Scott Adams of Dilbert fame sets forth some thought-provoking ideas in his latest blog post: "Sign of the End Time." His fundamental premise is that...
"...we're on the cusp of a change as fundamental as the industrial revolution. But this time the change will be on the consumption side, not the production side."
He continues by saying...
"...The coming consumption revolution won't be strictly for the benefit of the environment. It will be an economic necessity, driven largely by the huge numbers of retired poor. There simply won't be enough stuff for everyone if waste is allowed. "
Waste. That word is so important to me. As a advocate of both Lean & Green, waste in any form is inherently evil to me. Doesn't matter if it's the waste embedded in a business process or the wasted energy of an inefficient automobile. It's all evil. Imagine how much better our lives would be if we could snap our fingers and eliminate all the waste around us. Imagine if at work you never had to fix a screw-up or wait around for an answer. Imagine if all our shopping destinations were within walking distance. Not that it's possible to snap your fingers and make it happen, but it's something we should strive for in the long-term, for the sake of the environment and for our own sake.
Later in his post, Adams concludes...
"This is the sort of change that could never happen if the economy was in a happy bubble and it seemed that money was abundant. But as the reality of our economic situation settles in, unthinkable options become thinkable. The good news is that the unthinkable options will have lots of advantages."
This is very often the case with waste elimination. Most people fear change...they truly dread it. But, when external factors force us to change, we come up with smarter, more innovative ways to do things. I think the big winners in a future such as that envisioned by Scott Adams will be those who can eliminate the most waste. If you're a homebuilder, you better be able to design & build sustainable homes in an efficient manner. If you're a lawyer, you better invest in some good video-conferencing equipment so your clients don't have to drive across the city to give a deposition. If you own a restaurant, you better develop relationships with local farmers and ranchers who can provide their products quickly and efficiently. What do you need to do to become a change leader in your industry?
