Forcing Opportunity to Knock

Here is my favorite Peter Drucker quote (forgive me if it's not exact): 'Don't solve problems.  Seek opportunities.'  I love that idea because it goes to the heart of the human challenge - when we rise above the immediate issue and pressing system problems, we can often creatively generate new ideas and reframe opportunities for the future.   

I've been re-reading Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything and one of the points the authors make is with the continual rise of open-source commerce and participation of the many, those with the most creative ability will shape the marketplace.  This is the theme of my blog and my personal gospel so of course I think they are right. Web 2.0 has released this groundswell of opportunity - what you dream of you can create and you can upload it for the world to evaluate. 

Many business people talk about surviving changes - market changes, organization changes, personal changes.  But what we need to do is start creating mental habits in which we can't wait for a change to happen.  Because changes, good and bad, portend opportunity.  There is something lurking to take advantage of.

NYT's article on Vudu, highlights just this ability to force opportunity to knock.  Movie DVD's have been slowing for quite some time.  Studio executives, faced with continual industry change have to welcome it to survive.  The internet is rewriting the power of the movie score.  Vudu is just one technology they are beginning to embrace.  With their unique technology, consumers can buy a 'box ' that allows almost immediate movie downloads. Studios like NBC Universal are signing deals with this start-up.  Seeking opportunity.

When I was little, we played Monopoly and there was space on the board called 'Opportunity Knocks'.  With the pace of change around us, we can't afford to wait until it comes knocking on the door.  We have to force it to knock.