In the 1950s, the average age of a company on the S&P 500 index was 60. Today, that number is 20. This means that the most successful corporations are growing three times faster than they have in the past. To succeed at this rate of rapid change, employees and business leaders have had to adapt by adopting growth mindsets, learning new skills, and embracing flexibility. Where stability and long-term planning were once the mark of a sound strategy, adaptability is the new competitive advantage.
What Startup Employees Can Teach the Rest of Us About Work
The most successful corporations are growing three times faster today than they have in the past. To succeed at this rate of rapid change, employees and business leaders have had to adapt by adopting growth mindsets, learning new skills, and embracing flexibility. Where stability and long-term planning were once the mark of a sound strategy, adaptability is the new competitive advantage. The good news is that your ability to adapt can be developed, and a unique pool of professionals may serve as exemplary guides to us all: successful early stage startup employees. Understanding the practices that have allowed these workers to succeed in the fast-paced environments that are inherent to most startups can give the rest of us insight into how to do the same in our own organizations. A few best practices include: pitch before you apply, maintain an external perspective, don’t forget about your company’s mission, and keep customers top of mind.