Inside Out; Outside in

I was reading the texts from my Strategic Management textbook yesterday and came across this very interesting article and phrase.

'Inside out' and 'Outside in'.

The textbook gave an account in the context of organisations who plan and strategically for their goals, which are having the best product ever, excellent efficiency and productivity. Yup, they are the best, no way the system is gonna fail. Or is it so? Today we see many organisations getting stronger and bigger and meaner. However, their business is not getting any better. A glance across the profit return of the companies listed on the stock exchange will tell you that, their businesses are earning menial profit. Why? Why is General Motor the once leader of the world industry is now facing threat of bankruptcy and not even the US government is in position to pull it out of its hot soup. They all have this problem. They are looking from "inside - out". Business is about satisfying the customer. And if the the great product or organisation does not satisfy the customer, nope, it is not gonna stay in business very long. My textbook described this phenomena as if that these organisations have each a 'key', and they are looking for the 'lock' that match thier key. Not sure if they are going to be very successful in finding that 'lock'.

The answer is in looking from "outside - in". It is about satisfying the customer and understanding what does the customer wants? The correct attitude should be, "Right, yes, we got it, and yes, we will tweak our product and organisation to satisfy you Mr. Customer". This would be liken to having the 'lock' in place, and now we fashion our 'key' to match and unlock this stubborn lock. Looking from 'outside - in'. Looking from the customer perspective, not our.

I looked back at our Christian walk with the Lord. Have we been looking 'inside - out' or is it 'outside - in'? Have we been telling the Lord what we wanted and please Lord, do fulfil our wants. Or have we treated the Lord as the esteemed and Ultimate Customer, looking 'outside - in'. Being in-perfect ourselves, we need to fashioned ourselves to satisfy the Lord. Just how much have done that?

Lord, we have failed you many times, we had become the customer and treat You as if You are there to satisfy our wants. Now we repent and change. We will treat You as our customer, we will satisfy Your wants according to Your Word in the Bible.
Amen.