What if Utilities Were Lead Like Amazon?
Roger Woodworth, principal consultant at Mindset Matters, helps others align strategies for greater impact. Previously he was vice president and chief strategy officer of Avista Corp. He’s chaired Edison Electric Institute’s customer service executive advisory committee and was board president of the National Hydropower Association and the Northwest Gas Association.
Electricity truly is the most empowering invention. The benefits are pervasive to every aspect of our lives.
Electric energy relieves the burdens of work. It powers productivity, enables entertainment, and connects people in new ways. This kind of power has changed the world for the better.
Yet, as utility leaders, we too often under-appreciate these truths. I once heard a seasoned utility executive declare the Internet as the most empowering invention.
He quickly recanted, of course. Because without electricity there is no Internet. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how his mindset affected those around him. Or how others with a similar frame of reference are defining the utility industry’s trajectory.
How easy it is to lose sight of the value we deliver. This affects what we see, what we think, and what we do. As industry leaders, it’s our mindset that first filters our view and all that happens next.
To push the point further: what if a typical utility mindset had guided Jeff Bezos at Amazon? Or in the alternative, how might his mindset reshape a utility?
Certainly, the forces affecting Amazon are familiar. Changes in technology, shifts in consumer preferences, and the risk of stranded assets have all been in play. Here’s a recap in simple terms.