Monthly Archives: May 2022

Navigating Diverse Expectations of Inter-generational Workforces

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Navigating Diverse Expectations of Inter-generational Workforces

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s dynamic professional landscape, organizations are increasingly characterized by a unique composition of inter-generational workforces. This fusion of Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z in the workplace offers immense potential for innovation, provided that leaders understand and navigate the diverse expectations and work styles inherent to each generation.

Diverse Expectations in the Workplace

Each generation brings its distinctive perspective shaped by the world events, cultural shifts, and technological advancements they have experienced. Here are some condensed insights into the expectations and characteristics of each generation:

  • Baby Boomers: Value job security, loyalty, and are often motivated by position and titles.
  • Generation X: Appreciate work-life balance, are independent, and often act as a bridge between older and younger employees.
  • Millennials: Seek purpose-driven work, value collaboration, and prioritize digital communication.
  • Generation Z: Are digital natives, expect rapid feedback, and value diversity and inclusion highly.

Case Studies

Case Study 1: Tech Innovators Inc.

Tech Innovators Inc. is a rapidly growing technology firm with a vibrant mix of employees across generations. The company noticed a frequent clash between the collaborative approach of millennials and the more structured communication style preferred by Baby Boomers.

To address this, the company initiated a mentorship program where employees from different generations were paired together. The aim was two-fold: older employees gained insights into digital collaboration tools, while younger employees learned about industry history and strategic planning.

The result was a harmonious blend of traditional experience and modern efficiency. Productivity saw a notable increase, and employee satisfaction metrics rose by 20%. The mentorship program became a cornerstone in fostering an inclusive and resilient workplace culture.

Case Study 2: GreenFuture Energy

GreenFuture Energy, a leader in sustainable solutions, faced challenges with inter-generational team dynamics, primarily the differing expectations around feedback and professional development.

In response, GreenFuture implemented regular “feedback forums” where real-time feedback was encouraged across all levels. Each forum was designed to be a safe space promoting open communication, facilitated by trained mediators to maintain respect and constructive dialogue.

This initiative empowered Gen Z employees to express their innovative ideas and receive guidance, while Baby Boomers and Gen X provided context and depth through their rich experience. As a consequence, team initiatives became more innovative and execution rates improved by 35%.

Strategies for Navigating Diverse Expectations

To harness the potential of an inter-generational workforce, organizations must adopt intentional strategies:

  • Foster Open Communication: Encourage transparent dialogues where all generations feel heard and valued.
  • Promote Inclusive Leadership: Develop leadership teams that reflect the generational diversity of the workforce.
  • Provide Tailored Professional Development: Offer training programs that cater to the distinct learning and career growth needs of each generation.
  • Leverage Technology: Use digital tools to bridge communication gaps and streamline collaboration across diverse teams.

Conclusion

Successfully managing an inter-generational workforce requires more than understanding generational stereotypes. It demands a genuine commitment to building a culture of inclusivity and adaptability, where diverse expectations are not just acknowledged but leveraged for organizational growth. Through strategic initiatives and open-minded leadership, companies can transform potential inter-generational hurdles into opportunities for innovation and enhanced team synergy.

Extra Extra: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: Pexels

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Innovating Through Adversity and Constraints

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Innovating Through Adversity and Constraints

GUEST POST from Janet Sernack

It’s been almost two and a half years since most of us shifted to working virtually and remotely, which, in turn, seriously disrupted most of our business-as-usual behaviors and learning habits. Interestingly, this also disrupted our habitual unconscious safety and comfort zones, and, in many cases, disconnected our overall sense of security. For some of us, our ability to make sense of ourselves and our futures, has been impacted, impacting our abilities to find new ways of being creative and innovating through the range of constraints and adverse situations.

Looking inward

Some of us have also had our confidence to survive and thrive in a world severely impacted, and many of us have felt exploited, exhausted, and depleted by our employers. According to Lynda Gratton, in a recent article in MIT Sloane Magazine “Making Sense of the Future” many of us are looking inward — working through the impact of our changing habits, networks, and skills, and begin to imagine other life trajectories and possible selves.

Looking outward

Again, according to Lynda Gratton, some of us are now also looking outward to analyze how talent markets are changing and what competitors are doing, which is creating momentum and a force for change, but also frustration and anxiety, given institutional lag and inertia.

The larger-than-life, terrible, and confronting conflict in Ukraine has also inflated, for some of us, a deeper sense of helplessness and exhaustion, and amplified our concerns and fears for a sustainable future.

The momentum for change is growing 

Yet some people have successfully responded to worries and concerns about the inertia holding our companies back, and have adapted to working, learning, and coaching online. Using this moment in time to help de-escalate our reactivity to what’s been going on to deeply connect, explore, discover, listen, and respond creatively to what is really important, to ourselves, our people, teams and our organizations.

To help shift the tension between today and tomorrow, through regenerating and replenishing ourselves and our teams, by shifting the dialogue towards renewing and innovating through constraints and adversity in uncertain and unstable times.

Innovating through constraints at ImagineNation™

Innovating through constraints enabled the collective at ImagineNation™ to design and deliver a bespoke, intense, and immersive learning journey for an executive team aiming at igniting and mobilizing their collective genius to step up to face their fears, adapt, take smart risks and innovate in uncertain and disruptive times!

Some of the constraints we collaboratively and creatively mastered included adapting to differing:

  • Geographies, we are based in Melbourne, Australia, and our client was based in Canada, which made managing time zone schedules challenging, including some very early 4.30 am starts for us –  Making flexibility and adaptiveness crucial to our success.  
  • Technologies, balancing Zoom-based online webinars and workshops, with Google chat rooms and jamboards, completing one on one coaching sessions, and assigning, completing, and presenting group action learning assignments – Reinforcing the need for constant iteration and pivoting to ensure the delivery of outcomes, as promised.
  • Communicating, including air freighting hard copy reflection packs, scheduling, and partnering virtually, all within a remote and fractured working environment –Ensuring that clarity and consistency would lead to the successful delivery of the outcomes, as promised.

Shifting the dialogue

Demonstrating that we can all be resilient and creative when we live in times of great uncertainty and instability through investing in reskilling people and teams to become more purposeful, human, and customer-centric.

We can all break the inertia by challenging our business-as-usual thinking and shifting the dialogue towards exploring our inner challenges and navigating the outer challenges of our current environment.

If we commit to doing this with more consciousness, hope, optimism, and control, to follow a direction rather than a specific destination by:

  • Perceiving this moment in time as an “unfreezing opportunity” and an opening to shift out of inertia and complacency, to re-generate and re-invent ourselves and our teams?
  • Knowing how to connect, explore, discover, generate and catalyze creative ideas to rapidly and safely unlearn, relearn, collaborate and innovate through constraints and adversity?
  • Committing to letting go of our “old baggage” and ways of making sense of our new reality, by experimenting with smart risk-taking, and making gamification accessible in an environment that is unpredictable?

Re-generating and re-inventing in uncertain and unstable times

In fact, many of us successfully adapted to online working, learning, and coaching environments by de-escalating any feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

To bravely focus on regenerating and reinventing ourselves and our teams and using this moment in time to be curious, shift the dialogue, explore possibilities, harness collective intelligence and ask some catalytic questions:

  • What if we intentionally disrupted our current way of thinking?
  • How might we think differently to shift our perception and perceive our worlds with “fresh eyes”? What might be possible?
  • What if we shift the dialogue to engage people in innovating through constraints?
  • How might we shift the dialogue to activate and mobilize people towards taking intelligent risks through constraints?
  • How might thinking differently empower, enable and equip ourselves and our teams to navigate the current environment with more hope and optimism?
  • What if re-consider and perceive these constraints differently?
  • How might we support people to ignite their creativity?
  • How might we equip people to be creative and develop better ideas?
  • How might we resource people to force more change and innovation?
  • How might we discover new ways of creating value for people in ways that they appreciate and cherish?

Grappling with the future is paradoxical

Finally, Lynda Gratton suggests that we need to:

“Acknowledge that this is not straightforward. Right now, many leaders are stuck between two sources of tension: the tension of enlightenment, where they can begin to imagine what is possible, and the tension of denial, where they are concerned that more flexible working arrangements will negatively affect performance. They grapple with whether the change will be necessary or possible. These are legitimate tensions that are only exacerbated by the sense of exhaustion many people feel”.

If we perceive these constraints as catalysts for setting a clear focus and direction, it might force us to experiment with creative ways of acting and doing things differently.

It might also force us to make tougher decisions around our inner and outer priorities, by exploring and discovering more balanced, creative, and inventive ways of constantly iterating and pivoting whatever resources are available to get the important jobs done.

An opportunity to learn more

Find out about our learning products and tools, including The Coach for Innovators Certified Program, a collaborative, intimate, and deep personalized innovation coaching and learning program, supported by a global group of peers over 9-weeks, starting Tuesday, May 4, 2022.

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Sustainability Metrics That Measure Impact in Innovation

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Sustainability Metrics That Measure Impact in Innovation

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s rapidly evolving world, the importance of innovation cannot be overstated. However, in our drive for progress, the necessity for sustainable practices has become increasingly clear. This article delves into sustainability metrics, examining how organizations can effectively measure their impact in the realm of innovation. With sustainability metrics, we make the abstract tangible, translating ideals into actionable insights.

What are Sustainability Metrics?

Sustainability metrics are tools and methodologies used to quantify an organization’s environmental, social, and economic impacts. These metrics provide frameworks for assessing the sustainability of innovation efforts, ensuring that new products, services, and business models align with principles of social responsibility and ecological balance.

Case Study 1: Interface, Inc.

Innovation in Modular Flooring

Interface, Inc., a global leader in modular flooring, is a shining example of how sustainability metrics can drive innovation. The company’s Mission Zero commitment aimed to eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment by 2020. Central to this mission were robust sustainability metrics that assessed carbon footprint, water usage, and recycling rates across their operations.

Interface leveraged their EcoMetrics database to track and measure these factors, leading to groundbreaking initiatives like the “ReEntry” recycling program. This program reclaimed and recycled old carpet tiles, reducing both waste and raw material consumption. As a result, Interface’s innovative approach not only met their sustainability goals but also unlocked efficiencies and improvements in their manufacturing processes, reinforcing the link between sustainable practices and economic benefits.

Case Study 2: Unilever

The Sustainable Living Plan

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan is another exemplary case of using sustainability metrics to transform innovation. The initiative set ambitious targets across three areas: improving health and well-being, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing livelihoods. Key to their strategy was measuring the lifecycle impact of their products, from sourcing to disposal.

By implementing tools like the lifecycle analysis, Unilever could calculate carbon emissions, water usage, and waste production at every stage of the product lifecycle. This data-driven approach spurred innovations ranging from water-efficient production techniques to biodegradable packaging. Crucially, these innovations resulted not only in reduced environmental footprints but also fostered brand loyalty and consumer trust, showcasing how sustainability metrics can drive business success.

Integrating Sustainability Metrics into Innovation

Organizations looking to integrate sustainability metrics into their innovation processes should follow these steps:

  1. Define clear objectives: Establish what aspects of sustainability are most critical to your organization and set clear, measurable goals.
  2. Choose relevant metrics: Identify the most appropriate metrics for your objectives, such as carbon emissions, energy consumption, or social impact.
  3. Leverage technology and data: Use advanced analytics tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data effectively, ensuring accurate measurement and reporting.
  4. Foster a culture of sustainability: Ensure all team members understand the importance of sustainability, fostering innovation aligned with these values.

Conclusion

Sustainability metrics are not merely compliance tools but powerful enablers of innovation. By measuring impact and setting clear sustainability objectives, companies like Interface and Unilever have demonstrated that sustainable innovation is not only possible but also profitable. As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of modern business, their commitment to sustainability will undoubtedly shape the future of innovation.

Extra Extra: Because innovation is all about change, Braden Kelley’s human-centered change methodology and tools are the best way to plan and execute the changes necessary to support your innovation and transformation efforts — all while literally getting everyone all on the same page for change. Find out more about the methodology and tools, including the book Charting Change by following the link. Be sure and download the TEN FREE TOOLS while you’re here.

Image credit: misterinnovation.com

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19 Things Physician Entrepreneurs Don’t Get About Sales and Marketing

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19 Things Physician Entrepreneurs Don't Get About Sales and Marketing

GUEST POST from Arlen Meyers, M.D.

Many biomedical and health marketing and sales people ask about tips and techniques on how to sell to doctors. But, very few doctors or physician entrepreneurs have much interest in how to market and sell to patients and other customers. The conventional wisdom goes that they are “too busy” or “don’t have the time” and that they are trained to take care of patients, not take care of business.

I disagree, as I’ve explained in many other posts. However, sales is not in the medical school course catalog.

During a pandemic, that is not an option. Here is what you need to know about digital marketing now.

Here are some social media strategies you should use in the post-pandemic world.

Do you know how to rank #1 on Google?

Ogilvy, one of the most respected marketing firms globally, has recognized this shift by stating that the traditional “4 Ps of Marketing” are out and the 4 Es are in.  

  • Experience is more important than Product
  • Everywhere (Omnichannel) is now Place
  • Exchanges outweigh Price
  • Evangelism is more valuable than Promotion

Here is the job description for a social media manager for Microsoft:

Responsibilities

  • Design and execute a slate of rich social media strategies that resonate with our diverse and global audience and drive its implementation across our key campaign moments.
  • Define social media priorities, set goals and targets, aligning with audience insights. Proactively identify areas of optimization, set best practices, and communicate these across teams.
  • Partner across MSR Labs, Campaign Marketing, Community Engagement, Comms, Editorial, and Web/Media Production to support opportunities for rich scientific storytelling.
  • Serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders through strong communication and influencing skills.
  • Creates and presents business reports that outline impact driven and provides recommendations based on outcomes.
  • Ability to focus on business priorities and create boundaries to ensure successful project completion.
  • Work with the paid social media team to execute and deliver on overall campaign KPIs.
  • Continuously improve on results by capturing and analyzing the appropriate social data/metrics, insights, and best practices, and then work with marketing managers to execute on those KPIs and leading indicators.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • 5+ years of practical experience in a global enterprise social media environment or global agency in the field of social media.
  • Experience in the use of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, or Club House, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • Exceptional formal and colloquial communications skills.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively within a team and across organizational and team boundaries.
  • Ability to manage complex projects in a fast-changing environment.
  • Proven track record for new, innovative approaches, and smart risk taking.
  • Understanding and natural curiosity of evolving social media trends.
  • Experience with tools like Sprinklr, Opal, Excel, and Power BI.
  • Positive attitude, detail and customer oriented along with strong multitasking and organizational acumen.

Here are 10 things docs don’t seem to understand about healthcare sales and marketing:

1. That they are different. Said another way, the marketing team figures out the strategy. The sales team executes the battle plan. Marketing serves the interests of the buyer. Sales serves the interests of the seller.

2. That they are complementary and have to be aligned

3. That the sales plan should not be an afterthought when building the business model canvas or business plan for a new venture.

4. That branding is not sales and marketing and that B2B marketing is different than B2C marketing.

5. That the Internet and social media have revolutionized how they both are done.

6. That service after the sale is just as important as selling the product and that they need to pay attention to the aftermarket.

7. That they don’t need to worry about any of this because they work for someone else who does it or they are busy enough.

8. That they should just outsource sales and marketing to someone else and just see patients.

9. That they can just depend on word or mouth referrals. It used to be docs played golf with their friends, but they now work on Wednesdays .

10. That all they need to do is hang a shingle to be successful because they have been reading about the shortage of doctors.

11. If you are a physician entrepreneur selling to doctors, you will relate to these tips on how to sell to doctors.

12. Every customer segment in sickcare requires a different value proposition, marketing and distribution/sales strategy. The 4Ps can rapidly become the 8, 16 or 24 Ps.

13. They actually believe they are the best and that “there is no competition”. Maybe it’s time for you to step back and create a competitive analysis matrix.

14. AI, changes in social media and VR/AR are rapidly changing how marketers are building their brands, engaging customers and driving sales and lead conversion.

15. There is a big difference between vanity numbers at the top of the funnel or prospect funnel and people who are ready, willing and able to buy (about 3% of the people you contact). Here’s a way to tell the difference

16. The difference and practice of segmentation, targeting and positioning

17. These ten most effective marketing techniques are a diverse group of online and offline strategies. Each technique is most effective when it is working in concert with the others.

18. When to hire a marketer

19. Consultative sales is more about leadership than sales

Most importantly, they don’t understand that branding a service is different from branding a product. That’s, in part, why they are losing patients to non-MDs.

Most entrepreneurs, including doctors, are still stuck in the spray and pray marketing mindset instead of inbound model. The idea is , instead of you finding patients and customers, help them find you.

What’s more, they don’t understand sales operations . The main function of the sales operations team is to smooth the sales process—reduce any friction and incorporate itself to the organization so as to ensure the execution of the sales strategy.

The basic building blocks of medical practice online marketing include building a website, having an search engine optimization (SEO) plan, using social media and managing your online reputation.

Hospital strategy and marketing officers, particularly those who have been recruited from consumer goods and service industries, stare in amazement at board meetings trying to understand why their docs won’t wear the sneakers and compete with the guys down the street. They fail to understand the culture of medical education and the profession that fundamentally places institutional affiliation and engagement way down the totem pole compared to peer acceptance and cooperation.

Another problem occurs when non-sick care entrepreneurs want to hire doctors as advisors, when, in fact, they want them to be salespeople to hospitals and other doctors on commission. The fact is that , in most instances, doctors lack sales knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies to do the job.

The main reason most doctors are not sales and marketing savvy is that they never had to be and they don’t want to be. But, times have changed. Maybe with an attitude adjustment, they’ll be able to get in a quick 18 holes after all.

Image Credit: Unsplash

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Unlearning and Relearning Are Keys to Innovative Thinking

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Unlearning and Relearning Are Keys to Innovative Thinking

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In the fast-paced world of the 21st century, the ability to think creatively and innovate is more critical than ever. However, a significant barrier often stands in the way of innovation: existing knowledge and beliefs. While knowledge is undoubtedly powerful, it can also create blind spots. Thus, the challenges of unlearning outdated concepts and relearning new approaches are essential to overcome for fostering innovation. Let’s delve into the art and science of unlearning and relearning, and explore how they serve as keys to innovative thinking.

The Process of Unlearning

Unlearning is the process of letting go of old information or approaches that no longer serve us. It is not so much about forgetting but about stepping back from ingrained habits and assumptions. This requires an open mind and a willingness to challenge one’s own mental models. To unlearn, individuals and organizations must cultivate curiosity and humility, recognizing that what worked yesterday may not work today.

Embracing Relearning

Relearning goes hand in hand with unlearning. It involves adopting new perspectives, skills, and ideas that are more relevant to current challenges and future opportunities. Relearning equips individuals with the ability to adapt to emerging trends and technologies. It fosters a mindset of continuous growth and reinforces the importance of lifelong learning. By embracing relearning, we lay the groundwork for developing innovative solutions.

Case Study: Kodak – A Lesson in Unlearning

Kodak’s Missed Opportunity

Once a giant in the photography industry, Kodak provides a stark lesson in the importance of unlearning. In the early 1970s, Kodak engineer Steve Sasson invented the first digital camera. But the innovative idea was shelved due to the company’s strong belief in traditional film photography.

Kodak’s failure to unlearn its reliance on film technology and embrace digital photography eventually led to its downfall. By clinging to existing knowledge and market dominance, Kodak missed the opportunity to lead an emerging digital revolution. The case of Kodak highlights the critical need for companies to unlearn outdated business models to innovate and thrive.

Case Study: Microsoft’s Cultural Shift

Microsoft’s Transformation

In stark contrast, Microsoft’s story is one of successful unlearning and relearning. Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, who became CEO in 2014, Microsoft embarked on a cultural transformation that emphasized ‘growth mindset’ and innovation.

Nadella encouraged employees to unlearn combative work habits and embraced a culture of collaboration. He recognized the need to pivot towards cloud computing and artificial intelligence, investing heavily in these fields and shifting the focus away from the traditional Windows-centric model.

This shift resulted in a reinvigorated Microsoft that regained market leadership and opened new revenue streams. By unlearning its past and relearning new business strategies, Microsoft exemplified how adaptation and innovation can significantly alter a company’s trajectory.

Strategies for Unlearning and Relearning

  • Cultivate Curiosity: Encourage a culture where questions are welcomed, and continual learning is embraced. Curiosity leads to an openness that is fundamental to unlearning old paradigms.
  • Challenge Assumptions: Foster an environment where assumptions can be questioned and debated. This involves promoting diversity of thought and encouraging feedback.
  • Create Safe Spaces for Experimentation: Allow team members to explore new ideas without fear of failure. Learning from both successes and mistakes fosters a culture of innovation.
  • Invest in Continuous Learning: Provide learning opportunities that promote skill development in new areas. Encourage employees to stay up to date with industry trends and emerging technologies.

In conclusion, unlearning and relearning are crucial processes in cultivating an innovative mindset. They require individuals and organizations to embrace change, challenge old assumptions, and stay agile in the face of rapid transformation. By following the examples set by companies like Microsoft and learning from the missteps of others like Kodak, we can unlock new avenues of growth and creativity. It is through continuous learning and adaptation that we will find the keys to tomorrow’s innovations.

Extra Extra: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: Pexels

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