The world is coming to an end, Part 2

A while ago, I wrote a blog post entitled 'The World is coming to an end - turn off your TV," about the pervasive negativity coming from our mainstream media.

I've been thinking lately that the world - at least the world as we know it, probably is coming to an end and in fact, already has. Look at all the buzz words today that would not have resonated five years ago -"going green," "organic," "sustainable" and many more. Look at the new emphasis on frugality, conservation, helping the needy and even just surviving!

And look at what's happened to disposable income in just the last 12 months and the impact on the foodservice industry. Today, analysts are predicting the closing of many operations that opened in droves in recent years, simply to balance out supply and demand.

In the '90s, greed was, as a movie character put it, "good." Today, greed has surfaced across the landscape in ways that repel, horrify and disgust us.

The world as it's been in the past decade is at an end - but that's not a bad thing at all. In fact, it's an opportunity for everyone to refine, retool and make their business better, more appropriate for the world we're in now, and more productive.

Change is frightening but it has its upside - it offers a chance to make the world we live in a better place for everyone.

Tags: Change, greed, industry, productivity, restaurant

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Comment by Steve Paterson on March 20, 2009 at 6:19pm: I'll take the BANG option, and leave the WHIMPER part for others

Comment by David Curtis on March 18, 2009 at 8:26am: Susan,
Excellent post and comments, it is like that ancient blessing / curse, "May you live in interesting times." Those who view obstacles as an opportunity and find ways to overcome or remove (change) those obstacles will be the successes we read about tomorrow. While daunting in nature, the changes and environment of today should be viewed with an air of opportunity and as a challenge to make our operations better. Your comments along with comments Erle made in his recent blog post, remind us to veiw the troubles of today as the possibilities they offer us to build better businesses and business models. Now is the time to review our operations, processes, systems, and offerings to fine tune, rework, discard, invent, innovate, etc, and take the next steps to offering our customers the best we can.

I know at Ted's we have been "green" since we opened our doors in 2002, long before green was chic, because our owner Ted Turner is a leader and committed to the environment. However, we don't just stand on our laurels; we constantly strive to make ourselves greener and look for ways to improve our environmental footprint, all the while trying to constantly improve our food quality and service excellence. As the IT guy for Ted's, I am tasked with constantly evaluating products and services that can make our restaurants better and more efficient operations, so that our managers can focus on the customer. I am looking forward to the opportunities the next 18 to 24 months bring.

David

Comment by susan holaday on March 18, 2009 at 7:37am: Thank you! Always nice to be appreciated. I wonder when I see all the outrage today at the bailout of AIG and the bonuses they are using that money (our money) for where the outrage was back seven or eight years again at the Enron fiasco - there was some, but nothing like this - and in that case many innocent people lost jobs and had their lives severely disrupted. You just have to wonder when people stopped caring about other people and turned to thinking only of themselves? From the very beginnings of our country - the VA colony and the Plymouth settlers - people helped each other - the word 'neighbor' meant someone you could turn to for assistance. Maybe I mis-read history but somehow, I think this country took a wrong turn when people stopped caring about other people. A friend told me the top echelon of taxpayers are the ones who hire the most people - offer jobs - and that's why they should be rewarded. It is not so - nearly 50 percent of the jobs in this country come from small businesses - those of us who toil very hard and often don't reap huge rewards.

Comment by Debra Straka on March 18, 2009 at 7:19am: Susan,
Wonderful read!! Isn't it wonderful that we now live in a time when we can replace "greed is good" with "change is good?" Hasn't change always been good though? My father (a very progressive thinker in his day) used to tell me that if businesses, people and governments don't change with time they die. Simplistic as it sounds those who haven't developed skills in flexibility are destined not to succeed in changing times. Nothing remains static for long, nor I think should they.
Thanks for starting another brilliant discussion.