The Sleeping Fox catches no Poultry

The Tufts University submitted a report on global warming that examines the costs of inaction – the worsening damages that will result from allowing climate change to continue unabated. Economic models have estimated damages as great as US$74 trillion, but even these numbers fail to convey the multiple harm that lies in store for the world. The risk of a global catastrophe will increase rapidly as temperatures continue to rise. If nothing is done to slow the process of warming, the grandchildren of today's young adults will inherit a world crippled by food and water shortages, extreme and variable weather, extinctions and other ecosystem damages.Added to that, a growing danger of an even more severe catastrophe. While the magnitude of the cost of inaction is very evident in the case of global warming, the cost of inaction by an individual or an organisation, though smaller, still impacts the organisation and its business.



Look around and you will find many examples of inaction at every level of the organisation, starting with you. At an individual level, inaction can be seen in the form of procrastination of important things that you want to do. My friend wanted to get a master health check-up done but as he was a victim of inaction he did nothing. Recently he was diagnosed with a high level of cholesterol and is now a worried man. An organisation’s morale was low and the senior manager held many round-table discussions with groups of individuals and many actions were noted. However no action was taken later and as such the organisation’s morale drooped further. Does this sound familiar? One can find many such examples of inaction in every organisation. One of the tangible evidence of inaction can be seen in the execution of the project. Inaction by senior management, in not staffing the project with enough resources, causes delays to the project. The lost business opportunity, low team morale, and other sunk costs outweigh the cost of inaction by a long way. The cost of inaction increases exponentially when inaction affects a larger number of stakeholders. Americans across the country are demanding comprehensive health reform and cannot afford to wait any longer for Washington to act. Businesses and families are struggling as costs continue to skyrocket. More and more Americans find themselves uninsured. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have more than doubled in the last 9 years, a rate 3 times faster than cumulative wage increases. Health care costs add $1,525 to the price of every General Motors vehicle. The company spent $4.6 billion on health care in 2007, more than the cost of steel.







The Bhagavad- Gita is considered by eastern and western scholars alike to be among the greatest spiritual books the world has ever known. In the verse 2.47, Lord Krishna advises Arjuna ,beyond others, not to have attachment towards inaction.

KarmaNyaavadhikaarasthae maa phalaeshu kadaachana
Maa karmaphalahaethurbhoo: maa thae sangO(a)sthvakarmaNi

That translates to
You have a right over action alone; never over results.
May you not be the cause of the results of actions.
May you not have an attachment towards inaction.

Confucius said

"Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in."

Leonardo Da Vinci said

“ Just as iron rusts from disuse, even so does inaction spoil the intellect.”

As seen from time immemorial, many have spoken on the cost of inaction. So what is it that causes people not to act? Derek gives three reasons for inaction:

Diffusion of Responsibility – People are less likely to take ownership in large groups of people. This happens a lot in the business environment when there is lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities of an individual or a group.

Fear of Failure – The fear of potential failure inhibits people from acting. They fail to understand that “One misses hundred percent of the shots one never takes”. Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world because you cannot quit and rest.

Procrastination- Sustained procrastination leads to inaction. The only thing worse than failing to accomplish a task is convincing yourself you’ll do it later and never do it.

So how does one go about beating the “Inaction” mania ? Simply follow Nike’s slogan “Just Do It”. The consequences of your inactions are far greater than the fear of making the wrong move. The only wrong move in business or your life is the one you never take. Inaction breeds indecision, inertia, lack of confidence, resignation, and above all - no future potential or possibilities. So ACT. There are no wrong decisions, only opportunities to learn, grow, unleash your potential, and succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

Thomas Watson Junior says

"Solve it. Solve it quickly, solve it right or wrong. If you solve it wrong, it will come back and slap you in the face, and then you can solve it right. Lying dead in the water and doing nothing is a comfortable alternative because it is without risk, but it is an absolutely fatal way to manage a business."

I would end this blog seeking an answer to the following question:

If for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

then

For every inaction __________________________________

Send in your entries as comments to the blog. The best entry will be acknowledged in the next blog.

Happy Reading
Ram