Customer Expectations

I always watch for trends and I am noticing something that is really disturbing me.  Many clients are indicating that they and their teams are feeling exhausted.  This is a recipe for disaster. 

Let’s talk about how we might have arrived at this point and how it is showing up and then I want to hear from you about how much you identify with this issue and what you are doing about it. 

Over the last decade, market forces have required businesses to operate leaner, while expectations by their customers is that they will run faster and with a higher level of quality.    All my clients are now doing more, doing it better and doing it faster (no matter what the “it” is). 

The result that I am noticing is that resilience is reduced.  They are less able to rebound from the unexpected (Black Swan events) and their energy is more directed, then ever before, on the tactical.  It also means that we are all depleted and more fragile, as people and organizations.

People are laid low by colds/flu’s and take longer to recover.  There is a frenetic pace to work and here, let me add that all my clients and the businesses I talk with are having record setting sales and margins are not a large concern.  At the same time, I get the sense that all these people are looking over their should and wondering, “How long will these good sales times last?”. 

The impact is that I see/hear less joy and less satisfaction from the accomplishments that people achieve.  There is more resignation than I can remember ever experiencing.  These attributes, unchecked, will leave anyone, or any organization, depleted and susceptible to being blind sided.  So, tell me, am I missing the boat?  Are things more positive then I am perceiving?  Based on your responses, I will develop my next blogs (either move on from the subject or begin to develop it and solutions).  Let me know.