Alinhar a empresa, a jornada sem fim

Ontem estive a trabalhar com uma empresa que cresceu, no mundo das pequenas séries e dos clientes pouco organizados, até que percebeu que já estava a trabalhar para vários clientes das séries grandes com bons resultados e com melhores rentabilidades. Então, resolveu especializar-se em servi-los.
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Estivemos a realizar a primeira sessão de trabalho que nos há-de levar à construção do mapa da estratégia. Quando a sessão começou esforcei-me por transmitir a mensagem de que estão a iniciar uma jornada sem fim, estão a mudar de vida, têm de mudar de cultura: a mentalidade do desenrasca tem de dar lugar à mentalidade da disciplina e do planeamento. Enquanto lhes dizia isto a minha mente visualizou este postal de Julho de 2006 "Faz sentido continuar a apostar num negócio?" e o seu:

"De manhã, quando um gestor (no caso do género masculino) de uma empresa deste tipo está a fazer a barba, deve concentrar o seu pensamento num desafio quotidiano: “Onde podemos, hoje, cortar nos custos?”"

Depois, há noite, encontrei e li "The Fine Line Between When Low Prices Work and When They Don’t":

"Winning with low prices is not merely a game of math in which you stay one notch below the competition; it is far more a game of culture and attitude. It takes a special kind of company, from the CEO on down, to make a low-price position sustainable and profitable. The skills and traits to pull that off — such as cost-consciousness, relentless efficiency, and customer-driven design — must be anchored in the company and its culture from the very beginning.
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A healthy low-price position has a long-term orientation built on consistency and sustainability, not quick results.
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The allure of discounting and the adrenaline rush of a price war seem irresistible, but they are delusions that have nothing to do with a low-price position. The best cure I have found for these delusions is a cultural one. Don’t start price wars. Don’t fight them. Don’t engage in over-the-top discounting that trains customers, both in B2C and B2B markets, to buy cleverly on price and price alone.
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Large manufacturers such as Honda can indeed compete against ultra-low-price suppliers in emerging markets, but not by cutting prices on their existing products. Success requires a radical reorientation and redesign, massive simplification, local production, and extreme cost consciousness.
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No matter what strategic price position a CEO chooses, he or she must still fulfill two additional and essential roles: aligning each function of the company with that price position, and then defending it against threats from inside and outside the company."