It Starts With Attitude

What economic developers do in society is very valuable, but we face some major challenges in reaching our goals. Consider this a little pep talk on how to better prepare for those factors and trends likely to shape our success in 2004.

Henry Ford was quick to remind his employees when they encountered a tough problem of the importance of attitude: “If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right.” In the context of economic development, attitude has everything to do with our ability to succeed in this new year. No, it’s not the only factor, but I think it is the best place to start the journey to success.

Bob Farley, a former Texan and Fantus Company executive, is the new President and CEO of Team NEO, the brand new regional economic development organization formed to encourage and assist business expansion and recruitment across the 13-county region. In a recent interview with Crain’s Cleveland Business, Bob said with respect to Northeast Ohio: “We need to walk taller. Attitude is a critical factor to the region’s future economic success.”

Bob is right about the role of attitude in shaping our future competitive abilities. Attitude alone will not change the region’s business cost structure, but it is the starting point in looking at the quality, value, and productive advantage that are produced by these costs.

As many of you know, I have been on a personal campaign to get economic developers and their leaders to “innovate” with new strategies and organizational approaches to business and job development. Download one of my presentations on this subject here. Our attitude toward change is fundamental to our willingness and ability to switch to more effective “business models” that produce more value for our customers and other stakeholders.

An attitude of abundance, versus scarcity, coupled with the ability to see “value” in people, businesses, and places is essential to licking the major challenges we face in issues like offshore outsourcing, which ED Futures has been ruthlessly tracking over the past year.

All of us need to take stock of our attitude toward the many complex issues and situations we face in economic development. Let’s start 2004 with an attitude change that sees value and service as being within our grasp. This will put us on the right path to better solutions.