LET’S MAKE THINGS HAPPEN – 31.10.07
I’ve never subscribed to the “best small country in the world” line. Why? Because it seems to do what we specialise in – belittle ourselves. Why is every positive statement so often qualified by a diminishing one? Small? Yes, we are in relative terms, but let’s not flag that up unless we really use it to our advantage. Our compactness is an asset and offers a multiplicity of opportunities – swifter communication, fewer cultural tensions, less red tape, greater freedom for ideas to come to fruition more quickly, national initiatives developed and implemented more easily, and barriers to progress knocked down with greater ease.When we can lay claim to this – we’re halfway to greatness.The other half, and a more challenging barrier is made up by attitude. Can we in Scotland develop a, “yes, we can and will do it attitude?” Can we make our customers, visitors and colleagues feel great about life and about themselves? The answer at the moment, is in many cases, no. How many times have visitors to Scotland looked aghast when the first local they meet greets them with the question, “Why did you come to Scotland?” Or alternatively, makes some damning statement about the weather. Sunny today; “it’ll probably rain tomorrow” or “this is as good as it gets!” What on earth are we doing to ourselves?
People come to Scotland because we have award-winning and beautiful cities, throbbing with life and opportunity, we have breathtaking rural and coastal settings and yes, we are a friendly people.It can take a while to scratch that surface though. Our inherited responses and language can be at worst self-defeating and at best underwhelming. Yet we’re passionate about things that matter to us. Why is that passion not evident in our attitudes to business and customer service? We have to change that and we have to change fast. We should do so not because we are forced into it but because we see an exciting future in which we can excel in certain markets, in which our reputation for innovation and new thinking is restored, and in which a new pride and energy drives our citizens. I know there is a real appetite out there in business, sport, public service and across our communities to take Scotland forward. But, people still whisper their ambitions rather than shout them. We need to ignite that entrepreneurial spirit so often buried during childhood.
As a nation we need to be confident enough to see and grasp the opportunities that are out there. To build Scotland as a brand that every citizen, indigenous or new, can be proud of and live up to.We need public and private sectors to move away from mutual distrust, to establish a common clear language and use less of the gobbledygook that passes for communication in so many sectors. We need incentive rather then penalty as a driver of change and we need to encourage children and adults not only to dream but to pursue their dreams. We need more communication between younger and older people and we need to make ambition our common currency and ensure that disadvantage at birth does not bar access to opportunity.We need a concerted effort, by all of us, to ensure that people everywhere can build and share in our nation’s success. And we need to applaud our social and welfare services and support their efforts.
We know that an investment of love, security and stimulus in early years helps create more secure, confident and communicative adults. Let’s make sure that every baby born in Scotland is given the best chance by helping isolated parents and by using all the positive and welcomed interventions we can find.Does that responsibility just lie with politicians and educationalists? Of course it doesn’t. The business community has a massive part to play. Do we employ parents? There is part of the answer. Do we take on school leavers and graduates? We shouldn’t just complain about a lack of soft skills but work actively with schools and universities. That doesn’t mean stepping around in hobnailed boots. Teachers are experts in what they do, they work hard and they work under pressure. Businesses can learn from schools and schools can learn from business. Let’s make our contribution to the community measure up to what Scotland, and we as businesses need, and let’s encourage our staff to take part. Let’s make our contribution meaningful and strategic.
What drives Design Links is helping companies and public service agencies to stretch themselves and reach new heights. But I found I was selling our clients short when I could see all the best marketing efforts undone by an internal culture that didn’t live up to the brand image. What we have done is to lever in a new approach that digs deep and helps to uncover new levels of self-belief and self-expression in people. There is no more powerful marketing tool than staff, fired by passion and committed to take their organisation forward. There have been occasions when we have been asked to help an organisation accelerate their progress to market or to reach new audiences and our best efforts have been sabotaged by the very attitudes I have described. We need to address that as a nation.
I know companies whose performance has improved because they have employed Poles in key positions. They smile, they help, they go the extra mile and they do not down tools when their colleagues say it is time to do so. I also know Poles who are perplexed by the ingrained attitudes they find in their new work colleagues. “We’ve always done it this way,” or “that’s not our way here.”Can we learn from this latest influx of migrants? You bet. In the same way as Asians started a welcome revolution in our shopping and restaurant culture – we have an opportunity to use this fresh enthusiasm to galvanise our own people.That’s where Design Links can help – let us bring our workshop approach into your organisation. The aim: to re-enthuse people and to ignite that passion that’s lurks within most of us. It’s great for business and its great for Scotland.