If the world was an airplane, it seems like we’d be flying through maximum turbulence. It could hardly be bumpier. We’re pretty sure that somewhere down the line it will be a safe landing, but we know it’s probably not going to be a pleasant ride getting there. With all the drama of a broken Eskom, the amplified political noises of an election year, state-capture revelations, not to mention Trump, Brexit, the uberfication of everything and disruption on every corner. Businesses everywhere are doing the soul searching and whatever panic pivots it takes to stay relevant.
Every year we hold up our strategy to the light and do our best to determine whether it still makes sense, are we on track, did we miss something, should we have done more, done less, or done something else entirely? We are walking in a fog, but every now and then it lifts suddenly, the air is clear, and for some brief period, there is more certainty. It won’t be easy leading a business in 2019. It wasn’t in 2018, and it probably won’t be in 2020.
But, business has never been easy. There is constant hustle, constant demand and relentless pressure to move forward. In some way, that’s the adrenalin that keeps us going. I look back a year and am thrilled with the innovations we brought to market. We worked hard to streamline our offering, enhance our products. Every week our developers showcased new miracles and every week we delighted our customers with additional features and business intelligence to make their lives easier.
When I look around our office, everyone beavering away, writing reports, readying pitches, making calls, building presentations, I just love the energy. Yes, business is hard, but, wow, is it energising. The debates, the arguments, the passion, channelling our creative ideas are all part of the equation. Yes, we need more sales, bigger revenues, and yes, it can sometimes feel like we will forever be on this treadmill, but how lucky we are to work in a place that gives us the freedom to fail in a culture that rewards harmony, critical thinking and collaboration. It’s easy sometimes to only see the shadows, but it doesn’t take much more effort to look a little differently, and see the light. Here’s to a brilliant 2019. I hope we share it with you.
Author: Dr Hilton Rudnick, Omnicor’s MD
www.Omnicor.co.za
