Evolve!!

AUTHOR: FRANCISCO AGENJO TOLEDO

Getafe – Spain (2003)

Dedication:
I dedicate this book to all those businessmen,
dreamers and visionaries,
who make the world a better place for us all.
Those who do not, my sincerest omission.
Introduction.
Evolution. Against inanimate physical forces, this force of nature, which means
that change is always eternal, the only forces that affect the living things that can
be compared with those affecting the area. Far from distant abstractions, the
evolution of species has governed the ways of living beings, and therefore the face
of the planet, in an almost random, but that ultimately is defined rules, like all
natural forces .
The extinction of the dinosaurs, the emergence of new species, the emergence of
intelligence on planet Earth, all these events have in common as a single factor.
They represent an evolutionary change drastically changing the game and makes
everything hitherto considered safe and is not. For external or internal reasons, the
world that carries billions of spinning, suffers drastic changes in areas that affect
living things. Whether by external forces (climate change, geographical or
environmental conditions) or by internal changes in living things (drastic
mutations and emergence of new competitors, changes in species of other feed, or
by chance evolutionary) the beings have been exposed to changes beyond their
control. Changes that have dictated the destruction of entire species, extinction of
key people, and the emergence of new masters whose destiny is to join its
predecessors in the cut branches of evolution.
Human beings, so far, and despite differences of opinion, seem to be the most
evolved beings throughout the earth's crust, both biologically and socially. It is our
capacity to reason, so sadly little used on many occasions, which led us to think
that because of our mastery of technique and technology, we managed to escape
from this invisible force that governs all living things.
Let us look, look around and see the wonders that human progress has been
achieved. We are able to travel the globe in a day, complex structures placed in
orbit, measuring the level of a hurricane, empty mountains, or to erect buildings
that reach the clouds. Science, society, economy, politics are tools that have served
us on our way to the future.
As the man develops their skills in all these areas, believing we know more and
more the forces that govern nature, the same as we govern ourselves, and knowing
this, we believe we can escape them, like the student who believes surpass the
master.
We flew, we protect the weakest among us (at least the forces of nature, not
ourselves), we create antimatter, moving billions of dollars in a blink, we can defy
physics, chemistry, biology, genetics. We believe they are gods.
Is this framework, based on the premise of the study, namely that human beings
could transcend biological evolution, but it has adapted to our social structures so
that we are facing a momentous challenge and personal development social. As we
said, is this framework that underpins much of the structure of this study. If you
disagree with him, I encourage you to forward closures lids, and you go to do
things that are most interesting. But if evolution knocks on your door, and knocks
you inside, you've lost the ability to anticipate change, so you anticipate the
change you.

But look deeper, the achievements we have obtained will not put us above the Anyway, most of your life to do great things, I tell you now, at first, if you fail to
laws of science, least of biology, as living beings we are. finish and leave the book at the bedside, or in some incon r lost a bookcase, or the
recycling bin. It's the best advice anyone can give.
If we want progress, survive and even grow and evolve, we must know what are
those laws that govern us with indelible invisible threads. What are the biological
laws that make a species to spread over the earth, survives where thousands have
died out, or fall into oblivion with the most trivial environmental change? Are you
hosting humans, Homo Sapiens Sapiens, in its midst a new species that only waits
to come and replace us as the dominant species? "Peden apply this knowledge to
all business laws that have hitherto governed the world economy? What is
changing in the depth of human society hidden by external changes? What
changes will occur that require new human social inventions, new personal
challenges?

All these unanswered questions lead us to a single word, origin and destination of
all of us, our physical bodies, our institutions and our perennial works: The
Evolution.

Yes, because as we discover throughout this book, the whole of our economic
structure is the result of an evolution, thanks to the complexity of our brains, has
acquired a magnitude that seems to go beyond biological achievements.

I regret that this introduction is as "sharp" so theoretical, so apologies in advance

ask. But before we dive into the specific cases studied, it is necessary to establish a
theoretical framework in which we move.
 Desperate situation.
Helen Winter, read the sign that marked the release of the person who came to
visit, Evolutionary Biologist.
Lorent Frank hesitated a moment before calling, the weeks and months had been
very turbulent, too, and had lost some confidence that there do pose t as a child.
The divorce from his wife, lost his father and the poor performance of his
company, L Orent Technologies, had sunk into a deep depression that had
ultimately led to the psychologist. For him, Frank Lorenz, a pioneer in the field of
technology consulting firms, life was much less sense today than two years.
It was during one talk with Carlos, his analyst, who did the name of the person
who came to visit. Carlos had been hearing the first few weeks to talk about their
problems, and although she had taught effective relaxation technique, he felt that
his patient did not evolve to what it should.
One afternoon while waiting in his office Frank, Carlos entered the gate strongly
agitated - I have the solution to your problems! - Said. - I am a person who can
help resolve the real problems that afflict you, those who can solve any
psychiatrist.
The same day Charles made an appointment for him, and there it was, three days
later and not daring to knock.
- Well, - he said to himself - things can only get better right? - And called a couple
of times.
A female voice sounded behind the door, inviting him to pass.
Inside, Frank was able to see at first glance, the room of a typical university
professor, as many had seen during his career, full of books, with a huge globe in
one corner and shelves fossil skeletons, such as paperweights and subject books.
Opposite the door, a window with a light blue Venetian let in soft afternoon light
from outside the campus, but the person who was on the table, his back to him,
had lit the lamp table while watching inclined at an map that pin was stuck several
colors.
- Frank, - said his hostess, without looking up - sit where I can, then I'm with you.
Frank cont e m ple's office as he sat on a stool in a corner of the room. Various
diplomas from top universities, international courses in paleontology, molecular
biology, anthropology ... an impressive track record - it was said.
- It's less than it seems, do not be overwhelmed by the titles. - Who thus spoke was
a woman, now left his task and looked at him directly, smiling. Frank could see
that her eyes were green, Frank always noticed the eyes of a person, and they were
happy and live long like yours.
"Hello, presented him up from a stool - call me Frank Lorenz, Charles'm patient.
- Yes, he was waiting, excuse the mess, I assure you that I tend to be far more
thorough, but now I'm in the midst of an exciting research on the population of
Neanderthals in the Iberian Peninsula.
"Well, sorry to bother - he apologized.
- Do not worry, it does not. In addition, you must be very bad when you have
chosen to sit on the stool, not on the table beside me. Most business people I know
- he said, smiling frankly - had not hesitated.
- You see, once again apologize puzzled, I however I do have doubts. I doubt that
this is not simply a waste of time for you, since I do not think you can help. - As
he spoke, Frank was more depressed, anxious, because despite the strangeness of
the event, had placed some hope d solve your business problems.
- Let's do one thing - she replied without letting end - we go to campus for a ride,
invited him to a cafe in the beautiful university cafeteria. I think this week playing
like dog urine and special seasoning, "he joked. - Carlos has told me much about
your case, I would listen, if you please, and see if I can help.
- Okay, it's too late to return to the company and lately I do not want to go home.
- Wow, - smiled as he grabbed his leather jacket - we then take a walk.
And with that, they both went through the door and the office was dark or behind
along with the fossils, diplomas and science journals.
***
The cold autumn air had left the campus cobbled leafy browns, trees, preparing to
face the harsh winter of that city, and students and teachers went through the
courtyards hastily towards recent class .
They had been walking only fifteen minutes, and Frank had hardly said a word,
had talked a little bit of time, the university and Hellen.
- Frank, - she said, stopping to look at him - I do not think that neither you nor I
have time to lose, - she added, taking off his long black hair of the face - tell me
what's wrong with it, please.
- Okay, I do not know what will work, but we will try. - Frank gathered all his
courage. - About two years ago, my father, the founder and president of L Orent
Technologies withdrew, c ediéndome management. Do not think that I was not
prepared, a university graduate glide, enrollment of honor, twenty years working
in the company from the lowest ranking, an MBA in strategic management. But
from that day, nor all my skills have served me, everything went from bad to
worse.
Helen sat on a stone bench at the foot of a giant tree, as I watched him carefully.
- A year after taking over the company and was wrong. Most of our customers, the
telecommunications companies that were designing Web portals, and in which our
software implantábamos had their orders cut in half. The crisis had been beaten
very hard, but worse was to come.
Not daring to continue on foot, Frank sat next to Helen facing students who passed
wrapped in his coat.
- I tried to take seriously L Orent Technologies of the crisis, working fourteen,
fifteen, eighteen hours a day for it, finding new ways to capture and bill
customers, trying to apply everything he knew about business management and
marketing to, but all in vain. Today, L Orent Tech, the company of my father, less
than half the bill two years ago. To make matters worse, my wife, tired of me
because I left my job a few months ago, taking the children to her mother.
A bitter smile crossed Frank's face.
- It's funny - he continued - that's what I cared less. Not for children of course, but
for my wife. The truth is that neither she nor I had been good marriage. When we
married, we thought that life would be different. More familiar, more homelike.
But what can I do. I've been working in the company of my family since he was
sixteen, my wife, Laura, left his law studies to get married, and both expect a less
harsh and more meaningful.
- That many of us do, Frank - Helen interrupted him. - I divorced my first husband
four years ago, the second lasted less. None of them could bear my travels, and
when I returned the last one, in Malaysia, I found Thomas with his secretary in our
own home. But do not worry about it, that's life. You want your children, so I
gather, and you can see them anytime. I do not think your problem is this.
- No reason. I'm not fooling myself. A month ago, my father died of a heart attack.
Cholesterol, doctors said. But it might not be so, it might be me, me and the
company, and how I have led the company.
In recent weeks, Frank had tried not to discuss this topic with anyone. He had
locked himself in his office, trying to keep away the grief work, and now I want to
remember the story. He forced himself to close that part of his memories and his
voice hardened, which was coming out like a thread of the throat.
 - Go to this address on Sunday at 12 am, will be waiting at the door. We leave the
- The case is that I do not see much point to life. cafe for another day, I mulling over an idea that we may be of help.

- Well, - said Hellen - in that I can help it, I am working to make sense of living So saying, he turned and ran toward his office as if he had only fifteen, and had
things right? But I think Carlos is best psychologist I believe that if I tried to get forgotten some message from his mother.
inside his mind would be wrong on purpose.
***
He paused, as he turned to his feet and invited him to follow her in silence.

- Give me a few more details your company's copper. What did you do to solve
their problems?

- I tried everything, - said Frank forgetting the small moment of weakness. -

Marketing, motivate employees so that should give solutions to problems, to
innovate in their work, cost savings, tried to talk to my clients every day to know
what they needed, I tried to lead a management book. But none of this worked.
The loss of customers and revenue has been a continuous bleeding, and bleeding
will not stop even with the end of the crisis. We lost the trust of our customers, our
employees and our colleagues. Lucent Technologies is mortally wounded, and do
not know how to prevent its disappearance.

Frank turned to look at Helen, who had stopped smiling and stared at him in
silence. He felt as if this were a joke, and a little angry.

- Do not be angry, Frank, - he said after reading the anger in his face. - I know
why he has sent Carlos. I know how I can help.

- Well? - Asked in surprise.

- Not now, let me continue with the plot a couple of days. Soon you will see the
solution to their problems.

Helen took out a notebook from the pocket of his leather jacket, and quickly
scribbled a few words in it.
 Change of Species.
It was twelve noon, and the sky was gray and confusing, as the same Frank. He
had come to the address he had given Helen, only to discover that it was the
greatest film in three dimensions of the city.
Hellen came almost at the same time as him, in a small car, diesel, he parked in
one of the many empty parking lots.
- We are punctual, that's good, - he said with that smile that lit his eyes as if he
were playing.
- The view d ad, Helen, is that I had my doubts as to keep the appointment. I've
been mulling over the issues we discussed and I still do not know how it will help
a biologist to revive and save my business.
- Save? He has chosen the wrong words. The exact word is missing, you yourself
gave me the idea. But come inside, and you'll see everything clearer.
Helen took a stock car, and headed for the door. The guard opened after greeting
them, and were able to enter inside.
The huge vault of film stretched in all directions, and Frank barely see anything
with the little light coming through the door.
- Wait a moment - she told him. He went to a small room near the door, and lifted
the switch, the room became alive with the myriad of lights that the projector
circular projected center of the room.
Hellen projections changed the tape and quickly joined.
- Come on! The film will begin - he said as he handed her a sandwich from the bag
he was carrying.
Frank followed her down the stairs, almost to the center of the room. There they
sat, while the film came to life under the orders of l d or Hellen man was holding.
- You see, Frank, I know what Carlos wanted me, I wanted you to explain. As you
of course my specialty within biology is evolution. - Frank nodded not knowing
what was intended. - As will be familiar, many management gurus talk about the
evolution of species by applying the Darwinian theory to the management of
enterprises. They come to say that companies like living beings evolve, with
changes that make them better than other species in a particular habitat. - Frank
nodded, finally heard something that I understood.
- You can not imagine the laughter that we threw them my colleagues and I saw
the best minds in the world applied to business as we all knew already for decades.
- There is now another stream, which calls not an evolution of the company, but a
revolution - he said recalling the last books he had read about. A revolution that
will break the small incremental changes and that leaves aside the little
improvements. They advocate a new vision of the world, break the rules and
remodeling business.
Helen listened attentively.
- It promotes innovation, bring new products, new management methods,
forgetting the traditional ways of thinking and acting.
- Very well, - she agreed that's better. Thus we have gone halfway. Such thinking
is closer to the truth, and we may serve as a basis.
- The truth? - He asked.
- Yes, of course, natural truth, the only truth we know all living things, and who
has governed our behavior, our lives and those of our ancestors for hundreds of
millions of years. Evolution.
Now it was Frank who listened, while the ceiling of the dome was filled with
charts and family trees of different species appeared on Earth. Helen dropped to
replace the sound recording your own voice.
- Some of my colleagues, among whom I include myself, is an emerging theory, - Frank, I want you to understand, is that we believe there is a third kind of
which is just recycling old ideas updated with new knowledge we have. This evolution. Evolved so drastically, so quickly and surprisingly, it starts a war for
theory says that species have different ways of evolving. I hope he is familiar with domination of the biosphere, which causes new species to dominate not only their
the mechanisms of evolution, broadly speaking. competitors, or its nearest habitat, but the entire ecosystem in record time.

Frank nodded as he contemplated the origin of life.
- Well, - she continued staring at the ceiling too - the first way that organisms
evolve is with small genetic improvements. Minor adaptive changes that help them
in their environment and that make them relatively better than other species. Over
the millennia, the new species, which has a superior feature replaces the old in an
ecosystem. These changes can be of various types, a striking plumage in males of
a species of bird that makes all the females to choose them as a couple, better
forms of hunting, all very slow, and a book.
Frank heard the words of Helen of substance, as in a dream, since his attention
was focused on the new images that the projector emitted. As new species arose,
the Cro-Magnons, a blue and red tide was spreading across Africa, Central Asia
and Europe and the former species, the Neanderthals, were killed and absorbed by
some competitors much more agile, rapid, and above all, intelligent.
- We call this third way evolutionary catastrophic developments.

Frank recalled the books he read as a child biology. While on the roof, the images ***
were replaced by a vast ocean, in the floating microscopic particles that gave rise
to life on Earth.

- The second form of evolution, some of my colleagues, is even greater changes,

higher. Thus, a species dominating another species in a clear rival. The less
evolved species, will die out in a matter of years or decades, as the war starts new
species evolving. As I noted, this theory could be equated with the theory of
revolution. If I have not misunderstood, is a basic MBIO ca so strong that gives
advantage among rivals, and to highlight the medium term do you?

Frank did not answer the rhetorical question, since both were looking at pictures
that were occurring without rest in the vaulted ceiling. The organisms were
replaced by fish, these amphibians, which in turn were replaced by primitive
reptiles, and then by dinosaurs.

A huge explosion shook the eardrums of both, and Frank was able to attend the
end of the era of colossal reptiles. But as often happens with life, from the ashes of
the dead, small beings emerged about the mam ifer, which evolved in size and
shape to reach the ancestors of man.
 Incremental Evolution
Helen Frank waited two days after the museum of natural history. The truth was
that he was intrigued. Had explained it before leaving, one could draw parallels
between biological evolution and business evolution, much stronger than anyone
had imagined, so much so that both could be effectively the same process, as
amended by the passage the millennia.
Gave him a little letter of a friend of his Spanish, which we hoped to help him
understand. I glanced for the fourth time, words were appealing, no doubt about,
but lacked scientific proof.
The trend seems to have stopped for humans, and no rule of law of the strongest
biologically, but the law of the richest, or the smartest, or the best communicator,
they are the ones that thrive, but curiously, this does not prevent that others will
continue to exist and that our genome, the gene pool of all we are, be transmitted
to our descendants, regardless of whether we would be able to survive in a hostile
environment.
However, evolution has not stopped, only has transformed itself evolved because it
is not an immutable law. Perhaps biological evolution has stopped demanding the
heads of the weakest in the genetic sacrificial altar. Maybe not, but the same
evolutionary force has taken a quantum leap, surpassing the quantitative level,
and took possession of all operating areas in humans.
Now, to succeed, to achieve higher goals of each individual, we must operate at a
level until now unknown. No longer sufficient to be the best warrior, nor the most
intelligent scientist, biological warfare by the biosphere fight their battles higher
levels now. Between companies, nations and states. Between social classes,
organizations and institutions, is where one has moved the evolution of man, and
that's what everyone of us must understand and master to take the next step
towards our destination. But it is not so easy to understand as it might appear at
first. Throughout this study, we will try just that, bringing the basics for any of us
can understand, and distance this theory that have emerged so far by taking small
steps in the modern management.
What is postulated here is that, unlike the gradual improvement of small
evolutionary steps, man is now facing catastrophic jump as much as Earth does
not provide. A leap beyond the small improvements that make living things evolve
(and now to companies and institutions), little by little.
We face a new challenge, invisible for the moment, but we kept the doors of a
social challenge that mark the arrival of Homo Sapiens, whether its extinction, its
continuity, and its internal evolution into something totally different to a new
social model that will forever change the way we think of human beings.
- I see that you liked - he was startled by the voice of his "appointment." - The
truth is that this is only a small introduction of a ledger that is preparing my friend
has left me so you can take a look. What appeared? - Asked.
- Interesting, I think it's interesting to put the man to a new threshold, but I doubt
that there is a way of demonstrating that this theory is not merely an expression of
the wishes of his friend.
- Well, I see you have scientific mind, - she said - you approach things, doubts
until you can prove it. However, for our work to help you be convinced that these
words are mostly true.
- I have my doubts - waiting said to be as clear and honest as possible.
- Then let the way to our destination I will explain the theory of my friend, maybe
you can help polish it.
That said, both walked alongside each other in the hallways of the museum.
- You know the theory of self-fulfilling prophecy? - She asked.
- Yes, that's when a person believes that something will happen, and the mere fact
of believing himself to comply, for example, if I think I'll catch cold if I go to the
mountain, then taking it for sure I do not cherish good and I resfriaré.
- Another question, the last, is it true what I've heard that the economy depends
largely on the expectations of the people?
- Yes, indeed. If there are good prospects, coupled with other factors, the economy
will be fine, whereas if they are bad, we enter into a process that feeds back,
causing crises and economic downturns. Everything has a real basis, but the real
catalyst for the crisis is the human mind.
- Tone, there you go. The explanation, the answer to your question. If people
believe they are before a critical threshold, at a moment unprecedented social and
biological, which is right? Internet, the new economy, terrorism, world hunger,
many factors play in favor of this moment in history is important.
Fran nodded again, like the student to the teacher reveals the secrets that he had
stored inside itself.
- Moreover, - she continued - if my friend's theory is true, evolution has gone from
a biological basis to the minds of human beings, their social structure, political and
economic. And it has a speed unprecedented in evolutionary history. There are
many people who think this is not a new idea.
- Mmmm, then you're saying that there is a parallel between biological evolution
in the development of all our institutions.
- No Frank, I'm saying both are the same thing, that social evolution is just the
next step in the evolution of living things, and now, the man developed not only
physically, but socially, in large masses of people trying to impose their ideas,
their products, their inter-and common to other countries, I'm saying, that wars,
social and business competition between individuals and groups of people is just
the logical evolution of a species that has grown in increasingly complex ways,
and that the same evolution, however, is the only constant in the universe.
They passed, saying that, below a sign reading Modern Area. The museum ever
had more visitors, mostly children accompanied by parents or teachers, but also
how many adults could see one strolling enters the windows and exhibitions,
covering all the wonders that evolution had created, and then wipe. Frank hoped
his company is not one of them, though I was sure it was inevitable, the working
capital of your company was so small that it was scary, he had to lay off part of
the human capital that helped him so many years, people they wanted, and he had
to sacrifice, people who were now unemployed, with no prospect of finding
anything better than a post as administrative or warehouse boy.
They had continued walking, and Helen had been talking all this time, but he was
not listening.
• ... Put enough of theory, is s here for one thing, few understand how
evolution works, and how you can save your company.
Facing them, opening a huge room, filled with visitors and museum staff. In it,
displayed on the walls were dozens of photographs, drawings, skeletons and
stuffed animals.
In the center, the preserved skeletons of huge mammals, birds and other kinds of
animals, is happening here and there, at the sight of countless children who
remained in awe before them.
Helen went straight to a corner of the room, before a glass case, a series of bird
watching, with glass eyes, the peculiar couple.
- First lesson Frank, look at these birds. They are very similar to those we see
today in our zoos, however, look you in the reconstruction of these two - said
pointing to a pair of hummingbirds - what differences do you see?
- Well, one of them is a little larger, must be greater, and the other peak is longer
and thinner, no?
- Well, let's get closer. Both specimens became extinct tens of centuries, so we
have had to rebuild. Scientists always try to be as close to truth, is not that one is
younger or older, but one is the ancestor of the other.
Hellen said the plates indicating the lifetime of both Frank could see that both
match in a few million years, but that the baby had emerged later and had
continued to exist until a few centuries.
- As I remarked, evolution occurs in different ways, the most common, the most
logical and widespread, is a small evolutionary leap. An advantage that puts a little
above its most direct competitors, in this case, their own ancestors. Both species,
the new and the oldest co-exist in the ecosystem which they were born, but
gradually, over time, will be imposed on the other. It will not be drastic, but one
day, a new copy will have a female that otherwise would have gone with the other
species, another, a drought wipe out the less adapted, and so, over periods natural,
the new vines have replaced those they were born.
Our friend understood everything, I understood then that began to grow tired of
hearing the same thing, and perhaps feared that this was not only an opportunity
for herself luciese Heller.
- Do not fret - she said reading her facial expression - all night I've been looking
for examples of what I say in the business world, I had to bother the list members
on developments that address, and I said that this Later, when we leave, you'll see
everything very clear.
- Excuse, - he apologized - please continue.
- Attempt to summarize this part. What you must realize - started again while
plying the different windows - is that anything can be a change that allows you to
survive. A poison stronger, more vibrant colors in the scales, an antler with more
horns, size, speed, strength, depends on the time and place.
- Just like companies - interrupted, was beginning to understand.
- That is, until now companies have grown through small steps in most cases,
something that makes a business run better than the street, a cinema popcorn
which are richer, more like a product for its design. It depends on the economic
system, the timing and social tastes. Thus, feathers, reflexes, speed, have been
replaced by design, customer loyalty and ... - he paused while looking at the notes
he had targeted - other competitive advantages of products.
- Yes, that's clear, Hellen. But increasingly the benefits of moving more products
management systems. You not only get the most innovative product, but the
company that gets to be managed in a way superior to its competitors. For
example, I have a video playback system very well, but another, but whose
company I will get caught best distributors. That has happened to me and my
company. - Frank paused to calm down - despite my improvements, cost savings
from the price decreases, I could not compete with big businesses, which had the
best clients, and were seen as savior for my clients to their respective crises.
- Here is the error, Frank! That's what you said. - They were standing in front of a
huge cave bear. Imagine that this bear is a business. For centuries, their genes have
been getting bigger, stronger claws, capable of splitting the back of a bull, or a
shot, however, these small incremental changes did not ensure their survival, since
their genetic base made the same mistake being committed by you. Pro before you
reach there you have to do some things, sorry if it seems tedious, but you must
follow all the steps.
- No, do not worry, sorry to be so impatient, so far everything you've told me is
very interesting. Continue, please.
- Great, because what I said was that the products, people and corporations had
recently overturned, as almost all living beings in achieving evolutionary
advantages that allowed them to dominate their rivals in the situation they were
living. It was like my rival made a sweeter cola, and then I did even more. Or as
computers increasingly better chips, better processors, a speed Giga, two, now
three. The fight between Intel and AMD is very similar to classical evolutionary
struggle.
- O the hard drives, - he said - ever smaller, and more storage capacity. O screens,
larger, flatter, sharper, yes I understand.
- What more examples see, Frank?
- Well, all a bit, the whole story of consumer goods is reduced to that, new
products more attractive to consumers, as discussed above feathers that attract
more females.
- But you yourself said that this was only a part of business evolution. Companies
now also changed, even more than its products.
- That's right - it was his turn now to the kind of management. - Over the past
years, we have strived to overcome the opponent. Improving customer service,
knowing what he needs, get feedback etc. When this pathway was exhausted we
focused on ourselves, cost savings, business reengineering everything to make our
internal processes would be more logical, less wasteful. And all over again, total
quality, zero fault theory, zero defect products made trying to get a margin fault
tuviesen least close to zero as you can see we have always tried to improve, but
that has not helped.
- And why?, Seems like a good idea.
Frank felt as if her questions were designed to make you think rather than to solve
the doubts I had about it.
- It is, - he answered as he watched the parade of weird and wonderful creatures
now extinct - for decades, have improved production processes, logistics,
forgiveness, transport ...
- Frank, I know what is logistics.
- Sorry, he apologized, sometimes assume that others will not know as much about
this as I am.
- Sometimes you'll be right and others not, that does not mean that you gave to
apologize, you know this much more than me. Continuing.
- Well, telecommunications have changed everything, the way we work,
internationalization, globalization, cost savings transmission of information,
quickly. That has joined the small changes that companies were taking place, the
reduction and rationalization of costs, investment in R & D, all this begins to
scratch the move to the second theory of the Revolution that I have commented.
- Let's leave that for later. If you've done everything I've said why you have not
managed to get your business forward? If you said yourself that you had made a
management book.
- Do not know, - said Frank in a rather abrupt, which however failed to alter his
interlocutor. He began to feel embarrassed again, feeling it was her fault all that
was happening. But Helen was not prepared to afford to get depressed again.
- What did Frank? What went wrong?
- All, Helen, - said while trying to regain self-control. - What was serving in the
decade of economic boom to make more money, increase sales and profits, has not
served to prevent falls in a time of crisis. Large companies have had it easier, mass
layoffs, sale of non-strategic assets and, ultimately, reduce the weight to weather
the storm. Survival.
- And you think that's a good idea?
- They at least are not facing extinction, as many of us. At least they will be there
when the fight begins again.
Helen nodded, at least now that Frank had managed to speak in the same terms
that she wanted used. Ition had replaced disappear by extinction, survival
recovery. Now they could speak in the same s terms. Frank continued with the
story of his failure.
- We, however, we must see how the business of our lives dies, disappears in the
flood of new products, new times and the hectic changes. We can do nothing.
- I'll show you something, Frank, a very peculiar creature.
They crossed the room from wall to wall, there in front of a huge display, dozens
of children were glued to the window entranced watching the animal was inside.
One of his professors, seeing the couple approached, began to direct the children
to another area, while he smiled kindly.
- Good morning, Helen, greeted them. How you doing?
- Okay, Lorraine, do you? What are the future generations?
- Well, I'm afraid as always, unruly and agitated. Do not stop to ask, sorry for the
inconvenience they are causing in the museum.
- They are the future, Lorraine, let them ask questions. Let them, we too have been
young, some even still are. - So saying, he caught one of the children and
accompanied him to the cabinet. - Look, do you like this animal?, I will tell her
story - she said, looking with a mischievous glance at Frank.
The other children were a bit rowdy, and the teacher was trying to shut up - SS,
whispered, this person is very important and very smart. Animals know more than
most people, be quiet and listen.
Frank stared at her, while some museum visitors also approached at the makeshift
classroom. Since then, Helen had prestige, no doubt about, perhaps kept inside
more than expected from a scientist Frank.
Helen began to talk to the dozen children who watched her and the animal turns.
- The animal you see is a saber-toothed tiger, a Smilodon. Is an ancestor of the big
cats now live in America, pumas and jaguars. - At the mention of the word jaguar,
one of the children clung to the skirts of his masterpiece, which was not lost on
Helen. "It was terrifying animals, terrible, they fed on large ungulates, bison, it
was, yes, even people.
The image of the animal took presence with Frank in a way that had not noticed
before. The big cat, brown skin as pumas, watched them all with a hungry look.
The two upper fangs as big as knives, such as short swords, sticking out below his
jaw muscles while powerful people seemed able to give the necessary momentum
to reach them.
- The animals, terrified our ancestors. With their fangs could penetrate the skin of
any animal, its claws could cleave a man in two, and his muscles made him
stronger than any man. More - he said, addressing both to children and Frank - that
many men.
The children, boys and girls alike, went into raptures at the sight of such a
creature, who had lived for millennia in the worst nightmares of the collective
unconscious of men.
- But that did not ensure their survival. There were other animals better adapted to
end the great tusks, which had served to hunt, they became too big, too heavy, and
almost an ornament, and contributed to the extinction. Smilodon are not now,
except in our dreams, and if something humans have learned from the experience
of nature is that all creatures are doomed to extinction. All.
- Is the man too? - One child asked.
- This is going to be a scientist - he murmured one of the adults in the room.
- Yes, - said Hellen. - The man too, but not be afraid, that will happen in many
millions of years, and will be second nature, without fear. As tigers, lions and
cougars, which have occupied the site of roasted antep that gave them life. Án be
our children who remain in the world, so in a way us.
Some of the children crying and the fear of extinction. Lorraine tried to calm her
while Helen looked at Frank with his deep green eyes.
- Do not be afraid, ever, children. The thing to do is try that evolution plays in
your favor, not against you. Lorraine, sorry if I scared them, you know I'm no
good lying.
- Quiet - the teacher said, smiling - tomorrow will be over and they will remember
your words. I hope you learned something.
- Yes, I hope someone has learned something.
After saying goodbye, and leave Lorraine leading children to the reptile room and
completely forgotten the bitter pill to swallow, both walked aimlessly for a while.
Frank tried to make a mental summary and what I heard.
- So according to you, evolution is we always treading on the heels, right?
- No, I think, not by the laws of Nature.
- Very well, then, if we can avoid extinction, what you propose is that we
surrender, we stop being afraid of change, and we leave to our genes act. And in
the business world, market forces, right?
- Not exactly, Frank. Look around, do not mean the museum, but the world.
Imagine the six billion people who live there now. The complexity of our structure
is such that the old laws have evolved in turn, including evolution. We all want to
survive, but for the first time in history, we have the means to change our genetic
material. And applied to the business world, what we have? For knowledge of
corporate laws, our collective DNA, may change, we can change it. The laws of
society have changed, and the funny thing is that only a few have realized how
deep is the change.
Helen paused from which to both seemed to like what he said in calase Frank.
- You can now fight alongside evolution, you can now decide how to evolve, how
they change, you are not subject to the whims genetic, but you can raise the
struggle for survival of your business to a new level of confrontation.
- Qu é plane? Helle No, because so far we've only seen going extinct species are
replaced by others that incremental advantages over them.
- It's either, Frank, is what we will discover in the next room, step by step, but first
I want to talk a bit about what you've said about the new revolutionary theory in
management. I must confess that none of my colleagues know enough to enlighten
me about this, and I feel I need to know all that to help you. And to learn myself.
They walked into the next room, at a quiet pace, it was twelve o'clock noon, and
the museum stayed open until nine-thirty on Saturday, they were nearly ten hours
of learning. At the top of the room, as in the previous case , a giant plate ba reads
the title of this exhibition: The Great Cataclysm.
***
Drastic Changes
Fran and Helen were several times around the room, at first he had hit this
oppressive environment, compared to the perfect order that prevailed in the
previous one. However, as we talked, Frank was talking more in his role as
professor and forget the environment. During the last few minutes, Frank had told
Helen, all I knew of the theory of entrepreneurial revolution, which had read
management books, what you learned in the MBA and what he had personally
discovered, diving in magazines the subject and through his own experience.
- Let's see if I understand, - Helen tried to clarify when Frank had finished telling
what he knew. - Some of the gurus I've heard my friends and people you
mentioned, took to the wave of change. From the theory of re-engineering
processes, the rationalization of costs, customer care and god knows what else, a
new theory arose, which advocated a series of changes over previous approaches.
- Yes. Those changes were different, but could be summed up in trying to see
things differently, new ways of thinking, more modern, creative, and above all
requires a vision, and behind the vision, which brought into play feelings and
innovation in designing the future. Thus arose the theories such as Emotional
Intelligence.
- With that I am familiar, - smiled her companion as they passed near the bones of
a giant Tyranosaurio.
- Good, is one of the most widespread. Others refer to a revolution that breaks the
classical concepts, enabling organizations to adapt to new environment, ever-
changing and increasingly hostile to immobility. Words like Revolution
Rethinking the Future, the new leadership, they all filled their mouths and ears
with them, but eventually, the crisis came, and we were back to square one.
- No, as at first, Frank. As I've said, this new theory is much more accurate than
the previous one, which had only a mechanistic view of business and processes.
However, from what I see, now takes into account the human being as a source of
innovation, its internal relations, and feelings.
- Well, that was the theory, but at the moment of truth, layoffs have taken place as
another many times in so many crises. In the end, they were only words, my own
company is a clear sign of this.
- This z is not. - Helen looked at him as they walked, and dark green eyes seem
more alive than before, as if finding the way out of a labyrinth, and it felt so happy
and lively. Or maybe she was, he never surrendered to the problems, always faced
with optimism, unlike Frank, pessimistic as he was, always fighting, always
worried about the future, and after, so helpless.
The tyranosaurio was replaced by a giant sauropod, a Diplodocus rebuilt as
paleontologists thought they would make tens of millions of years.
"Perhaps just as always, the crisis has caught us by surprise, perhaps, men were
not prepared to apply the concepts we had learned, that people had developed, or
when they did it was too late to change a trend unstoppable, data based on both
negative and the confidence of the people, and what I've commented on the
financial bubble. For all I know, the telecommunications sector has grown much,
was launched to great shopping, purchase licenses, its shares rose so excessive and
real, as happened with the teeth of Smilodon, remember. In the end, all that was
supposed to make us bigger, stronger, has led to a crisis that almost ended with
this new way of thinking.
- Almost? Books are still published, but nobody follows them. Or maybe you think
so, but when our turn to expose the skin to apply those theories, we follow the
classical model of layoffs, job cuts, investing, are completed human resource
policies, we only see the tunnel exit and not repair at nothing to get there. It's
understandable.
- Remember when I said I hoped soon to talk about social change? Now I need to
ask you to leave aside these ideas for the third part of the visit. Hold it in memory
and continue where we were. The change in the thinking before the crisis, the leap
to a new model, which looked good.
- Looked, - he pointed out.
- Maybe it was perhaps the jump fell short. We shall see later. But before I show
you something, something.
They walked to the end of the hall, where a huge glass box, whose floor was
covered with sand, lay forgotten by visitors.
- In his time was the biggest attraction of the exhibition - she said - but now
everyone knows, but we will see what I want.
They approached, and Frank could see, protruding from one side of the glass,
small trigger with which operated a tiny cannon.
- Your honor, - he said.
Frank pressed and l trigger and a bullet struck rock at a tremendous rate in the
sandy soil. The dust was scattered throughout the box, filling the air with choking
conditions.
- The extinction of the dinosaurs - it came from within, like the student who wants
to surprise their teacher to show he knows more than I thought.
- Yes, such a strong impact of a meteor that the whole earth was covered with dust
in the lower layers of the atmosphere, preventing the reign of the dinosaurs go on
forever. The second kind of evolution that I told you so does not always occur but
will serve to illustrate.
- Remember I told you about three types of evolution, the first, we have seen in the
previous room, an incremental evolution, and reengineering and cost reduction in
the company that thou hast said. The second evolutionary model is none other than
this, a genetic leap so great that it allows a species quickly imposed to another.
- As the theory of revolution - Frank was finally beginning to understand the
thinking of her.
- Yes, exactly. So how these genetic changes occur? There are two ways, first, is
usually a small incremental change, that due to a sudden change in environmental
conditions of the environment gives a species can survive in this ecosystem, while
another is extinguished by not being ready.
- As in the case of dinosaurs and mammals - was a statement rather than a
question.
- That is, a genetic change that makes a species is superior to another, as the size
of reptiles compared to mammals, can be a disadvantage if environmental
conditions change. For example, if an animal specializes in feeding on a type of
poisonous plant, while others can not even get near her, that animal will have an
advantage over others, no other living creature will fight to snatch food, and
extend no direct competitors.
- And if suddenly, that plant disappears, a plague or whatever ...
- ... Then that animal will disappear - you'll see that understanding, Helen smiled.
For the first time, Frank noticed she was attractive, the kind of beauty that would
make a woman could marry whomever they wished, so far not been realized, but
many men were left looking to pass. She could use her beauty to succeed,
however, had chosen a profession that would help little green eyes or body. He
had chosen not to adapt to Environments easier, knowing that beauty was
transient, and had earned a niche "green" where we actually wanted to be, where
his mind the pod ía keep on top while his body grew old.
- Frank, listen, this is important - her words came back to bring this world.
They had left, thinking this, the area of impact of meteorites and had gone to a
small dark room where a film was being projected. There were only two people
inside.
On screen, a huge squid fighting men on the deck of a submarine. Vei nte
Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne, - he said to himself.
The voiceover narrated the film that ushered in a huge series of images of dead
cephalopods in the deck of a boat ...
"... Has never captured one of these huge pieces alive. Has not even seen one.
Only know them by the bodies that sometimes drag fishing nets from their habitats
in the deep. Its tentacles reach a length over forty feet, and feed on large fish they
catch in the deep "
The room lights came on, and the couple was watching the film left after greeting
them. They stayed in the room.
- I told you in this second form of evolution, more drastic, there are two ways to
evolve. One bound by the medium, drastic changes in the environment that make
life conditions and change d to make life impossible for those who can not adapt
to these new conditions. The second way is through an internal change after that,
without apparent change in the middle, makes a species more than others with
which it competes in the ecological system.
- How the squid? - Asked.
- Clearly q ue squid size s has placed him in a position where their prey are less
likely, and to their smaller ancestors had advantages, however, these small
increments of size did not guarantee anything. No, its true evolution, are the
tentacles. Like the octopus, changing color, speed, flexibility, means sensitive,
intelligence, all them have become highly evolved animals. The sum of a series of
small changes in the time that a species able to greatly increase their chances of
survival, the same again as companies. They become skilled predators of their
ecosystem.
- Wow.
- And that's not all, a more drastic evolution achieves the same effect, lead to new
species to the evolutionary threshold in a single bound, more than small
incremental jumps.
- How for example?
- As for example - he smiled - the first flying reptiles. They dominated the skies,
because there was nobody to compete with them in that habitat. The insects which
are their food could not be captured on the fly by any other group of living things,
and speed allowed them to escape from land predators, while they could lay their
eggs and their nests in the most unlikely places.
- And in the case of companies, how does this development can be achieved a
mastery drastic means?
- As an example would be the first laptop. Imagine that a single firm can produce
before its competitors. That advantage would give enough grip on that market to
gain a competitive advantage, especially if their competitors are surprised.
- Or PDAs, or Tablet PC. In these cases, if a company has become the first, and
get a great advantage, but if you do it by surprise, with an innovative and
surprising change, get that others have to imitate, and be established as a leader in
that market .
- That is, other companies will follow, imitate, and always will be disadvantaged,
unless any of them to jump back drastically on their products, or its management
methods, and re-take the lead. As happened with the birds, which emerged from
the flying reptiles, and soon became the owners the air, thanks to changes in the
environment. You said it yourself, of laptops and mobile phones have emerged
Tablet PCs and PDAs.
- Sure, and the phones would be too drastic a change of the second kind is not it?
- That's right, but I dare say a little more, mobile phones, created a new market, it's
like a kind, reshape the environment in which they live, as if the suit could
generate their own environment, leaving the eco-system in which he lived.
- How for example?
- Do not know, maybe the beavers that build dams with large reservoirs
performing where they can fish, build dens secure and control the flow of river. Or
maybe termites. The evolution of termites has allowed them to build huge colonies
that protect the climate. Its huge towers rise in the most arid and hot, but they have
a form of natural cooling. Or the ants herd the aphids that those who draw a highly
nutritious milk and sweet, or leaf-cutter ants, or the cuckoo's instinct that says you
must replace the eggs of other birds for his, so that is they be fed.
Frank began to see the difference between small evolutionary changes and drastic
changes, and best, began to see analogies with corporate behavior and consumer
goods. By chance, est a ban in front of a giant c o ra pt nodonte, looking at them
with hungry eyes, as if looking for prey.
- And of course, when such a change occurs, - he said - then that company or
product gets the head start that makes you superior in a segment ecosystem you
called him right? Let's see if I understand correctly, forgive him repeat, and is so
thick, but I want to be sure that we leave the path to tread firmly before us.
- Relax, we all afternoon - and said this gave him a sandwich out of the backpack
he was carrying.
- Imagine the market I know best, the new technologies. If we fixed telephony and
mainframe computers twenty years ago, what have we? - Frank thought a moment
- we have some small incremental changes in different aspects of products, better
equipment, better lines, and in the case of computers, computers smaller, faster
and faster.
- Look at the comparison with a group of birds. The birds are able to evolve
becoming smaller, more colorful plumage acquire other, other, stronger beaks and
claws, some are faster. Small changes of the first type of incremental evolution.
- Then, once every few years, everything changes. There is a drastic evolution. A
jump.
- Yes - confirmed Hellen - the birds gain a superior view, allowing them to hunt
without being seen, or adapt to the night before others, such as owls, which no one
competes for prey, animals of biorhythms night.
- And computers suffer dramatic changes across generations is giving control at
each stage who invent them.
- The control of a market segment, only one segment, an ecosystem, a group of
customers.
- Yes, but big enough to make it a leader in this segment. As the first mobile, or
changes in management that make a company more agile, more flexible.
Attracting the best employees, retain, innovate, anything that gives them an
advantage over others. Sure!, We telegraph to the analog telephone switchboard,
and then to the digital decoder, and then to Mobile, First, Second and Third
generation soon.
- And in between, small incremental advances. Improvements in cost savings,
quality, incorporation of digital cameras, chips smaller, more powerful, and so on.
Frank was a doubt arose, I knew I could expose it without problems, but somehow
gave some hesitation, I did not look like an idiot.
- One question, he said at last - are small incremental changes necessary to
produce a drastic evolution?
- Not always, - said Helen, who had just finished giving a morsel to his sandwich.
They both laughed at ease.
- Sometimes no - continued when he had swallowed. - For example, it is not
necessary that a fish has seen their jaws and teeth to produce a drastic change, for
example, the teeth acquire a special configuration, such as sharks, that as we
change the nails. However, it does give clues.
- Any clues?
- Yes, you see. If you could observe a species for millennia, millions of years, and
vises how it evolves, you would know, or at least could guess what will be the
next evolutionary step, whether incremental or drastic. For example, if a cat is
growing faster because their legs are growing longer and the smaller, more certain
is that those legs are still doing more agile, and its size may decrease by a little
more, to gain speed , consume less energy and others. - Again pausing to bite, but
this time he continued talking with his mouth full, which seemed very funny
Frank. - But that does not mean that the next change is that. Imagine, for any of
the causes affecting the genes of living beings, born a descendant of this cat that
has a longer tail, stronger than normal. This change could have occurred through a
series of small increments or all at once. With it, this new species could maneuver
more quickly, or maintaining balance running even faster, as if it were a wheel.
- Like the cheetah, the cheetah, - said Frank.
- Eg. Small developments give us a clue of where shots are going to go, sorry for
using a vulgar expression, and show us one more thing. That the company, or that
species, is alive, that their DNA is moving, evolving, that their internal processes
are not stationary, and of course, your company has small changes of any kind
may lead to a drastic evolution.
- In other words, that are not necessary, but advisable. Come on, that if I save my
company I go with small incremental improvements, with the hope that there is a
dramatic evolution that save.
- No, Fra nk, it is not at all, but let us not anticipate. Before, I would go back to
what you said earlier. You said that small increases and improvements could not
prevent the collapse of the sector, I would like you to think, extrapolated to the
entire economic system that failed in the revolution that told me what went wrong
in the new system was so much like a continuous series of dramatic
improvements.
Frank made memory, trying to see, as she waited patiently, what he had failed,
what happened to all changed since the supposed eternal calm, until the economic
slowdown and the crisis in telecommunications.
- The first thing is to make a comparison. Were these changes enough to be
considered big, drastic changes? There was a boom in mobile telephony, not only
by the progressive reduction in size, but by the appearance of the second
generation DB, and increased benefits. Furthermore, the change was massive, the
competition was that all or almost all companies would join the wagon, and that
did not disappeared.
Helen listened attentively, and he had to concentrate with those green eyes
watching him.
- Furthermore - he added - Internet found its way of development, another
dramatic change ...
- Not exactly, but still - she interrupted.
- Successive processor models, 386, 483 and Pentium are small increments, I think
- Hellen not confirmed or denied it, only heard - appeared PDA, albeit belatedly,
in short, a higher productivity. Everyone benefited from the boom, expectations
climbed, and so people began to believe in miracles. The stock market soared, and
stock prices. Suddenly, everyone thought he could get rich with an idea. Hundreds
of books were written on the subject, reflecting the theory of revolution, emotional
intelligence, but all proved false.
- No, Frank, you're wrong, I told you that the only problem was that perhaps we
had not had time to society, a society immobile like this truly assimilate these
ideas. Believes that ten years are nothing if we talk in terms of generations, less in
terms of geological time.
- Anyway, the balloon is punctured. Globalization proved a source of problems
rather than the panacea that we sell.
- Do you think that these concepts are negative or positive?
- Positive, no doubt, but badly managed. Globalization without equal ... you know
what I mean. Pouches of the world grow is fine, but do so without real value
behind, only as a mere instrument for speculative or blindness of ambition. Look
at the cases of financial and accounting scandals. Everyone thought he could get
rich overnight, the well - he snapped his fingers - easily. And many did, but as
wine went.
- So what you're saying is that they failed the changes that had occurred, but the
people who had been swept away by them, because we were not prepared for that
change.
- Yes, maybe.
- Like the dinosaurs, right?
- Yes, indeed. They grew, they became powerful, strong, but a change in the
system ended their hold. But they did not cause their own extinction, we do have
caused the crisis. Well, maybe not men, but our economic and social systems.
Hell, yes, men.
- Well, do not be hard, man is the only species that causes his own death. The
dodo birds lost the ability to fly on their isolated islands without predators. They
were plump and tasty. They were extinct before you know it, from the moment
that another species could come and finish them off easily.
She breathed very deeply, almost sorry for what had been lost in that sunset, as if
sensing every death of every kind of empathically.
- Not only that - he said - other species have come to devastate and plundering
their own food sources, condemning themselves to extinction. Although not all the
species, then of the weakest individuals, as the case of the crisis we are
experiencing.
- I hope the man is not in that situation. And I hope that my company is not among
those individuals most vulnerable to become extinct.
- We'll never know, Frank - it became very serious. - We will never know if we've
gone too far, destroying the environment, or our international conflicts. A species
is only realized that limit was exceeded when the last of them dies. Men do not
know if we would realize. But hey, you're not here for this, but to learn. I think
you're ready for the next class. Do you want to move on to the next level of
evolution?
- I am by wanting - for the first time in months, Frank smiled without concern and
carefree, and I felt something inside, after all this time I felt hope.
***
"The Origin of Intelligence", suggesting the poster of the room you entered this
time. It could see different ancestors of man in the right wall, a reconstruction of
what had been the evolution of it since the first mammals to become what today
was, Homo Sapiens Sapiens.
- I know what's coming - Frank said proudly - I'll say that the rise has been
dramatic intelligence.
- Do not rush, Frank, and do not be impatient.
It was amazing how in so little time to know it, you could affect both a small
reprimand her. Not only was a beautiful woman and good, which agreed to help
without asking anything in return, but was also smart. Therefore, to dissect a field
of study that did not, as was the case the business world, and bring new ideas to an
old dog like him.
- Think about what we talked about the three kinds of evolution that I told you
existed, so far I have described s nly two, although we have separated in the
second two types, those that occur without changes in the environment, and that
become dramatic because the ecosystem undergoes major alterations.
- What is the third? I can not think what could be better than getting small
improvements and organizational competitive, followed by a major change that
gives a company the domain of a segment, oe a market that becomes a leader, and
can maintain its advantage over decades.
- Sometimes you have business people a little imagination - she laughed - maybe
that's not change anything but give you the absolute control, not on a segment, or
ecosystem, but on the entire industry, on various industries, ooo hh ... - he said
opening his arms and turning as he looked around the room - on all ecosystems.
If Frank could have seen his face reflected in one of the windows of the room
would have laughed, or maybe not even have known, because the expression of
shock and disbelief.
- I do not understand - he stammered - or yes, but do not understand. S does not
capture the differences between the second and third phase of evolution.
- So we are in this room. To understand what I really wanted to explain. You will
forgive me for having made you go through previous stages, but needed to take
my thinking, and that settled the basic knowledge needed to understand the full
depth what follows, the real class starts now, hold on coming curves. Now learn to
s what is a catastrophic development.
What was Frank could not imagine how she would change her life from that
moment.
***
Catastrophic Evolution
- Catastrophic Evolution? - Asked.
- Yes, a radical change, an evolutionary leap that big, so great a competitive
advantage that instead of competing with your closest rivals, other males and
females, similar species, your predators your prey, reaches a level you finish by
competing for the freehold of the entire ecosystem, in every corner of the planet.
- Jooooder.
- Yes, there is no better word for it. Think of what we saw in the last room on the
economy and the current citation. The ideas that have made the thinkers,
entrepreneurs and gurus are still valid, but you yourself dudabas that had survived
the collision with reality. However, I think so. The problem is that many of these
ideas have not had time to become what might have been. No time to make the
jump d drastic evolution catastrophic. Excuse the mess of words, I know it's messy
...
- No, no, I follow you.
- Great. Come then, - and saying this led him to the window he had seen upon
entering. - Look at each of these evolutionary phases. You'll see that between
these views is many intermediate steps, will show you what some of the jumps.
For example - noted at the beginning of the row, small mammals that walked on
all fours, like a huge rodents - so that these beings evolved into the first primates
had to succeed a number of changes incremental, small steps, there were also
some changes drastic you see, the loss of the tail, on land that was useless to them,
the emergence of several fingers on his hind legs, growth.
Frank nodded.
- Obviously, becoming mammals and was itself a big change, thanks to the
disaster of the comet became dramatic, even catastrophic, I think. Nursing pups,
internal gestation, the best efficiency of warm-blooded, well, we still have many
doubts, but the basic idea is there.
As they talked, the two were treading the same path he had followed the man, and
his ancestors. The progressive loss of hair, the appearance of the thumb, which ito
easy to use tools, change of diet that reduced her jaw, the progressive upright
position, which meant that the column could handle more weight, which increased
the skull and brain weight, until he turned up intelligence.
- No doubt, as noted above, that intelligence is a catastrophic change, but do not
know if it took place gradually or suddenly. We believe that every step he took
evolution, increasing the chances of survival of that species alternated dramatic
and catastrophic changes. Intelligence introduced another variable, we will see
later, the evolution of thought, ideas, and use of tools, a parallel to biological
evolution, which has resulted in our current civilization.
They stopped near the end of the row. In front of them, a pair of human beings,
very similar, but different, had been reconstructed by paleontologists.
- From what I have no doubt, is that this really is a catastrophic change.
Frank looked at the two posters, in the first, the oldest, one could read: "Homo
Sapiens Neandert h alensis" in the second, "Homo Sapiens Cro-Magnon", a little
further, a couple of evolutionary leaps, Homo expected Sapiens Sapiens.
- I know a little history. The Cro-Magnon man was more intelligent than
Neanderthal, smarter, more adaptable, not so strong, but soon their tools were
better able to survive in the changing environment.
- And not only that, but they were superior in tactical combat. That way, they
could wipe out the Neanderthals, driving them off their usual places, then make
them disappear.
She saw him looking both human species.
- Do not get me wrong, we do not know if it was a real full-scale war in some
places came to live with, and maybe even to mate, but what ensued was a war of
evolution, in which a catastrophic trend gave way to a new species arise, and
completely dominate the world.
Frank imagined the terror of knowing that Neanderthals were quickly overcome
by a species that, like them, was at the top of the food chain, and they fiercely
disputed their hunting grounds and nursery areas.
- And not only that. Cro-Magnon's brain was much more useful when it comes to
abstract ideas with him, culture and mysticism took a major qualitative leap. Can
be one of the first steps in the unfolding of human evolution on the one hand,
genetic evolution, the other appeared cultural evolution. In the Neolithic the
advent of agriculture, of the first villages, laid the foundation of what we now
know as civilization, for man to be extended across the globe.
- Do not think there are many examples similar to what you've described in the
business world, Helen, - said skeptically.
- No? Look well, we may have attended one recently, in the birth of Microsoft.
We're talking about a company and its staff, which practically nothing, they took
an idea, so much so revolutionized not only the product but methods of marketing,
distribution and sale, which became dominant in the market.
- And as I was ext endi the world, you're right.
- Not only that, Frank, but also to dominate its "ecosystem" operating systems
software, has now spread to other ecological niches, the market call you "The
Office, management systems, now consoles soon the phones, and a thousand other
things, consulting, design, innovation ...
- Yes, it may well be so.
- It is, and moreover, its dominance has totally changed the game, the rules of the
market has become very large, and only time will tell if this is a really positive
catastrophic developments, for the moment has all the earmarks.
- I've caught, Hellen. But I do not understand how I can save my business knowing
that this or that company did this or that, it looks like Managemet books I've read,
telling you what others have done, what you can do, but when the truth does not
work.
- Maybe it was not the ideas that you needed, maybe you were not prepared to
adopt them, but now you are, even to go beyond. Frank, I wanted you to
understand, and I hope you do, is that we must not only what you read in books, or
what you've learned in the past. I will give you an example.
- I'm listening.
- Imagine a young couple with a soil medium, both working. Decide to purchase a
home, planning their wedding and buy a car, the ideal of most couples. But one of
them is evil at work.
"Go on, please.
- So, who is unhappy, being in debt and have no possibility of finding a job
appropriate to their level of education by the crisis, must endure in their jobs, how
do you say? carts and wagons.
- Yes, it has no choice.
- Exactly, but you're wrong Frank, that's the trap that the world puts before us, the
wall that we can not jump, but we try. But heck, he thinks, why skip it if we can
surround? You know what thinking is parallel?
- Yes, that's when a person faces a problem is an original way to solve it.
- Yes, very simple is that. The parallel thinking occurs when an individual
bypasses all his previous experience. When humans are faced with a problem, use
a predetermined set of responses depending on their previous experience in similar
problems. Thus, only after it has resolved a difficult situation in a certain way,
facing a similar crisis, will try to apply this method. That might work, or maybe
not, maybe ... - he said - not work well as would have another.
- Yes, as I did with my business.
- However, some people are able to bypass that stage, to obviate the most logical
outputs and applying knowledge to solve the problem than anyone would have
thought to apply to this problem, revolutionaries, I've called you.
- Because people who invented a revolutionary software that solves a problem that
the rest of the industry had spent years dragging. And then everyone thinks, how
easy, how can I think of me?
- Because their brains are not used to make the leap and think in parallel. But there
are people that yes, he is accustomed.
- So I failed because he could think more creatively, right?
- Do not know if this is so, it may be a cause, or may not have time to fix the
problems, everything went very quickly.
- I understand, put me, please, two examples, one human and a parallel thought of
parallel evolution.
- Let's see. W hat is the highest animal in the ocean?
- The sharks, or whales.
- Whales, cetaceans is his real name. Well, the land mammals arose and evolved in
parallel with the reptiles, hiding from their meager beginnings to the cataclysm
that ended the hitherto kings of the earth. However, sometime in the past, a
mammal decided to return to the sea. Its size, metabolism, intelligence and
customs made him the group of most unusual sea creatures, and of course, the true
kings of the ocean. Again the three types were mixed ara d evolution to a
surprising result.
- What about human thought?
- For neither more nor less than this class, Frank. To make you understand what
you could not see from the traditional business thinking, I had to apply knowledge
of evolution, biology and paleontology.
- And forgive another question. If you were you in the case of the couple we spoke
of before, what would you do? What would you do if your work only allows you
to spend three hours a day to your personal life as a couple, and you had to do
household chores, and spend some family time? It's a dead end. You would not
have time to seek other employment or take courses, or to learn languages.
- It's difficult but not impossible, you can learn by reading the way to work, or take
courses online, but that's just incremental changes, small steps. The real solution
would be to find something to break the vicious circle. For example, finding a
niche market, study the competition and develop your own business while keeping
your job until things work.
- It's not so easy.
- I never said it was easy. Think that you are looking for a solution to a problem in
a few weeks or months, while life takes centuries or millennia. Biological
evolution is much slower than social. That's another feature of the new
developments, that their changes are dizzying, rapid as ca nu n had seen before.
"Hell yes, you're up today, and tomorrow you buried in the depths without
catching up on what's happening around you.
- That's the point of knowing, of understanding what is happening before we
caught by the wave of change. Understand that the whole crisis, the previous
period of growth, in all its complexity, is nothing more than an attempt, perhaps
failed, perhaps only delayed it to make a leap catastrophic evolve into new forms
of socio-economic.
- I hope it is only delayed, because if not my company's fate is sealed.
- Or maybe not, crises are opportunities for entrepreneurs, but quiet, I think we are
confusing issues, change in society, the change in companies, we are making us a
mess. Let's try to summarize what we have said today, then we will make a sketch
of how new developments affect the various human structures.
Saying this he took a paper bag and handed it to him - Draw it, - he said.
Frank drew first what he understood of the various changes (see diagram in Annex
One). It describes the three kinds of changes he had seen, and some of its most
important features.
Then it was Helen who drew a diagram (see Diagram 2). In it appeared five
distinct areas, the individuals, businesses and products, the economic organization
of society and ultimately, nations and internationally.
- In each of these areas can produce a change of any kind at any time - said as he
finished - the difficulty is knowing what will be, and anticipate change. It would
be easier to stick to personal and business changes, which is the area that most
know, Frank, and lightly touch macro economic changes, but if you want to
understand how they will operate the catastrophic developments in the coming
decades, you'll need to know how to change all around you, or better yet, think
what you must do to change it.
- Someone once said - Frank replied while still trying to digest the words of his
companion and "master" - do not try to change the world, has a habit of
responding. Helen, that's impossible. You can, first, learn enough to be informed
of all the issues facing international society today. And second ... how can change
the world?
- Adapting to the needs that you can provide. It is so hard, everyone does. It
convinces people that need a new car, or a higher version of a software program,
you can say what they really want to buy if you feel a particular experience.
- Yes I read about it, is no longer selling products or ideas, but feelings,
sensations, membership of a group.
- There you are, if most companies do in Mays or less, why not be able to get it
done at a scale that completely change the world for the better?
- But how? - Asked again, incredulous. One thing was to hear theories on
evolution, and quite another to have to apply to reality and hope it works.
- Well, - she answered a little annoyed - that is, that when you give it all chewed
accept my word, but when it's your time to think, it's impossible. Then you're the
expert in business, Frank, but if you ask me, first you must strive to understand the
world. And do not give me that is impossible, since we now have sufficient means
to form an opinion. So I can know where we are heading if I listen carefully to the
different media, Internet, news channels, newspapers, sources are thousands, just
need to know how to select and separate the truth from lies.
- Forgive me - he apologized - is that it all sounds very Renaissance, very archaic.
- But it is not. I'm saying you should drink from many sources, you should use the
latest technologies to obtain information. That is something that everyone gives
for granted.
- OK, fine. But having the information to apply, there is a very big way, and even
more if we want to extrapolate the evolution of an entire sector such as moving my
company, and then propose management models, products and services adapt to
changing needs and future consumers.
- There he falls back on your initial mistake, Frank. I'm not saying you should only
guess the tastes of the people, but also must define new business models entirely
surprising and funci onen. You have to think in parallel, you must evolve
personally, to evolve your company, products, services and management methods,
and most importantly, you must combine the incremental and drastic changes,
while looking for a catastrophic development. You should not settle for survival,
never, you should change your business and the world.
***
 Confidence - The evolutionary war
Frank and Helen were given by conclui visit to the museum after this talk. Both
had a lot to think, Frank, in the ideas he had received, Hellen, on how to overcome
all the prejudices which he gained by his years of experience.
There were even a week later, but none of them could sleep easily while trying to
solve their dilemmas.
The day of the appointment, Helen decided to change the place of it, and took him
to another different museum of History.
- I thought you were an expert in evolutionary biology - he told her.
- And I thought you understood that social evolution of man is not just a new kind
of evolution developed from biological. - Despite the harshness of her words, she
displayed a deep smile, a sign that perhaps he had managed to find a way to
overcome the conservatism of him.
During the next two hours, both walked the halls of the museum, observing every
detail of it, since the reconstructions of early Neolithic settlements and the maps of
the city of Ur, to the surviving texts of the great politicians of the history of
humanity, through diagrams and dioramas depicting the great battles of history.
As contemplated, listened to Frank and Helen were discussing the guide, which
was making them look at the historical chronology of major events in the history
of homo sapiens. At the end of the tour, each group following his own way,
dispersed ANDOS, but they stayed in the last room they had visited the World
War II.
- Why was World War II, Frank? Why sixty million people died?
- The Hitler's expansionist ambitions forced France and England to declare war. It
was a struggle of ideas, Fascism, against Capitalism and Socialism.
- So the ideas are powerful is not it, that can move nations and international
sentiment.
Frank knew that his answer was more or less successful, I knew she did not
suffice, so he tried to go deeper.
- The fund is not nothing but the harsh conditions that the Allies imposed on
Germany after its defeat in the First World War. Moreover, Japan was involved
expansionist sentiment boosted by some social and industrial classes, eager to
build an empire to Western colonial style, and access to natural resources.
- What caused the Great War? - She asked again.
- The assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne by an ally of enemy
powers in Germany. This was certainly the trigger, but after all was nationalistic
feelings, I think, the need for Germany to access resources other colonial powers
had not only break the siege of alliances that constrained the Central Powers in
Europe. I recall that Russia, England, Italy and France were allied against
Germany, Austria-Hungary and ... - he thought as he memory - The Turkish
Empire.
- So, you basically were fighting over resources and territories, as well as to see
who was bigger. What has roots that network of international alliances?
- I think it stems from the policy of Chancellor Bismarck, his theory of carrot and
stick. Germany started very late colonial expansion that followed the fall of the
"Empire" of Napoleon. Which, before you ask, had their early origin in the French
Revolution. They fought for freedom.
- Class Struggle, Freedom, these are recurrent ideas, but what lies behind the
French Revolution, what is?
- The glut of one people against the depredations and abuse of a noble classes
jaded of luxury compared to an impoverished rural population and citizen. It is a
very crude analysis, but may be worth.
- That is, land, food and luxuries. And before that?
- The wars against the Spanish Empire. The fall of the Habsburgs. Due to the envy
of Britain, France and other nations before the Spanish preponderance.
- Go, go, sure you can do better, in prejudice. - The continuous barbs she were
forced to become ever more precise in finding the causes, and not be swayed by
the superficial reasons.
- Well, guess again riches to colonize the territory and dominion of the sea and
land.
- Control of the territory again. What prompted Spain's ascension to superpower
status at the time?
- For a bit of everything, I think. - This time it caught him. - Spain's rise was due
to a large cluster of events. The discovery of America, the exploration of Asia and
Africa, and a wonderful marriage and political alliances. Oh, I forgot - the added -
and the collaboration of many individuals from various regions united by politics
and the Reconquista.
- And more to the following? Rome, Egypt, Greece, the first peoples of men. Q hat
"motivated them to make war? What drove them to expand the area?
- As the need for arable land, food sources, slaves, to expand their culture.
- In summary, the big man's wars, and revolutions of mankind, have been due, in
principle, control of farmland, livestock, and water. Then came the culture, and
that made the greatest hiciesen alliances. Appeared peoples and struggles.
Translated into my "language", the evolution shifted into a higher plane. Then the
men began to quarrel and fight for territory, not of their tribes, but of their nations,
and the wealth and resources they wanted to hoard.
- Do not forget that wars always motivated men and women of influence.
- Anyway, by decision of a few or many, the fact is that soon, the men rose and
went to fight for survival and food to fight for dominance and wealth, but the basis
remains the same, the supremacy genetic and cultural, groups and individuals that
shape it.
- Soon, these groups became too great, and came the idea of suffrage, the fight for
freedom, and a large domain, wars moved to a global framework, and soon after,
the struggle between ideas has led us to war, World War, which was not discussed
anything other than world domination of a philosophy, people, economic system
or nation.
- Yes, broadly speaking true. But there are many nuances.
- I'm no historian, Frank - Helen looked at him seriously. - But it recognizes an
evolutionary struggle when I see it. The struggle to perpetuate the genes only
became really great, so great that soon became a struggle to perpetuate the culture
of each people, you see, we return to the same subject. Biological evolution has
become a cultural evolution.
- And that's what has to do with my business? I've heard several times, I know I
have to do with student management concepts, and my services, I had time to
assimilate it in a week, but do not know why you insist on repeating the
importance of this when I know.
- Because - she added a little angry, while he turned left walking toward the door
of the museum - I want to give a few hints on how you can do.
So saying, he left the room and museum.
***
- Helen! - Shouted Frank, who had followed at a brisk pace - please listen. Forgive
me, I'd like to apologize.
He caught about twenty meters, she stood and stared at him with her green eyes, as
if what he was saying at that time depended everything still had to teach.
- I know I'm ungrateful, not once have I thanked you for what you're teaching, as
long as you're engaged in, and I have no excuse. I know I'm going through a bad
patch, but it is apology, I can only say that I appreciate what you do for me, and it
is not time wasted, I assure you. I listen to and assimilate every word you, but
sometimes can be very stubborn.
- You are, - she said gravely.
- I know, I'm sorry - she pleaded.
Frank knew he could learn a lot from her and that he had done, and did not want
things to stay that way. But this was not the only reason. In these two weeks she
had been for him a lifeline, and afraid of losing it, because it had not regained their
confidence, and was afraid of returning to sink deeper.
- Okay, take a walk.
- Thanks - and without another word, began to walk.

The sandy soil of the promenade surrounding the museum was covered with wet
leaves, and she stared as if he could reveal secrets of the cosmos in each. Frank
was quiet, preferring that she would be found to return to speak and to show
confidence.
- What say you, - said after a while - is that if you want to create an impact, a
catastrophic development, you should take a step in social evolution, and if you
want to discover how you can do this in two ways, or look the world straight , and
break your head trying to figure out where the shots will go, or use what we know
of biological evolution to draw parallels and extrapolate conclusions.
- Forget it.
- What you know about ía teor Darwinian evolution of species? How have you
adapted the theory of social Darwinism? - Frank almost had missed his way of
asking questions.
- Not much, just what I heard. - Almost begged for enough - the theory of survival
of the fittest. There have been people who have used this theory to highlight his
ideas that only the fittest deserve to succeed in this world. The most intelligent,
strongest, most ruthless. He served for years to justify the idea that companies
should worry about profits, regardless of how they obtain those benefits.
- But not only that, there have been financial and accounting scandals.
- Yes, and have done much damage to the credibility of companies. Glove boom,
we all believed that this was paradise, and I told you. That could make us rich if
we knew how, if we had an idea to sell, and most importantly, if we knew sold.
During this time, selling the idea has been fundamental, vital. As much as the fact
that this idea, or that product, they were truly beneficial, good, or novel.
He paused for breath, he knew how he felt during the steady trickle of scandals
had damaged, despite the distance, his own business.
- And of course, as I told you before s as well, as have to pay for the sins of others.
The credibility is in tatters, confidence too, and the international arena does not
help that.
- Do you believe in that theory? That of the strongest.
- Before that, he believed there was room for everyone. But now I do not know ...
maybe they are right, and the only way to save a company is preoccupied solely
with her, make it stronger every day, grow or die. Why you ask?
- I will respond later. Before, I comentarte one thing. For centuries, dozens,
hundreds of thousands of species have become extinct by direct competition from
other. A dramatic adaptation, better preparation for changes in the environment, or
internal mutations, have led to extinction. Over millions of years, species have
fought and died on Earth. Every individual, every animal or plant, has had the
responsibility of fighting to perpetuate their genes, and each species has had to
defend their genetic advantages against the advantages of other species. Biological
warfare is common. Sorry if I use the word war, human beings tend to give our
names to things that resemble what we do. No one can say that if a war is, of
course, is much less bloodless conflicts of the human race. Moreover, an issue that
a species can occupy an ecological niche, an ecosystem, and some not.
As if they read the thoughts, Frank saw pigeons pecking at the ground. Among
them, with frightened eyes, a small sparrow was trying to get close enough.
Paradoxically, faith the sparrow who flew off a thick piece of bread that were
disputing, the eyes, stunned and stupid of pigeons.
- Nothing - sentenced her - just a matter of eating a day and feed your children,
and they can feed their own. Naturally, our social evolution has ev olutions
similarly. Until recently, it has tried to eat or be eaten, grow or die. Companies
must be big, strong, imposing, and inflexible, while intelligent, flexible and fast if
they want to survive. In addition, changes occur faster and faster, more frequently,
and are increasingly severe and brutal.
- It's sad.
- No Frank, it's life. But do not get depressed, the best is yet to come. Look
closely, animals have evolved in different ways, just like plants. Incremental
improvements have combined with drastic and catastrophic developments, for
more size, more strength, more speed, changes in your diet, flexibility, adaptation
to climate, breed, everything. Like individuals, social groups, in particular,
businesses and pressure groups.
- Yes, companies have followed the same path.
- And of course, what happened in one case also in the other, the struggle between
"species", the attempt to dominate ecological niches, ecosystems or the world, as
opposed to control market segments, industries and position themselves globally.
- I follow, that both indiv idual and companies.
- So what catastrophic developments occurring in living creatures, have not yet
occurred in society? If you'll discover the keys to the kingdom, as they say, but
even if you have them be an easy road. The paths of evolution never are.
- Yes, but how to discover them? How to know what?
- I told you I was going to tell you, but first I want you to understand one thing. So
far, everything I said is sound, based on what we know, however, now entered the
realm of hypothesis. What I will tell from here is just that, an extrapolation of
mine, maybe it's not entirely true, or whether it could be extrapolated to the
company. I have been researching all week on how to tell you and do it, but
nothing from here on will be safe.
- Never mind - tried to reassure her, perhaps because it was so nervous before.
- It does matter. What I mean is that all that matters from here is my word, not
even. Di accounts better than my experience, my intuition and my powers of
deduction and induction, and with my knowledge, that modesty aside, I think you
have seen that are strong.
- So, do not worry. From here I create and my own opinions. You listen, but I will
not say anything as dogma. Even when talking about biology - smiled trying to
downplay the issue.
- Very well, then I'll tell you. The two forms of catastrophic developments, the two
paths that I have discovered that guarantee an expansion of the species worldwide
are intelligence, as we know, and group behavior, mind-hive. Now we just have to
find out how to get a firm step towards one of these developments or to both.
***
Business Intelligence
Three days later they established a working methodology. They had been working
late into the night, going to sleep only to be for prime time and forward more
concepts. It had been exhausting, and both were exhausted, days to gather ideas,
contrasting, reject and return to reformulate. In the end, they had built a clear
framework of what was a development that could be applied to business.
However, many points still remained rough edges, and in particular certain points
that Frank argued, Helen could not see form as may be feasible from their point of
view.
So they were now eating at a Japanese restaurant while discussing heated, but
friendly, his latest point of friction.
- You do not understand, Frank. That could never work, "Helen hotly defended. -
Let's see, the idea that companies should not move information seamlessly not
understand it. In nature, the larger the t ll information and each of its members
have a greater chance of surviving that kind. For example, ants, despite their
expertise, do not keep secrets between them. The queen has the same basic genetic
basis than the rest of their colony. If she had a different chromosome base, never
to deny their successors. These chromosomes are transmitted.
- It's not so easy, the information are not chromosomes.
- I thought we had made it clear that the DNA of a company is represented by its
procedures, both formal and informal, for their modus operandi and their know-
how, and each of its workers. Such knowledge, transferred from person to person,
are those that guarantee the continuity of the company. Imagine a company
dismissed reports that its procedures for all its members, and then imagine that is a
species of animals that are denied of their genes to their children, and knowledge
learned.
- But businesses do not work that way, management knows things that only she
can know. And that information can not be in year worldwide.
In her eyes shone despair always crashing against the same wall.
- But why? I understand that there are issues that can not be revealed to employees
overnight, and that certain information can not be placed in the hands of rivals,
without taking measures to ensure the security of such data.
- Sure, it's what I say.
- But I'm not saying otherwise. I'm just saying that information hidden, should be
minimized over time, both the secret information, internal, and external data that
would interest the power to do us harm would be minimal. What I mean is that if
the procedures are the foundation of an enterprise is not so easy to copy an idea, or
a product, human assets, knowledge, are the most difficult to clone. And if it is
established from the beginning, little by little, transparency of information will
eventually be an asset.
- But sooner or later end up copying those procedures, and shorten the lead.
- Yes, but you said it yourself, shorten, if the company keeps moving, when
copying one thing, your company will be two steps beyond. No you can mix
things up, what I'm saying is that within the company walls should not be
informative, and that the division between departments should be minimal.
Despite being specialized, would be foolish not to take ideas from one person to
be in a separate department. Returning to the example of the ants, if the ants go
into "war" with another ant, businesses soldiers will defend the Queen, but if one
of the workers can help, no doubt that he will instinctively. And no one complains
about it.
- Yes, I know that we agree that intelligence in an enterprise can be defined as the
speed with which information is transmitted and responded to stimuli. As the
brain's neurons and neuronal synapses.
- Aja?
- And that the greater transparency in selected fields you, the greater the
intelligence. - He tried to synthesize Frank.
- The higher the transmission of information, - said Hellen nodding - both
vertically and horizontally, even diagonally, and the greater the ability of a firm to
manage this information, shape, and process it faster, more intelligent "will be that
company.
- The information technologies are vital in this process. However, if pushed too far
this process will destroy the company.
- No, damn it, Frank, no! On the contrary, rebuild on new foundations. If you set a
list of categ Orías wage, if you set which will be the "measures" the performance
of people in these categories, if all that is clear, people will have no right to
protest, provided that the measurement and valuation of each is objective. Not that
hard, you yourself told me yesterday, now is the time, as the crisis has left all done
a cisco, and improvements can be made gradually, but decisively.
- You can try, but it takes time, and the complicity of the entire enterprise.
- Yes, I have emphasized that the next evolutionary improvement, the collective
mind. Intelligence is a part of evolution that we have to design for your business,
but to make the leap that really want to be decisive, you accompany it with
changes in the way of working, not only in the transmission, processing and
reporting process .
- I keep seeing complicated.
- It is, like I said. - She was bottled. - Look at it from this perspective, what are the
three concerns that have undermined the possibility of an economic recovery?
- The fear of terrorism, financial scandals and the Iraq crisis.
- Okay, let's focus on the latter. The accounting and financial scandals were
somewhat important, not often see the news, but until I found out. As you have
said, the Society is demanding changes in the control system, and companies
emphasize that they have lost something, transparency and trust.
- Many of them will do as a facelift.
- That I, the real evolutionary advantage, forgiveness, competitive, is the company
that actually does. Which can ensure their integrity before the public, customers,
suppliers, and employees. And for that, the company critical information must
flow freely and accessible. The company must be transparent, so that society will
support it. But we are anticipating. Terms of designing the mechanisms for
enhancing the understanding of the company.
- Okay, on that we agree more. Internet is a means to go abroad, both to capture
vital information, expediting the transmission of information and therefore,
operational capacity, and to show the company to the public.
- Not only that, but can be used to establish ways to influence the sector, create
feed back. For example, mailing lists for customers of the company. In them, it
could provide updates and news, company developments that benefit our
customers, and in return, get feedback, and if you do well, you get to convince
people to become followers of your services, q ue are delighted with your
company.
- We also said that the Web is important, but not all - tried to click his partner
Frank for more information.
- Limited to a Web is a limited strategy. You can collect information on only if - And some more. Or rather, much, but little else n ew. Resu mends, evolve the
you write, but you can not go out and find what you need. employees and internal and external information channels of the company to make
- And outside the Internet and e-mail? it evolve in turn.
- As the written procedures established companies or large medium-always - But if you look closely, we have focused on enhancing domestic intelligence, but
helpful, but not essential, for those who really know how to do a job, how to what about the external and the recruitment of talent?
improve, and what should and what we and should do, are workers, people. It is - I see it hard, Helen - Frank was resigned, knowing the limitations of his company
they who must incorporate in the process of creating intelligence. If you listen to to bring the most talented staff - my company is not just among the most popular.
them and encourages them to say, and contribute ideas, as has been done, the - Do not you think that if you do as we discussed what will? But of course, to
intelligence of the company will give a small evolutionary leap. But if they form, attract the best má s need something that a good training plan - now it was she
you help them to evolve, to become virtual freelance, in charge of their work, but who tried to make him think.
also of the company, will they jump catastrophic, or at least drastic, but much - Interesting projects, but now I've lost my biggest client.
better than small jumps to we are accustomed. - Yes, but the projects are just that, projects, and can be mounted without requiring
- This has been done to a greater or lesser extent. large investments would build a financial plan and business conducted by the best
- It seems that the business men have forgotten. You have the most powerful tool in their fields. Then, simply sell these ideas to everyone who wants to buy them.
in your hands, and yet you left side, when even children know that the real - Sounds easy, but it is not.
potential is in the people. Anyway, I told you that ideas about management were - No, that's why you attract the best employees, and for that you must offer
well under way, but they lacked two things, time to build a solid foundation, and something others do not. I think it is time to explain the mind-hive.
the next part of the equation, the mind-hive.
- I'm intrigued, I admit. I keep hearing you say that word, but so far we only
focused on methods to enhance the "intelligence" of my company, and ways to ***
evolve individuals that compose it. What is it?
- Do not be impatient - Helen smiled, he knew that the evolution of intelligence
was an important step, but the next catastrophic developments that had to dissect it
would be a shock - that's much easier to understand, so I left to the end. But first
I'd like to end this phase of "growth". What are more ways to develop a business
intelligence catastrophically, so that gives you a more direct advantage over your
competitors? And even on those who are not directly.
- I do not know, I think we've thought all forms of speed information, to circulate
it, prepare people for the ndan bury, and can capitalize. We've talked about quality
circles - his memory - to set up three flights of variable pay, one that rewards
individual contributions, the other to fixate on the progress of the group, and one
that reflects the results of the entire company, and ways to measure them by
categories and jobs. I think the goals are achievable, but hard enough to get you
involve an effort, how difficult will be to convince more discouraged workers to
join this initiative.
- I refer back to the hive-mind, patience.
 Mind-Hive
Frank finished his plate of seaweed with rice in one mouthful, I felt all these days
of work were finally taking effect, as if everything he had seen in the planetarium,
museums, with Helen, was leading to this particular time of his life.
- ... And the ants arrived - Helen continued under the watchful eyes of his pupil.
Like all other species of invertebrates and insects cooperative, bees, coral polyps
and termites, ants have evolved to the point where an anthill or a beehive, are so
coordinated as conjugates, they all form one entity. Each specialist, each of them
stronger in the whole than the sum of its parts. Where an individual's contribution
helps everyone to succeed, the hive, but that individual is not required.
Helen took a sip from the cup that had served him at first, and was still packed.
- That is, ants, coral, have spread worldwide thanks to the cooperation that its
members have established. That evolution has been established. Nature has made
them specialize, but has maintained a core, a head, sometimes visible and others
invisible, which makes it represents the whole community. Which is something we
accept everyone.
- Businesses are just that, it is done.
- No Frank, that they have done a few companies, not many. And certainly few
have done a large scale. Even fewer have gone beyond. What businesses do is
bring together a diverse group of people working for them. The degree of
involvement of all is usually intense at first, but usually fade with time, that if he
ever manages to maintain interest, and not lost. It's like a species, rather than a
beehive. Isolated individuals working for their interest, and Nature Genetics,
replaced here by the company must ensure that these individual interests coincide
with those of the business.
- Of course, people work for money, and personal interests.
- Yes, but not be mixed each other, can be differentiated economic reasons and
personal reasons.
- So you're telling me that I can attract talent if I offer something they want. But
what?
- If you let me speak I'll tell you. What do you value an ant when working in the
hive, if an ant could value something?
- For the welfare of the hive, of course.
- You think that humans are so different?
- Yes, we are more selfish, we have private interests, their own agendas.
- No, you're wrong. Many people are well, but not all. The best are not. And those
who are like, which are more individualized, they are because they have not seen
the whole picture, the whole tapestry. Maybe it's a very idealistic person, Frank,
but I know that a person who only thinks of it, would not operate well if he had to
surrender a goal which would benefit the community. Only people very sick or
confused, would refuse to act for the benefit of mankind if it would also benefit
her.
- Definitely yes you are very idealistic.
- No, look well. If you had to choose between winning 3x, or 2x gain and time,
participate in a project that allows you to learn, improve, participate in tasks that
motivates you, and while encouraging the community, how many people think you
hesitate?
- More than you think, - he answered a little disbelieving.
- No, I know many people would choose the first option. But now, think so. What
if the second option would give you 4x gain in the future?
- People would still prefer a bird in hand.
- The next logical step is to then ask what if they succeeded in changing slowly,
the values of the people? That is, get up a company that is a model of social
transparency, which benefits the entire community, generate technological output
pointers, whose internal relationships are free of unnecessary tension, which
values the employee and the customer, and that will convince that among its basic
goals is the better world.
- A lot of people do not mind that.
- Think about who would refuse to work for a company like that? Even the most
selfish people would, therefore benefit their curriculum. Of course, these people
you're not interested, you should be you who choose not selected. Over time, you
will prospect the market for workers that interest you, it will be people who work
for the community, peers and the company, besides looking after their interests. S
on those workers who entice and attract you. Why are those who believe in
evolution are trying to implement, and it will be they implemented that.
- Attracting the best people to implement something new, I see.
- Not only the best people, if not the best workers, you will find that many times,
one thing is attached to the other, at least at the levels at which we move. Think
about it, the good people have dedicated themselves to climb in their companies,
only to work, and unfortunately in this society that does not guarantee anything.
You can attract the best time if you are good, if you're looking for. And thou shalt
give the first step in an evolution that set you apart from other companies, that will
differentiate your products from those of others, because they will be designed to
meet your needs, not those of your company.
- Well, now the products are already done so.
- Are you sure that you can not go further? I think you do, you can do things that
change the world for the better. And that the positive benefit to the community in
placing your company in a key point in the business world.

Helen yawned, nearly three days straight, and both were tired.

- Do you think we finish tomorrow? Need a ride home? - Frank offered.

- Thanks, I like to get a taxi through the night so cold that it does.

Frank paid the bill, Helen reluctantly accepted, and only in exchange for a promise
that the next round of sandwiches would be in your account. On the way home,
she fell asleep in the front seat, so he had to wake her gently and asked where he
lived.

Upon arrival, she awoke and looked at him with sleepy eyes.

- Thank you, "she said sorry if you do not invite him to take anything, but I'm
exhausted.
- Calm down, I go home and work some more on what we talked about how to
evolve to create a truly cohesive team spirit. A truly mind-hive.
- Tomorrow I look forward to your ideas. Good night.

So saying, she kissed him on the cheek and got out.

***
 Evolve!
The next day, after sleeping four hours, Frank came into Helen's apartment, she
opened the door. When he entered the house, he found what he imagined he would
find a total mess, books and more books stacked on the shelf, a small television,
forgotten in a house rinc ion, samples of fossils and few objects personal.
A white cat with black spots on head and ears and black tail welcomed. He stared
from behind a chair, distrustful, but be sure its territory, as if he feared nothing.
- We should learn a lot of cats - "the voice of his hostess. I was half dressed, with
jeans and an undershirt, and Frank could look at going barefoot on the carpet. -
Are very independent animals, some survivors, however, among his own very
Weird hierarchies, matriarchal.
- I've always liked most dogs are more loyal.
- To you and to most people. The loyalty you value more independence, not just
animals. Sometimes, true loyalty comes from a lack of strings. It is then that no
one owes you anything, when friendship and loyalty are true.
- Well, today touches philosophy, right? - He smiled.
- Always play philosophy - she concluded as she placed a sports shoe and looked
the other behind the sofa. - The philosophy is part of life, is the attempt to find a
meaning to life - ended.
- Well, what we do today?
- Well, it's your time to show me something, I want your business, I am a little
confused to talk about something that I think is something ethereal.
- Very good, but I warn you that there is not much life. Half of our workers are
unemployed, and the rest, well, they are very unmotivated.
- Come anyway, do not think it's worse than my apartment.
Half an hour later, Frank opened the door of his office. The receptionist greeted
him with a smile, but Helen could see in his eyes that he was surprised by the
presence of his boss. He had been days away, attending to important matters by
phone or via the laptop.
- Stefani, I do not pass calls, have an important meeting.
On the way to the office, located at the bottom of a carpeted room in which two
dozen tables scattered here and there, Helen could see the disappointment that
Frank had anticipated. Some of them looked puzzled, on the faces of others, you
could see dark circles or bags, maybe of concern.
Frank greeted a few people who approached him asking for his help in making
some decisions, but within minutes they were already in his office, modern with a
photo of his ex-wife and their children at the table, as in the movies, funny she
recalled.
They sat in the small round table that stood in a corner near the window
overlooking the park.
- As you can see, the atmosphere is oppressive. I've tried everything, delegate,
motivate, give greater certainty that the market has left me, but all in vain. Every
time he did something, comments and rumors had the opposite effect. If she said
that secured the posts of a department, the next day all the company commented
that the department was in doubt. Right now you are mumbling about, I imagine.
Anything from you're a lover I'm going to squander the legacy of my family until
you're a potential buyer of a business rival, or a future leader for them.
- That's normal, happens even among animals. When a band of gorillas find
another leader, she immediately makes clear his position, but accept it, and the rest
of the pack does the same.
- But I'm sure that gorillas are more civilized than us.
- Any animal is more civilized than a man - she joked. Or maybe he meant
ironically, Frank could not distinguish the tone as she looked out the window
toward the park, and green eyes reflected the light of noon. It was the first time he
sees ía show some sadness.
He was intrigued by it, had moved from their "supervisor" to be someone
important in your life.
- Well, Frank, tell me what you thought of tonight, we had been in your company
should understand the needs of society, to offer products tailored to them. But I
had to do it in a way that nobody had done.
- Yes, see what you think of this. Not applicable to all companies, but a lot of
services. To learn what I need my customers to improve my relations with them,
and my employees. The circulation of information. But some things can not be
discovered in the traditional way. So I thought maybe one of my boys would
become part of the workforce of a client company. Worker still be mine, but there
would be full time, learning about the company in a deeper way than they have
done until now consulting firm. But since that has already been done, we must
give another turn of the screw.
- Does not it make billed hours as consulting firms with employees who give to
their clients?
- No, they were billed for results. My company would not charge a penny if the
results are not desired by the customer. Guaranteed.
- It's a big step, I think shows involvement with the client.
- It is, it is. The hard part is getting my staff to achieve that level of involvement. I
tried to shares of the company, and a variable salary, but I think with the new pay
systems will benefit all.
- Yes, I was told that in this way, the person who was in a less interesting project
in terms of salary and incentives, would be benefiting from what the rest of his
colleagues did on the company.
- Yes, but until I explained to the group mind as evolutionary improvement did not
understand what was wrong. You see, when doing so, ces ve lost many incentives
to work, because teams know that other groups are working and earning money for
themselves. Although not comply with what is expected of them, provided they
have left the fixed salary plus company benefits. The problem arises when these
groups "free riders" are the majority. It is very hard to balance.
Frank took a deep breath taking air.
- But if you manage to create team spirit, if you also get to motivate people who
like their work, and especially the company they work for, you take off two
problems in one, the first this, and second, that when developing a project in
another company may accept an offer from the competition, or even our own
clients to work with them.
- Does it happen very often?
- Yes, it's a problem. Ways to a person, you squeeze the maximum, but the more
you know, let him go elsewhere.
- I see several flaws in this strategy.
- Yes, he is holding up the most, not always the best. And if you squeeze a person,
it will not ever identify with the company. And that is essential to evolve into a
hive mind. So we changed the compensation system. For people to notice the
results that benefit the customer.
- But to look out only on the client, others have done before. Please expand your
vision to the whole society. Employees, suppliers and social agents. In biological
terms, you must create a symbiotic relationship with them, a relationship that will
benefit all, not just you.
- I had thought - Frank was increasingly thrown, and saw Helen nod to the
avalanche and ideas. - To improve the relationship with our suppliers, we ensure
our fidelity to contract, provided that they maintain and improve their quality
system, their service to us, and in turn improve communications with our
company. I am thinking to invite you to do the same with us than I with our
customers, who come one here and see what we need, heck, I do not know why I
have not done before. A change may be billed more if I am satisfied with the
improvements. And if I listen, I will teach you to see what I need, no need for me
it has to say.
- Sounds like a good idea. I think many things were done before, but perhaps the
real catastrophic trend comes from the sum of all these policies - she smiled
broadly.
- You know exactly. What I've learned is to develop myself, and so I can do to
evolve the company, managing and coordinating all these areas while.
- Well, the student surpasses the teacher, at least in terms of business evolution.
- I do not think, I think you keep many things, if not I find myself.
She did not answer, and Frank continued with his presentation. He had been
working all night, and was very excited. Soon his company would then feel the life
in its hallways.
- With regard to society, I will change my company's statutes, its objectives. H
been thinking about establishing a quality plan, a written statement, and slogan for
my company. But the difficulty will be to convince my people, and society that
such change is real. So I thought about making a donation to scientific institutions
2% of the benefits you get my business every year.
- That's a facelift, is a high percentage but only serves to wash the face.
- No, he's not all. We will not stop there. You have taught me what a selfless
person can do for another, and I will do the same. It is the best inheritance I can
leave my children, and all that can make me regain the pride of my father,
wherever he is. Not only am going to get a large company, but also going to help
make this world a little better.
- I hope it's true - she sighed. - What do you think?
- Well, as I am a man of simple tastes, I will not need much money now that I'm
going through a divorce. Long enough for my children and my ex-wife does not
lack anything. But besides, I need more. I will reinvest most of the benefit in
improving the company, expand it, in research, to create new products and
services that improve the world, and time, generating cash flow with which to
improve and develop new systems.
- What will the shareholders?
- I am the controlling shareholder. Save 10 percent owned by a cousin of mine,
and 5% which I have given my employees, the remaining 85% as I have. In
addition, medium term, although benefits are not allocated all stand to gain, now
the shares are very undervalued, but if all goes well, will make a shock for them.
- What else?
- Well, besides what I mentioned to ensure equality for people in the company
statutes, and expand opportunities for internal promotion, while abroad to recruit
new staff for new areas that I plan to create . Besides that, I would like to create
joint ventures with my most direct competitors, so they will benefit from our
exchange, and so we support, because I hope that these new policies renew the
market, and relaunch. In fact, I hope to acquire an international character as soon
as possible to implement the ideas I have in a more humane globalization, to see
what happens.
As he talked, Frank drew diagrams that had drawn the strategy had been designed.
- I hope that my access to new technologies which could not be accessed by
myself, and above all, to work with people who post can attract my place. Nor am
I going to prevent by force others to leave the competition, everyone will be free
to go and spread the changes we have made here, but I hope they are so
comfortable that they raise no change. In the way that globalization brand needs to
be done, I will need to achieve the best make it more humane.
- Do not forget to teach all your people to change, to evolve, to form, because
otherwise you end up catching the competitors, and although I do not think you'll
get to them, you can lose the lead of this Olympic race.
- Yes, but the truth is that although I will try not to fall into the road, nothing is
guaranteed, and if I can change the way we work in a group of companies, I'll be
satisfied with just one more.
- As I've been working on devising other ways to provoke a catastrophic
development, "she said looking at the role that Frank was on the table.
Other possible developments catastrophic
- Generating ideas - numerous offspring.
- Symbiosis.
- Etc.
- Yes, I think we can find new ways based on the biology, intelligence and mind
are not the only group. I think I can do much more.
- Well, I think that's enough, Frank. We're through. - Helen looked at him with her
green eyes, and he felt he was looking directly into her soul. - You know
everything I could teach you.
- Not much left, I could help develop these new ideas, or implement that are more
developed.
- Frank, - she said very seriously - I'm leaving on Monday to Ethiopia on an
archeological expedition will last one year. I learned last night that we granted the
scholarship.
Frank did not know what to say. Pro the first time in days, looked a shadow over
the project he had been working for weeks.
- But without you I can not continue. You that I've d ado ideas, the credit is yours,
and I do not know if I can get all the ideas forward.
- Look before you, Frank, on the table. There you have everything you need to
make this - and as he said pointing to his arms as if to encompass the entire
company and its people - as you wish, a large man, who fights for social welfare,
and not just benefits.
- Not only that, Helen, wanted to know you better, I'll miss you, not your ideas.
You're the most fascinating person I have known, know that my marriage was lost
before the whole crisis will blow up in his face. But I accepted it, for my
blindness, and for my children. I would think it like I know them to be part of my
life. I know it's abrupt, but ...
- Frank, you too will have become very important to me, but for now, the priority
is my research, the work of a lifetime, and I will not renounce it. Maybe in a year
...
- Wait, I understand, your work is important as mine. However, let me buy you
dinner before you go, we can talk about what we have learned, and future, but
mostly we talk about us.
Helen nodded, left at 9 in the same restaurant and the night before, and Frank
quickly went to gather their people. I wanted to start as soon as possible with its
expansion plan, or rather, the plan of Hellen and his.
Closing the door on the empty office, a leaf moved on the oak table.
Above it, a large number of diagrams, summaries and outlines, marked what
would be the development of Lorent Tec hnologie to survive and, over time, set
the pace of the market.
***
Epilogue
Frank launched his plan, they convinced their employees that it was feasible, and
what was more important, he got most of them believe in him again. Gradually,
between them, they managed to impose a work rate that restored life to the
company. To prevent burnout, Frank favored flexible schedules, telecommuting
and whenever he could. Every time someone asked a day off, he responded: "The
family comes first."
Gradually, customers increased their orders had been retained, as the projects of
Frank and his team were soaked into them, making them earn money. And soon
after, introduced his idea of temporarily employed to give more confidence.
Soon, the curriculum began to arrive, and new customers, as Lorent Technologies
projects were adding more and more services to its growing.
Seven months into his deployment, Frank traveled with their children to Ethiopia,
where he met Helen. There, Charles, his younger son showed great passion for
biology, so, who grew up in the shadow of Helen, learning with it.
Years later, Helen and Frank lived together. Nape came to marry, and she
continued to do their research trips throughout the world, but Frank had delegated
enough and had earned enough money to afford to go see her when she missed.
Time passed for all and his company, twenty-five years after it became known,
remained the leading company in its industry, setting the pace, and continuously
expanding into other areas in which applied the revolutionary techniques that had
been created at the beginning and that its employees had improved, and leaning
back.
In addition to consulting for new technologies, including plants Lorent
Technologies design and manufacture of computer processors and assembly,
laboratories for research in computing, robotics, nanotechnology, and even
biotechnology. He also owns his own media company specializing in corporate
governance and socially because halfway had realized that if he wanted the world
to follow him, should communicate their improvements.
Their daughter, Helen, had been born twenty years, but had never been interested
in traveling with his mother. It seemed he was born to work with him to the
company, and knew a few years, the names of each employee of the growing team
of Lorent Technologies.

Now, a recent graduate, was as sharp as her mother, and so aware and passionate
as his father in business management. She was the logical replacement for his
father when he retires, if they ever did.

Sitting in a bungalow in the middle of African jungle, where Helen was studying
the mountain gorillas of the biological reserve that he was financing, despite Frank
stood on the day you decided to call a door that day, his whole life has changed
and liked to think, had even managed to change a little the world. Helen and
Charles arrived in the afternoon, Frank closed the portable GPS, and sat with them
on the terrace. In the distance, the sun was already giving the tree a virgin and had
no other place on Earth.

The world is beautiful - you said - I hope we've got to change for the better. And
after thinking this, he saw that Helen's green eyes stared at him in silence. Silent,
and proud.

The Beginning