I spoke to my Dad over the weekend of October 9th and 10th. We have insightful conversations, more like friends catching up than Father/Son discussions.
A point he mentioned took me back, way back.
High School
Dad reminded me of high school. My English teacher was concerned about the bullying I was receiving in her class. So she felt compelled to call my parents at home and talk to them to ask if it was affecting me. Forever my fan, Dad told her, “I would be more concerned about the other students than Tim.”
Navy Active Duty
Again, Dad walked me through my early years in the Navy. I was served on board the nuclear, fast attack submarine, the USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678), and would call my parent out of frustration from time to time. As a result, I told them about my struggle to find my place, to fit, in an alien (to me) culture.
The Private Sector
Dad and I continued to talk about more recent rolling hills and deep valleys I navigated professionally in the private sector. As he walked me through pivot after the pivot, change after change, and low point after low point in the journey.
My Dad traced a thread for me throughout my life and reminded me of what all those knock-down, drag-out seasons created in me. As a result, he shared one word, a single concept.
ENDURANCE
A Challenge For Insightful Conversations
Because a race is not started at the starting line, preparation is required. Because change does not happen overnight it is a journey. A commitment to move a business, from one way of working to a new way of working, must happen for the journey to begin.
All these examples and many more require endurance. Toyota did not earn its reputation for quality in one or two decades. It was accomplished over many decades, as a result of a relentless pursuit of quality to create value customers pay for.
A missing ingredient in most business efforts is endurance. I challenge business leaders to consider this before they embark on a “business transformation” initiative or “digitalization journey”.
