Reaching For Salvation

Reaching For Salvation

Jim Collin’s fantastic book, “How The Mighty Fall”, teaches that the third stage for a company that is falling or failing is “Reaching For Salvation”.

This imparts a sense severe desperation on behave of the company and big decision makers. As the once success of the company seems to be under the examination by a higher power, beyond the control of the company, who is slow separating, cutting, pulling and breaking parts of what the company was once so solid in.

In an attempt to halting this operation, those with the most beneficial interest in stopping the fall and the torture are those able to make the significant decision that will “save” the company.

The situation has put everyone who really cares (those not sharpening and sending out resume’s as a fail safe) in a need, hope and fear position.  Hardly what is healthy for correcting wrongs, identifying corrective actions and pursuing initiatives with passion.  Struggling to come up with an answer when you have tried cause you to reach for salvation, not because you want to, but because you feel like you need to.

The action typically involves some sort of “savior” solution.  A person or product or structure where all the eggs are put into.  It is like being in Vegas, not having enough money to get home because weekend had started off well, but quick dissolved and with you last dollar you put it into the slot machine, literally praying for some divine intervention that can save you bacon.

There isn’t a calculated solution or a proven process, just a final change in an attempt to succeed.  At first there is a positive reaction.  Not because of the reach but because all others have a renewed hope and work effectively and with passion toward effective, high performance.  It is short-term.

Eventually, the reality comes to fruition and all realize that it is on them, not something or someone else.  They collapse under the realization and expectation.

This is not to say that all situations play out the same way.  Not all outcomes are demise and failure.  Few learn that it is in their innate ability that they rose to greatness, and it requires the same characteristics to re-rise or rise again.  But that is for another posting.

Salvation is spiritual (an physical, in my opinion), however it is not business and there are is not a divine interest in building your company (just a divine interest in building you, in my opinion).

Reference:

“How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In”; Jim Collins; 2009