Raise your darwinian intelligence
“Nearly all of business education–even at postgraduate level–may be misguided, even misleading. In my experience, business education is faithfully based on a false premise–that the problem of business is growth. When, in fact, the problem of business is survival.
Most business leaders may be spending their time and energy on solving the wrong problem. Yes, of course, growth is critical in business but the MAIN PROBLEM is that most businesses fail to survive long enough to grow!”
Of the Fortune 500 class of 1974 only 22 of those businesses still survive. These are the big companies. The failure to survive of smaller companies is ten times worse.
Since Darwin explained the reasons 150 years ago, we know that it’s not the strongest or the largest that survive but it’s those best prepared to cope with change.
On this BIG PROBLEM of survival, most business executives are shockingly ignorant and deplete in their formal education. They lack sufficient darwinian intelligence.They know little or nothing useful about the science of strategic darwinian thinking.
They venture forth naked and ill-equipped in their approach to the chaos of the marketplace–the whirling, howling, cacophonous wilderness of the global marketplace with its ferocious fads, toxic wastes, and vicious moods, its callous explosions and cruel extinctions putting capricious end to the blind and righteous rivalry across pointless medieval double-entry boardrooms.
Extravagant expenditures of directors’ time and energy are squandered on the talmudic reading of balance-sheets and P&Ls, like the obsessive pre-scientific study of entrails, when less than one director in a hundred could give an intelligent, educated account of what strategy it would take for their business to survive in the fast-changing environment of the next decade.
Experiment: Ask any director you know to demonstrate their strategic understanding of Darwin’s Theory and to show how s/he uses that knowledge to safeguard the future of the company in the faster-changing environment of the marketplace. If you get a clear, articulate response it will be a surprise.
Is there any business school in Australia that insists their graduates understand the strategic business application of the darwinian imperative? Are there any of the endless ‘case studies’ churned out by business schools devoted to darwinian business strategy?
Do let me know if you find one.
Think Darwin! Raise your darwinian intelligence.
Meanwhile, as part of the ADVANCED LEADERSHIP TRAINING I’ve added a new module to help raise your darwinian intelligence, your ability to survive and grow in rapidly changing environments. It’s called: Think Darwin! It consists of an additional ten lessons designed so that anyone can understand, get their head around and then harness the amazing power of Darwin’s Theory in their daily life, career and business.
For example, what do you know about ‘memes‘?
If you’re in management, marketing, media, or HR/training memes are a must. You’ll become very up-to-date with them on this course. Darwin’s Theory is widely regarded as the most powerful theory in all of science!
••• You can apply for the training by clicking here. These lessons were first published in my book
The X10 Memeplex: Multiply Your Business By Ten! (Prentice Hall 2000).
October 30th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I agree that survival is the most primary of requirements in any endeavour – a game, job or business venture. With regard to failure maybe it occurs because the person on the tiller is trying to make the boat go in a preplanned direction rather than reading the current or is it that the current should be ignored and the boat headed for the other bank no matter what. Darwin theory should surely say that the current must be monitored as the expense of the direction of the boat.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
As a marketing and advertising person we always strive to grow along with the changes in the market place. Most products on the shelves are striving to compete and those succed that meet the growing need of the changes in demand and consumer behaviour
July 11th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
As a business leader, you always think how to survive the business. I say even if you can’t stand up, that you can kneeing that is better than die. This is my philosophy.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
“…each species was seen as a separate direct line of member creatures originating from the first of its kind which was created personally by GOD.”
I find beliefs really interesting. I am interested in truth. I feel that truth is in the understanding of the believer ie essentially we choose the story or stories that best suit us. Our “thinking” or “believing” evolves each time we find a way to prove a different story. We then create a different “breed” almost ie Christians – Anglicans, Catholics, Baptists – Muslims and all that communities variations etc as a small example. Evolution of ideas seems to be where we are at in our world today.
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:15 am
Survival first! It is life that produces money and not money that produces life
April 11th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Right on!
If we can’t even survive, how can we talk about growth.
If we can’t even survive, how can we talk about getting rich!
Survive! Then, can you grow … ne better … develop
It’s sustainability
March 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
In science, the power of a theory is the number of things it explains divided by the number of things it assumes. The more things that can be explained by a theory that assumes as little as possible is what gives the theory its power.
I selected this on the basis that it took me two or three reads to actually mentally determine the meaning. I would assume that by now, after many years of science breakthrough that those components that may have been assumptions in the Darwinian theories have in fact now been placed into the ‘have explained’. Many of the Darwinian idealisms and theories are now facts and very intelligent theories proven.
The questions I ask about nature and the evolution of species based on genetic transformations include was the genetic positives just luck, an undetermined chance, an environmental change, a specific species bodily function or mother nature demonstrating common sense.
Whatever it is, one can’t argue against that when a change is needed to stay in the game a change to the game must happen.
March 22nd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Wonderful reading, well crafted wordsmithing!! Great content weaved with perfect words. Great job!!
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:41 am
If there are any corporations on the planet these days moving forward with Darwinian thinking they are certainly not evident, just multiple examples of just the opposite.
So there is a great need for more “thinkers”, please let them (us) rise to the top.
February 25th, 2009 at 1:17 am
At this stage, I cannot comment, but to be opened to ‘receive’.
I am willing to hear other views.
Thanks
February 24th, 2009 at 11:55 am
A very Pragmatic and Scientific approach to Solving Challenges faced by modern businesses. Also, provides Excellent Potential and Practical Applications for Management Staff and Personnel.
I would venture to say that one may equally enhance one’s Personal Life = Relationships, Communications, and Interpersonal Dealings.
Be$t of $uccess to One and All …
Divinely and Positively,
Garry
February 15th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
do it, do it, do it, – you’ll love it
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I Love and interested in learning more
January 20th, 2009 at 6:12 am
I want to learn more and further my cvs2bvs.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Yes,I love learning intelligent ways of thinking
January 19th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
hi,
Darwin’s theory !
Must be very interesting when inculcated as a lesson of thinking….
January 5th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I am exited at the prospect of learning ‘more’
November 27th, 2008 at 2:33 am
I grew up learning Darwin’s theory!!!
Must be very interesting when inculcated as a lesson of thinking….
October 10th, 2008 at 12:05 am
It is quit interesting . I do hope It will be very useful for the promising managements. All the best.
With regards,
P. Vijayachandran.
September 29th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
First time that i hear about “Think Darwin” in my supervisory position. I am interested to see where it goes.
September 21st, 2008 at 8:56 pm
i am in management, but not in marketing, but i am really interested in thinking darwin !
August 15th, 2008 at 8:35 am
If you are in a management, marketing, media, or HR/training memes are a must. You will become very up-to-date with them on this course. educated account of what strategy it would take for their business to survive in the fast-changing environment of the next decade.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Life is constant changes we must make.
Critical issue is to think better and plan for improved outcomes.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
The world as we have known it is changing very fast. Successful businesses will Need to Survive these changes to make an ongoing profit and it seems that the model of Darwin’s thinking could well be the answer. At least it is a place to start!!
August 13th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Darwinian evolution and selection based on quality and fitness, seems to be a best-fit model for marketplace situations.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:25 am
The same idea can explain much of what happens in the marketplace over time. Only those offers that are good enough at getting themselves copied–the fittest–survive.
Businesses must sustain themselves in time by being able to adapt