Breaking Out Of Comfort Zones For New Possibilities

Comfort Zones. We all have them. We approach our jobs in routine, ritualistic fashion, shop at the same stores, eat at the same restaurants, and solve problems in a way that feels the most comfortable to us. Many of us have seen, however, that when we break through them and challenge ourselves to try something new–learning a new skill for work, seeking a different type of vacation, trying out unfamiliar foods– the results can be dramatic.

In 1908, psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson posited that a steady level of performance can be achieved when operating in relative comfort. Further, they said that in order to maximize performance, we need to be in a state where our stress levels are slightly higher than normal–Optimal Anxiety. This state is typically just outside our Comfort Zone.

As an industry-leading provider of Document Lifecycle products and solutions, our comfort zone revolves around document management technology, an arena we have thrived in for decades. But, as we look to grow our business relevance and address key challenges in the healthcare space, Konica Minolta is aggressively pushing past the boundaries of our comfort zone.

Our Business Innovation Center (BIC), and their due diligence in Value-Based Care, is a great example of this. JP Parmley, Director of Healthcare for Konica Minolta’s BIC said of our Value-Based Care offering, “With the recent launch, we are expanding value to our customers, by providing a solution that has a significant and positive impact on clinical outcomes and financial results. We are targeting one of the biggest challenges in health care-the shift to value-based reimbursements.”

Over the past 18 months, Konica Minolta has launched both Value-Based Care Analytics and Virtual Care Management (telehealth) offerings. These solutions push our traditional boundaries, advance our brand equity, and help lead the transformational growth of our healthcare business.

As we move forward, we are looking to leverage current global assets such as in genetics, facial recognition, IT services, intelligent camera technology, and artificial intelligence to deliver solutions to key problems. Suffice it to say that we will continue to push the boundaries of our comfort zone.