Founder of Patagonia Measures in Centuries - Adapt

Yvon Chounard, founder of Patagonia, is one of my favorite thought leaders because he leads with multiple generations in mind. He counts in centuries rather than quarters just like Century.

Yvon sits at the intersection of long-term thinking with a great sense of urgency for today. He writes in his book Let My People Go Surfing: “our success and longevity lies in our ability to change quickly.”

In the 1970s through 1990s Yvon constantly stated to his team: “Adapt or die!”  

As an avid environmentalist, Yvon internalized the laws of nature. “Nature is constantly evolving, and the ecosystems support species that adapt…entrenched, nonadapting species die off, doomed to failure by maintaining the status quo.”

There’s the old saying:

If the rate of change outside your business is greater than the rate of change inside your business, you’re out of business.

The rate of change around us in the post-covid world is mind boggling. It’s rapid. It’s on us to keep up.

Yvon echoed this sentiment of change:

“Only those businesses operating with a sense of urgency, dancing on the fringe, constantly evolving, open to diversity and new ways of doing things, are going to be here one hundred years from now.”

Century measures in centuries. We are going to continue to get better at evolving and dancing on the fringe. Yes, there’s been a lot of change. Yes, it’s what is needed for us to be here one hundred years from now.

It’s our responsibility as leaders to grow so we can support the growth of our business. If we don’t grow the business will outgrow us.

Most businesses won’t be around in 100 years because most leaders won’t have the endurance or the passion to keep the sense of urgency to keep evolving.

Adapt or die.

Mother nature does not stop.

Nor does the game of capitalism.

I’m finding that the reward is the work. It’s the work of evolving. It’s the work of getting to play another day.

I’m excited to have the opportunity to get better with you this week.

Let’s go dance on the fringe TOGETHER.

Onward,

Matt