Some content in today's newsletter was published April, 2019.
Want to rent a movie tonight?
If you happen to live in Bend, Oregon put down that remote and head to your local Blockbuster.
That's right! The Last Blockbuster is still open for business and it is, in fact, the very last one of its kind in the world.
Jeff wrote an article about the demise of Blockbuster and visited the store in Oregon back in 2019.
We decided to go back (virtually) to see if the store is still there. And, it is!
The Last Blockbuster (as it has been coined) survived the COVID pandemic without laying off any of its employees.
This store’s epic survival was depicted by a cockroach in a Super Bowl ad earlier this year. We can't think of a better compliment!
At this point you might be wondering, "what's the point?"
Change.
And how, in a world of constant change, our businesses and organizations can survive and thrive.
Consider the fact that in 2004 there were 9,000 Blockbuster stores worldwide, and in 2011 Dish Network bought Blockbuster for a “bargain price” of $320 million.
By then Blockbuster had shrunk to 300 stores and filed for bankruptcy in 2010.
But beyond being an iconic pop culture curiosity, what does this mean for contemporary leaders?
All organizations whether corporate, non-profit, public service, governmental, etc. want to be “innovative”, and their leadership seek to create a climate that encourages this.
Peter Drucker, a renowned leadership consultant, educator, and author, observed that innovation is “change that brings on a new level of performance”.
How do you bring on a new level of performance in your organizations?
Check out Jeff's article AND video about fixed vs. free energy to learn more!
He breaks down how change can ruin an organization and how understanding fixed vs. free energy can help you keep up with inevitable change.