“Strength lies in unrest”
This line from Herbert Grönemeyer’s song ‘Angstfrei’ (Fearless) has stayed with me ever since I first heard it. Probably because it’s so surprising. Perhaps also because it fits so well with our times. And certainly also because it describes exactly what I miss in the current business environment in Germany: the willingness to be restless.
We all know the saying: ‘Strength lies in calmness.’ But when I listen to companies today, I often get the feeling that calmness has turned into stagnation. People are coming to terms with the situation, managing uncertainties and hoping that markets will stabilise, that tariffs will not be raised after all and that supply chains will calm down again. That may sound calm and unexcited, but it doesn’t sound like ‘strength’ to me…
The reality is quite different: volatile sales markets, high capital commitment, rising cost pressure and political and economic uncertainties. Competitive pressure is growing – both nationally and internationally. The seriousness of the situation is beyond question. And yet many organisations remain surprisingly calm. Far too calm, if you ask me…
Forecast deviations are dismissed as ‘normal for the industry’ and inventories are considered an indispensable safety net. S&OP processes are carried out, but they do not really control anything. Conflicts of interest between sales, production and purchasing are moderated, but not resolved.
And in such situations, I believe that strength lies not in calmness, but in restlessness. I am convinced that companies today need a healthy dose of restlessness. Not hecticness. Not actionism. But an inner tension that says: We must improve. We cannot and will not settle for the status quo.
This kind of unrest raises uncomfortable but important questions:
Why do we tie up so much capital in our inventories?
Why do we accept planning inaccuracy as a law of nature?
Why are our control processes not as robust as they could be?
These questions can hurt. Ideally, they should hurt. They can and must trigger discussions. They can and should challenge established structures. But that is precisely where energy comes from. That is precisely where progress comes from.
I see time and again what happens when companies have the courage to consistently challenge their status quo: suddenly, transparency is created where gut feeling previously dominated. Suddenly, conflicting goals are systematically resolved. Suddenly, measurable improvements in inventories, service levels and planning reliability emerge. And above all: the will to shape the future returns!
Of course, it is difficult to question your own status quo completely objectively from within. Operational blindness, internal politics, historically grown processes – all of these things slow things down. This is exactly where an outside perspective can make a decisive difference.
At Abels & Kemmner, we help companies make their supply chains not only more efficient, but also future-proof. We use a structured approach to analyse where the real potential lies. We develop viable concepts. And we support implementation until results are measurable. Less capital tied up. Higher delivery capacity. Clear control mechanisms instead of well-intentioned routines.
If you feel a little uneasy as you read this, that’s not a bad sign. Perhaps this is exactly the impetus you need right now.
Don’t stay calm.
Don’t wait and see.
Instead, question without fear – and act decisively.
Or as Herbie would say:
If you don’t pedal,
you’ll be stuck at the traffic lights
waiting for green.
The seriousness of the situation
is beyond question.
Now it’s time to get going.
