespersonal flexibility and tolerance for change and ambiguity.H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOLA stranger at the side of the road gives you these directions: “It’s easy to find. Just keep going the way you areand after a while you’ll come across a small bridge with Davy’s Bar on the far side. You can’t miss it. Then, ahalf mile before you get there, turn to your right and go up the hill.”—Charles Handy, THE AGE OF PARADOXIn this fast-moving world, sigmoid curves are increasingly accelerated. Today, business strategiesoften need to be replaced within two or three years, and product life cycles are shorterthan in the past. Consider some of the products, services, or strategies to which you presentlyattribute your success as a leader. Graph where each of these might presently be on the firstsigmoid curve here. (You may also wish to use this tool to examine your career or work relationships.)WEB WORKSHEET74 SECTION 3 TOOLS FOR STRATEGIC THINKING