It’s Oscar season again and the speculation is all over, with no particular surprises about the winners. The Artist cleaned up as expected.
As always, I used my Ipad to catch up with the latest news as there was no way that I was going to stay up late to watch the live show (even if I am fascinated by what everyone is wearing).
Actually, I’m a late adopter of all things Apple, but like so many I’ve been infected with the iPad bug and always have it with me, unable to comprehend LBI (life before iPad).
My thoughts briefly return to contemplating how Apple can possibly survive without it’s entrepreneurial master Steve Jobs, but that’s the subject of another blog – back to the Oscars.
The Artist is a familiar story about a film star whose career goes into decline with the advent of the talkies. Yes the film is in in black and white and silent. Apparently we are on the verge of a silent movie revival. We shall see.
Why is fascinating to me?
Because of the amazing juxtaposition of our clamour for the latest technology and all the column inches devoted to the genius of Jobs following his death, alongside a yearning for the revival of an art form that has been considered obsolete for decades.
In reality this isn’t a new phenomenon, lava lamps, soda streams and teas maids have all had come backs. But can we ever see ourselves with brick sized telephones and boxed shaped computers again? Can you imagine LWI ( life withoutIPad)?
And what about our approach to business? I am a strong proponent of entrepreneurial leadership. Evangelising about the need for a shift in our approach to business success – a change in approach for a changing world!
But in reality I have, and always will stress the need for a balanced leadership approach. It’s not as simple as saying that anything “old” is bad and anything ” new” is good. Creating and leading successful businesses is about getting the blend right between paradigm shifts in approach (like Apple) and utilising methods that are tried, tested and proven to be effective (like silent movies).
Even as Apple brought us new technology that we didn’t even know we needed, they also applied some proven, old business strategies – exemplary customer service for instance.
If I can sit in a cafe churning out a blog on my iPad while planning to go and see this acclaimed silent, black and white movie, surely as entrepreneurial business leaders we can blend the old and new go create, sustain and grow our businesses, even in the most challenging times?