Nostalgia is not what it used to be

Nostalgia is not what it used to be, or so said one of my pals recently. I get it, I understand what he was trying to say. During the Celtic Tiger era we enjoyed the whirlwind of success, the continual growth. But we always had our roots firmly planted in simpler times - less excess, less nanny state, less bureaucracy, less gombeen men and less quangos. We had fewer builders with oversized jeeps and big white collars tickling their chins. We had more enthusiasm for a great idea, invention and entrepreneur. Unfortunately, those real entrepreneurs that really added value to the economy by making things for export or providing internationally traded services were outbid and largely ignored. 

A longing for the ‘good old days’ seems to especially resonate amongst struggling SMEs. Companies up and down the island of Ireland are having an awful time. Income slashed, costs under constant scrutiny, state derived or input costs creeping up and a government unwilling or unable to assist. The SME is longing for is action and accountability. Action to fix problems, action to address obvious opportunities and action to kick out laggards and hangers on. Or to put it in MBA speak – remove a layer of management. And most of all SMEs really need to be able to trust in the here and now and have confidence in the future. What SMEs are getting is GUBU. Is it any wonder we long for the good old days. Not the Celtic tiger but real business times. Stable business times unimpinged by speculation unbounded and systemic disasters caused by irresponsible elected and unelected decision makers of no real competence.

As a former President of the United States Abraham Lincoln once said: ‘If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. You may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.’ 
It’s time for someone to take responsibility and lead.