The changing world of business

 

The world of business is moving from that of jobs, of tasks performed for money, to the world where what we do, and how we do it, is valued by the contribution made and the manner of its making – says William Buist, founder of xTEN Club (www.xtenclub.com).

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In the 1990's, when PC's began to appear and email and the Internet became pervasive, the speed of business accelerated significantly. It became much more of a team game. Where once the exceptional stood out by what they knew and how they applied it, the remarkable at the turn of the millennium were well connected and got things done collaboratively. Where collaboration is a greater driving force than competition, people come together and do extraordinary things collectively. For businesses, this means creating the right environment to enable talent to flourish while purposes are aligned - and to recognise the time when that changes. Businesses working in this new collaborative world will do remarkable work and will do it in alignment with all whom they impact. They tread lightly and leave a better world. In this new environment, individuals need to narrow their niche to the extreme. For example, rather than being a lawyer, become the country's most skilled entrepreneurial investment contract lawyer. When done well businesses do not narrow their market but lead it. They will not lose referrals, but will gain them; they will not lose credibility, but will gain it.

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How do you move from being good at what you do to being, authoritatively, THE only business that does it? Business owners who seek to stand out must concentrate on building the environment where this way of working flourishes, for them, for their staff, the markets they operate in, and their communities. Together, the people with purpose, and the companies that support them, are changing the world. They will leave a tangible legacy that will shine across the generations. Standing for the things that matter attracts an aligned enthusiastic community, together focused on sustainably creating meaningful value for all.