Change in a volatile world: A presentation ‘Down Under’

Nalin Jayasuriya, Managing Director and CEO, McQuire Rens & Jones (Pvt) Ltd., a leading business consultant and management trainer in Sri Lanka, was invited to deliver a talk at the ‘Accountants in Business’ Forum comprising of members of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) of the Queensland’s Branch, Australia, on 17 May 2011.

Managing Director and CEO McQuire Rens & Jones Nalin Jayasuriya addressing the ‘Accountants in Business’ Forum in Australia

The event was held at the Brisbane Polo Club, Naldham House, Brisbane. He addressed a gathering of around 55 CIMA members.

In his presentation, Jayasuriya addressed the changing global business scenarios and the causes for such change, stating how different economies reacted differently to these changes.

He spoke of how organisations remove people from their natural talent and lock them into job descriptions, resulting in a huge waste of natural talent, and the stupidity of some companies that go on a search for ‘talent’ without knowing what ‘talent’ means.

Jayasuriya presented the business models of General Electric, Eastman Kodak, Dell, Ernst & Young and Nordstrom and analysed the changes they made at different times to keep abreast of global business changes. He spoke of how to create a value chain for business competitiveness and to make change before you are forced to.

Changing business trends

Talking of the changing business trends, Nalin said that the 1950s was the period for sale of baby food and nappies, 1960s a period for schools and education, 1970s for car sales, 1980s for real estate and 1990s for fast food chains and mega supermarkets whilst 2000s was the age of ICT, digital and broadband.

“We have now taken a giant leap from a ‘global village’ into a ‘global bedroom,’” said Jayasuriya. The reason for this, he said was because connectivity was measured in nanoseconds, nanotechnology has become a reality and we have entered the second phase of globalisation where companies worldwide hire ‘glopats’ not mere ‘expats’.

Adrian Earl, Member – National Executive Committee & Queensland Branch Committee & Chair Member Services Team, said: “It was a very comprehensive and detailed insight into the many facets of managing change in a volatile world which, along with the strength of Nalin’s personal profile, attracted strong attendance numbers from our audience of ‘accountants in business.’”

Ben Wheeler, Senior Consultant, had this to say: “Nalin’s talk was very positive. Consensus was that it was very different to what we expected and quite enlightening. Marketing/finance mix was very interesting. His knowledge of the global business world was very impressive and really added some great real life examples to the topic. Really appreciate the invite.”

Jayasuriya showed how a new wave of entrepreneurs plus advances in technology produces a changing business environment. Since modern day consumers want speed, variety, quality, customisation and choice, he showed how global organisations could leverage for global presence and sustainability through financial advances through access to global networks.

“Dear Nalin, I had the pleasure of meeting you when you spoke at the ACMP function in Brisbane and we said we would keep in touch because of our common interests, so here I am. Your talk was very revealing

A section of the audience during Jayasuriya’s delivery

of the truths pertaining to ‘change’ that I believe in. It was insightful and thought provoking. I hope the rest of your assignments in Australia will be successful,” wrote Christina B. Dean, Managing Director, Uniforte, which is Australia’s first and only Diploma of Organisational Change Management

Making change easy and acceptable

Jayasuriya also gave four elements required to make change easy and acceptable:

1. Be open to what happens

2. Integrate the dark side

3. Serenity, courage and wisdom

4. Getting and giving support.

On his return to Sri Lanka, he stopped over in Malaysia to carry out training for senior managers at Servicom Medical Products Sdn. Bhd., a company with branches in Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Jayasuriya has been a Consultant for Servicom group for the past four years.