The fifth of Drucker’s Eight Habits is “Focus on Opportunity”.
Drucker’s words, “Change must be viewed as an opportunity, not a threat,” are significant as a message that encourages organizations and members to reframe their resistance to change.
Focus on Opportunities
We need to focus on opportunities, not problems. Of course, we cannot leave problems unattended. It does not mean that we should hide them. But dealing with problems, no matter how serious they are, does not bring results. It only prevents damage. Outcomes come from opportunities.
First and foremost, change must be viewed as an opportunity, not a threat. We must find change within and without the organization and consider whether we can use it as an opportunity. In particular, the following seven situations must be scrutinized.
- Unexpected successes and unexpected failures in their own organizations and in their competitors
- Gaps in markets, processes, products, and services (in the 19th century, the paper industry was discarding the part of the tree that did not become pulp, i.e., more than 10% of the tree)
- Innovations in processes, products and services
- Changes in industrial and market structure
- Changes in population structure
- Changes in attitudes, values, perceptions, air, and meanings
- Changes in knowledge and technology
Don’t let problems overwhelm you and lose sight of opportunities. Most organizations list problems on the first page. However, the first page should be a list of opportunities and the second page should be a list of opportunities. Unless there is a major event, problems should be discussed only after opportunities have been analyzed and how to use them have been decided.
Personnel are the key to focusing on opportunities. They must be put in charge of opportunities, not problems. One way to do this is to bring together a list of opportunities and a list of people who can do the job every six months. Combine these lists into two large lists. Then put the best people in charge of the biggest opportunities. Incidentally, in Japan, this is the approach of personnel management at government offices. This is one of the keys to Japan’s strength.
This book, “Conditions for Management,” was published in 1964, when Japan was in the midst of its rapid economic growth. The last sentence, “The key to Japan’s strength is…” must be taken as a strong message to the modern Japan that we have forgotten.
（The above English translation is for a reference purpose only and a re-translation of the Japanese into English. Accordingly, please refer to the original text as appropriate.）
コーチング情報局を運営する株式会社コーチビジネス研究所では、企業を対象としたコーチング研修、ビジネスパーソンを対象としたビジネスコーチング、個人の方を対象としたライフコーチングを提供しております。その他、コーチングを学びたい方のためのコーチングスクールの運営、経営者やビジネスリーダー向けにセミナーを開催しています。興味や関心がございましたら、お気軽にご相談・お問い合わせください。
This article was written in Japanese and converted into English using a translation tool. We hope you will forgive us for any inadequacies.
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