By Tony Burnet

We Live In Interesting Times…

In my travels lately I have been able to observe the Philippines election and the comparisons with the winner, Rodrigo Duterte, and the rise of Donald Trump in the USA. Both are interesting characters. Trump, as we are probably more familiar with, is anti-establishment, building walls to Mexico, pretty well anti-anyone that isn't pro Donald!! His history is checkered and with huge unanswered questions.

So why are these two so popular??

Duterte has just won by an incredibly large margin and Trump is winning the Republican nomination just as easily. Is it a protest vote? And if so what are people protesting against? It is, in my view, a vote by the masses for the masses.

The old political system in the Philippines has seen the economy boom but it hasn't translated into an improved living standard for those closer to the bottom. They want hope, they are sick of the same type of regime producing the same result year after year. The same it seems in America, people are sick of the two party system with candidates very similar and full of self-interest. The little guy is striking back the only way he can - at the ballot box.

Duterte and Trump represent a change from the status quo.

Yet there are moves in both countries to try to discredit and remove both men in the greater scheme of “protecting their country from a disaster.”

Both men have been democratically elected and if we cherish our freedom then we cannot find a "loophole" to undermine this. All citizens had the chance to find an alternative candidate but these guys were the most popular. As they say "life is like a box of chocolates , you never know what you are going to get."

This is true democracy at work.

‘So how does this relate to business?’, I hear you cry??

If we continue to operate in the same way year after year then we will continue to get the same result. That result may well have served us well in the past, but we are in the now.

The frontline staff will lose hope in change; they will feel they don't have a voice. A lot will just accept their fate - the better ones will move on.

So innovation and inclusion become critical elements going forward. Looking for new approaches and engaging with our staff.

We at Rapid Results see the need to be constantly updating our training materials and methods so we can keep our customers in tune with where the world is moving

We intend being more thought provoking. Sometimes things happen or staff tell us things we would rather not hear. But like democracy we should embrace differing viewpoints and challenge the status quo.