Is the recession a renaissance?

Is the recession an opportunity for a renaissance in your organization?
Tom Steiner, keynoter for the big record breaking LERN conference last month in San Francisco thinks so. He says we should use the recession to change the way we do things, and look at it as an opportunity to transition into organizations better positioned for success in the 21st century. What do you think?
   Is the recession an opportunity for renaissance, or is it smarter to pull back, lower your risk, and take no chances.  Click on "Comments" and give us your thoughts.

Comments

[Judy O'Dwyer]

I agree as well...while change can pose some difficulties for both individuals and organizations - I believe this is a great opportunity to rethink/reorganize.

[Jill]

As has always occurred, strong companies and organizations will make changes that carry them through turbulent times and they'll come out stronger in the long run. Optimism and creative thinking always win the game!

[Judy]

People are afraid of change in the first place and if they aren't sure the company will survive why make changes. I think this will be the attitude of most companies. It will be a good time for new companies to come in and snatch up business because they can set up from the start with new practices.

[Diederick]

I agree that this global recession (depression) will bring a lot of change with it, but I would hesitate to call it an opportunity.

I think we likely hit peak oil back in 2005, and as such have reached the limits of conventional economic growth. Some things will surely change for the better, but a lower standard of living for most of us seems inevitable in the long run.

I'm not saying we will all be back living in caves, but industries that amount to nothing more than wasting energy (such as flying half way around the world for 2 weeks vacation) will have to go.

And I'm afraid most people in the western world will not want to take this 'opportunity' to change things, they will instead put all their efforts in trying to maintain an unsustainable system.

Things will change, but it wont be voluntary.

[David Reilly]

I think we should call the recession what it is. Sounds like the beginnings of a Depression. What about the CCC camps. We need to put people to work? National Parks need work State Parks need work. Major cleanups around the US. Bail them out with jobs.

[Gemi Powell]

I completely agree. It is like a hurricane in a sense. A hurricane is nature’s way of pruning and cutting back trees and other natural debris. Also, necessity is the mother of invention. If things were always prosperous and running well what would be the point of making changes. A recession shakes things up, makes us take a very hard look at the way things are and come up with changes to do what we do better and more efficient. We won’t make the hard changes, or even consider them, unless we are backed against the wall and have to do it to survive. We live in the land of excess and we live lives of excess without something to force us to use our abilities to their absolute fullest we get fat and lazy!