Category Archives: Change

Bring Newness to Corporate Learning with Gamification

GUEST POST from Janet Sernack

I was first introduced to gamification upon meeting Mario Herger, in 2012, when he was a Senior Innovation Strategist at SAP Labs LLC, in Israel, as a participant in his two-day gamification workshop for Checkpoint Security Software. It was an exciting and exhilarating journey into the playful and innovative world of gamification pioneers such as Farmville, Angry Birds, and BetterWorks. Creatively exploiting the convergence of trends catalyzed by the expansion of the internet, and by the fast pace of exponential technology development making gamification accessible to everyone.

Propelled further by people’s increasing desire to socialize and share ideas and knowledge across the globe. Coupled with their desire to learn and connect in a high-tech world, to be met in ways that also satisfied their aspirational, motivational, and recreational needs, as well as being playful and fun.

The whole notion of making gamification accessible to corporate learning simmered in my mind, for the next ten years, and this is what I have since discovered.

Evolution of the gamification market

In 2012 Gartner predicted that – Gamification combined with other technologies and trends, gamification would cause major discontinuities in innovation, employee performance management, education, personal development, and customer engagement. Further claiming that by 2014, 80% of organizations will have gamified at least one area of their business.

It seems their prediction did not eventuate.

In their Gamification 2020 report, Gartner then predicted that gamification, combined with other emerging trends and technologies, will have a significant impact on:

Innovation
The design of employee performance
The globalization of higher education
The emergence of customer engagement platforms
Gamification of personal development.

It seems this prediction is now an idea whose time has come!

According to Mordor Intelligence – The global gamification market was valued at USD 10.19 million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 38.42 million by 2026 and grow at a CAGR of 25.10% over the forecast period (2021 – 2026). The exponential growth in the number of smartphones and mobile devices has directly created a vast base for the gamification market.

This growth is also supported by the increasing recognition of making gamification accessible as a methodology to redesign human behavior, in order to induce innovation, productivity, or engagement.

Purpose of gamification

The initial purpose of gamification was to add game mechanics into non-game environments, such as a website, online communities, learning management systems, or business intranets to increase engagement and participation.

The initial goal of gamification was to engage with consumers, employees, and partners to inspire collaboration, sharing, and interaction.

Gamification and corporate learning

The last two years of the coronavirus pandemic caused many industries to deal with their audiences remotely and combined with an urgent need for having the right technologies and tools to:

Reach out to, and connect with, both their employees and customers, in new ways

Acknowledging the range of constraints and restrictions occurring globally we have an opportunity to couple these with the challenges, disconnectedness, isolation, and limitations of our remote and hybrid workplaces.

While many of us are seeking more freedom, fun, play, and adventure, yet, we are still mostly bound to our laptops, TVs, and kitchens, and locked up within the boundaries of our homes, local neighborhoods, and hometowns.

Expanding knowledge, mindsets, behaviors, and skills

At the same time, this period has also created incredible opportunities for expanding our knowledge, and developing new mindsets, behaviors, and skills!

In different ways to help teams and organizations adapt, innovate, and grow through gamification, which increases our adaptability to flow and flourish and drive transformation, within a constantly, exponentially changing, and disruptive workplace.

Benefits of a gamified approach

Companies that have focused on making gamification accessible within their learning programs are reaping the rewards, as recent studies revealed:

The use of mobile applications gamified individually or as a complement to an LMS or e-learning platform has been shown to improve employee productivity by 50% and commitment by 60%.
That 97% of employees over the age of 45 believe that gamification would help improve work.
That 85% of employees are willing to spend more time on training programs with gamified dynamics.

Gamification is finally at an inflection point

The shift from face-to-face and live events to online created an opening for improving the quality of coaching, learning, and training experiences in ways that align with the client’s or organization needs and strategic business goals.

Keeping people and teams connected, engaged, and motivated in the virtual and hybrid workplace for extended periods of time is a key factor in business success.

Atrivity is a platform that empowers employees and channels to learn, develop, and perform better through games have identified eight trends influencing the growth and adoption of gamification including:

Gamification for Digital Events are here to stay, people are time and resource-poor, and will more likely attend a digital event rather than invest time and resources in travelling.
Gamification for Millennials and gen-Z is their new normal, being a generation who have grown up with, and become habitually attuned to Facebook and Instagram.
The start of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality is speeding up and offers new creative approaches.
Remote onboarding becomes standard as we all adapt to a globalized and diversified work environment.
Gamification helps to reduce hospital strains with emerging telehealth innovations.
Customization of, and access to contents allows us to visit museums, galleries, libraries virtually
Knowledge evaluation metrics have become common proactive through the use of app-based dashboards and scorecards that provide gamified reward and recognition processes
Gamification is an Enterprise “must-have” tactic to attract and retain talent.

Corporate learning is also finally at an inflection point

Innovative new organizations like Roundtable Learning focus on co-creating one-of-a-kind training programs that utilize innovative technologies, reflect the client’s brand, and show measurable business results by enhancing traditional corporate learning practices and embracing more interactive, engaging programs.

This is what ImagineNation™ is collaborating with Binnakle Serious Games to bring newness, creativity and play, experimentation, and learning in gamified ways to enable people and teams to innovate, by making gamification accessible to everyone!

We have integrated technology and co-created a range of blended learning solutions:

Digital and gamified learning experiences for groups and teams.
Playful and experiential learning activities that deliver deep learning outcomes.
Co-creation of customized or bespoke blended learning programs that deliver what they promise.

Making corporate learning accessible, affordable, and scalable

Our aim is to make corporate learning agile, by making gamification accessible, and scalable to everybody, across all time zones, modalities, geographies, and technologies.

Where people have time and space to unlearn, relearn, reskill and upskill by engaging in and interacting with both technology and people:

Understand and learn new innovative processes, concepts, principles, and techniques and feel that their new skills are valued.
Retreat, reflect and explore, discover and navigate new ways of being, thinking, and acting individually and collectively.
Question, challenge the status quo and experiment with new ideas, explore effective collaborative analytical, imaginative, aligned problem-solving and decision-making strategies.
Safely fail without punishment, make and learn from mistakes, to iterate and pivot creative ideas and innovative solutions that really matter.

To meet our client’s short- and long-term learning needs in terms of innovation focus or topic depth and breadth. Through enhancing teaming, teamwork, and collaboration, by offering products and tools that make gamification accessible to suit all peoples learning styles, time constraints, diverse technologies, and cost needs.

Who was I to know that it would take another ten years for making gamification accessible enough to reach a tipping point!

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.

It is a blended and transformational change and learning program that will give you a deep understanding of the language, principles, and applications of an ecosystem focus, human-centric approach, and emergent structure (Theory U) to innovation, and upskill people and teams and develop their future fitness, within your unique context.

Image Credit: Unsplash

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A Brave Post-Coronavirus New World

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A Brave Post-Coronavirus New World

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

In 1973, in the wake of the Arab defeat in the Yom Kippur war with Israel, OPEC instituted an oil embargo on America and its allies. The immediate effects of the crisis was a surge in gas prices and a recession in the west. The ripple effects, however, were far more complex and played out over decades.

The rise in oil prices brought much needed hard currency to the Soviet Union, prolonging its existence and setting the stage for its later demise. The American auto industry, with its passion for big, gas guzzling cars, lost ground to the emergent. The new consciousness of conservation led to the establishment of the Department of Energy.

Today the Covid-19 crisis has given a shock to the system and we’re at a similar inflection point. The most immediate effects have been economic recession and the rapid adoption of digital tools, such as video conferencing. Over the next decade or so, however, the short-term impacts will combine with other more longstanding trends to reshape technology and society.

Pervasive Transformation

We tend to think about innovation as if it were a single event, but the truth is that it’s a process of a process of discovery, engineering and transformation, which takes decades to run its course. For example, Alan Turing discovered the principles of a universal computer in 1936, but it wasn’t until the 1950s and 60s that digital computers became commercially available.

Even then, digital technology, didn’t really begin to become truly transformational until the mid-90s. By this time, it was well understood enough to make the leap from highly integrated systems to modular ecosystems, making the technology cheaper, more functional and more reliable. The number of applications exploded and the market grew quickly.

Still, as the Covid-19 crisis has made clear, we’ve really just been scratching the surface. Although digital technology certainly accelerated the pace of work, it did fairly little to fundamentally change the nature of it. People still commuted to work in an office, where they would attend meetings in person, losing hours of productive time each and every day.

Over the next decade, we will see pervasive transformation. As Mark Zuckerberg has pointed out, once people can work remotely, they can work from anywhere, which will change the nature of cities. Instead of “offsite” meetings, we may very well have “onsite” meetings where people from their home cities over travel to headquarters to do more active collaboration.

These trends will combine with nascent technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain to revolutionize business processes and supply chains. Organizations that cannot adopt key technologies will very likely find themselves unable to compete.

The Rise of Heterogeneous Computing

The digital age did not begin with personal computers in the 70s and 80s, but started back in the 1950s with the shift from electromechanical calculating machines to transistor based mainframes. However, because so few people used computers back then—they were largely relegated to obscure back office tasks and complex scientific calculations—the transformation took place largely out of public view.

A similar process is taking place today with new architectures such as quantum and neuromorphic computing. While these technologies are not yet commercially viable, they are advancing quickly and will eventually become thousands, if not millions, of times more effective than digital systems.

However, what’s most important to understand is that they are fundamentally different from digital computers and from each other. Quantum computers will create incredibly large computing spaces that will handle unimaginable complexity. Neuromorphoic systems, based on the human brain, will be massively powerful, vastly more efficient and more responsive.

Over the next decade we’ll be shifting to a heterogeneous computing environment, where we use different architectures for different tasks. Most likely, we’ll still use digital technology as an interface to access systems, but increasingly performance will be driven by more advanced architectures.

A Shift From Bits to Atoms

The digital revolution created a virtual world. My generation was the first to grow up with video games and our parents worried that we were becoming detached from reality. Then computers entered offices and Dan Bricklin created Visicalc, the first spreadsheet program. Eventually smartphones and social media appeared and we began spending almost as much time in the virtual world as we did in the physical one.

Essentially, what we created was a simulation economy. We could experiment with business models in our computers, find flaws and fix them before they became real. Computer-aided design (CAD) software allowed us to quickly and cheaply design products in bits before we got down to the hard, slow work of shaping atoms. Because it’s much cheaper to fail in the virtual world than the physical one, this made our economy more efficient.

Today we’re doing similar things at the molecular level. For example, digital technology was combined with synthetic biology to quickly sequence the Covid-19 virus. These same technologies then allowed scientists to design vaccines in days and to bring them to market in less than a year.

A parallel revolution is taking in materials science, while at the same time digital technology is beginning to revolutionize traditional industries such as manufacturing and agriculture. The expanded capabilities of heterogeneous computing will accelerate these trends over the next few decades.

What’s important to understand is that we spend vastly more money on atoms than bits. Even at this advanced stage, information technologies only make up about 6% of GDP in advanced economies. Clearly, there is a lot more opportunity in the other 94%, so the potential of the post-digital world is likely to far outstrip anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes.

Collaboration is the New Competitive Advantage

Whenever I think back to when we got that first computer back in the 1980s, I marvel at how different the world was then. We didn’t have email or mobile phones, so unless someone was at home or in the office, they were largely unreachable. Without GPS, we had to either remember where things were or ask for directions.

These technologies have clearly changed our lives dramatically, but they were also fairly simple. Email, mobile and GPS were largely standalone technologies. There were, of course, technical challenges, but these were relatively narrow. The “killer apps” of the post-digital era will require a much higher degree of collaboration over a much more diverse set of skills.

To understand how different this new era of innovation will be, consider how IBM developed the PC. Essentially, they sent some talented engineers to Boca Raton for a year and, in that time, developed a marketable product. For quantum computing, however, it is building a vast network, including national labs, research universities, startups and industrial partners.

The same will be true of the post-Covid world. It’s no accident that Zoom has become the killer app of the pandemic. The truth is that the challenges we will face over the next decade will be far too complex for any one organization to tackle it alone. That’s why collaboration is becoming the new competitive advantage. Power will reside not at the top of hierarchies, but at the center of networks and ecosystems.

— Article courtesy of the Digital Tonto blog
— Image credit: Unsplash

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Aligning Vision and Execution in Change Management

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Aligning Vision and Execution in Change Management

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern business, the ability to implement effective change management strategies stands as a crucial determinant of an organization’s success. At its core, change management is not just about overseeing transitions; it’s about crafting a vision for the future and ensuring that vision is executed in alignment with organizational goals. But alignment between vision and execution is easier said than done, requiring a meticulous blend of strategic foresight and operational ruthlessness. In this article, we explore how organizations can better align their vision and execution, using compelling case studies to illustrate key points.

The Importance of Alignment in Change Management

Imagine a symphony orchestra preparing for a performance without a conductor. Each musician may be skilled and dedicated, yet without someone to align individual performances, the result would be cacophonous rather than harmonious. Similarly, in organizations, an unaligned approach to change can lead to fragmented efforts, wasted resources, and unmet goals. Alignment ensures that every team member, resource, and process reflects the broader vision, fostering synergistic efforts toward common objectives.

Case Study 1: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Project

Few change initiatives capture the imagination and exceed complexity like Boeing’s development of the 787 Dreamliner. The bold vision was to create an aircraft that would revolutionize air travel through unprecedented fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. However, the execution proved challenging and serves as a seminal example of the pitfalls of misalignment.

Initially, Boeing’s vision for the 787 was ambitious; they sought to integrate cutting-edge technology and materials, such as composite materials, at a scale never before attempted. The intention was to set new standards and transform the industry. However, execution faltered due to over-reliance on a global network of suppliers combined with the insufficient coordination and oversight mechanisms. Misalignment occurred because the vision did not translate effectively into the operational plans needed for execution. Substantial delays and cost overruns ensued, culminating in the project’s delay by three years and a multi-billion-dollar budget overrun.

The key takeaway from Boeing’s experience is the critical need for effective synchronization between strategic vision and operational execution. To achieve success, organizations must not only define an inspiring vision but also establish a practical roadmap to carry it out. This requires clear communication of roles, expectations, and timelines so that all stakeholders work cohesively towards the shared vision.

Case Study 2: Kotter’s Change Model at Google

Contrast Boeing’s struggles with Google’s relatively smooth adoption of Kotter’s change management model during the rollout of its internal Work-from-Anywhere (WFA) policy. In response to employee feedback and the changing dynamics of workplace flexibility post-pandemic, Google implemented a new telecommuting structure that adhered closely to an established change framework for seamless results.

Google began by communicating a strong vision—a future where work would cater more closely to the individual needs of employees while optimizing productivity. This vision was aligned from the top down, with Google’s leaders embodying the principles being communicated. Execution hinged upon methodical adherence to Kotter’s Change Management principles, including creating the urgency, forming a guiding coalition, and generating early wins to maintain momentum.

By leveraging these principles, Google ensured that all layers of management were engaged and empowered to drive change. Monitoring progress was integral; Google utilized both quantitative KPIs and qualitative employee feedback to iteratively refine and reinforce its approach. The result was a successful shift towards a flexible work model, with minimal disruption and positive employee feedback.

Strategies for Successful Alignment

Reflecting on both successes and setbacks, several strategies emerge for aligning vision and execution:

Clear Communication: Articulate the strategic vision in a way that resonates with every employee from the top levels of management to front-line workers. Use storytelling to connect emotionally with stakeholders.
Empowerment and Engagement: Ensure every team is empowered to make decisions within their domain, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability.
Agility and Adaptation: Build mechanisms for feedback and learning into your change process, allowing you to pivot swiftly when seniors identify mis-alignments or changing conditions.
Technology Leverage: Use technological solutions for tracking, coordinating, and reporting progress in real-time, providing visibility across all levels of the organization.
Leader Involvement: Ensure leaders are both champions of the vision and active participants in its execution, modeling the behaviors and mindsets desired.

Conclusion

Aligning vision and execution is not a one-time task but an ongoing, iterative process that requires diligence, communication, and genuine commitment from all organizational levels. As organizations navigate the complexities of the digital age, those that master this alignment will not just survive but thrive, setting new benchmarks in their industries. The case studies of Boeing and Google illustrate that while the road may be riddled with challenges, transformative success is achievable when vision and execution walk hand in hand.

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: Pixabay

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Creating the World’s Best Change & Transformation Book

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The Perfect Change & Transformation Book On Friday I was speaking with my publisher Palgrave Macmillan (now part of Springer) about doing a second edition of Charting Change.

This means that my publisher is interested in having me create a new version of Charting Change that would include most, if not all, of the content contained in the first edition, while also adding thousands of words of new insights (plus new pictures and tools).

This causes me to ask you the following questions:

What human-centered change and transformation topics are missing from Charting Change?

What information would the perfect change & transformation book contain?

What tools do change management professionals and transformation leaders need to enjoy greater success in their jobs, projects, and programs?

Toolkit subscribers – which of my new tools should I highlight in the second edition that I didn’t introduce in the first edition?

Who do you think has something compelling to add to the conversation in an additional guest expert section in the book? And what is the topic you want to hear from them on?

Charting Change introduced my Human-Centered Change™ methodology and a suite of 50+ tools available for purchase (book buyers get access to 26 of the 50+ tools). That toolkit has since grown to a collection of 70+ tools available to toolkit subscribers.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the first edition thus far and also to my Human-Centered Change™ Toolkit subscribers.

I’m interested to hear in the comments below your thoughts on the questions above!
(or send me an email)

If you don’t already have a first edition copy of Charting Change, you can get one here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1137536950/
(support my sharing of free Human-Centered Change & Innovation tools and insights)

And don’t forget to download your Free Human-Centered Change Tools!

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Navigating Change in the 21st Century for Digital Transformation

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Navigating Change in the 21st Century for Digital Transformation

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In the dawn of the 21st century, digital transformation has become a buzzword that promises to revolutionize industries, enhance customer experiences, and drive business growth. However, digital transformation is more than just adopting the latest technology; it’s a fundamental shift in how organizations operate and deliver value to customers. As a thought leader in human-centered change and innovation, I, Braden Kelley, explore how organizations can successfully navigate this complex landscape.

Understanding Digital Transformation

Digital transformation involves leveraging digital technologies to create new—or modify existing—business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements. It’s a multi-faceted process that requires embracing change across all levels of an organization.

The goal is to integrate digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It’s not just about upgrading old technology or adopting new ones but reshaping business processes and thinking differently to attract and retain customers.

Challenges in Digital Transformation

Despite its potential benefits, digital transformation poses several challenges. Organizations often face resistance to change from employees, legacy systems, and outdated processes that can hinder progress. Additionally, a lack of clear strategy, insufficient skills, and the risk of cybersecurity threats can complicate the transformation journey.

Case Study 1: Netflix

The Challenge

In the late 1990s, Netflix began as a DVD rental service, competing with established giants like Blockbuster. As digital streaming technology emerged, the company faced the challenge of adapting or becoming obsolete in the rapidly changing entertainment landscape.

The Transformation

Netflix successfully navigated this challenging environment by embracing digital transformation. The company shifted from DVD rentals to a streaming platform, investing heavily in technology to deliver an unparalleled user experience. By collecting and analyzing user data, Netflix could offer personalized recommendations, making it a leader in the entertainment industry.

Key Takeaways

Netflix’s transformation highlights the importance of staying ahead of technological trends and being willing to pivot business models. Adopting a data-driven approach enabled Netflix to craft a more personalized user experience, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Embracing Change: A Human-Centered Approach

A successful digital transformation requires more than just deploying new technologies. It’s about changing organizational culture and embracing a human-centered approach. This involves considering the needs, pain points, and potential resistance of employees and customers.

Start by fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Encourage employees to be part of the transformation journey by providing training and resources to develop digital skills. Engage with customers to gain insights into their behavior and expectations, and use this feedback to inform your digital strategy.

Leadership is crucial in driving change. Leaders should communicate a clear vision of the benefits of digital transformation and involve all stakeholders in the process. Transparency, collaboration, and open communication can help reduce resistance and build a shared vision for success.

Case Study 2: General Electric (GE)

The Challenge

General Electric, a history-rich conglomerate, recognized the advent of digital technology as both a threat and an opportunity. Operating in sectors like energy and aviation, GE faced the challenge of integrating digital technology to improve operational efficiency and develop innovative solutions.

The Transformation

GE embarked on a digital transformation journey by building its Industrial Internet, focusing on merging big data analytics with industrial engineering. The company developed Predix, a cloud-based platform for creating customized applications tailored to specific industrial needs. This move transformed GE’s operations, enabling proactive maintenance, reducing downtime, and improving overall efficiency across its business units.

Key Takeaways

GE’s transformation underscores the significance of integrating digital tools with traditional expertise. By adopting a platform-based approach and investing in talent and technology, GE positioned itself as a digital industrial leader. The commitment to innovation and continuous learning fostered a culture ready to adapt to future changes.

The Path Forward

As we navigate the 21st century, digital transformation will continue to evolve, presenting new opportunities and challenges. Organizations must be agile, adaptable, and innovative to remain competitive in this dynamic environment.

Focus on building the right team with a combination of digital skills and industry experience. Encourage a mindset of lifelong learning and continuous improvement. Moreover, prioritize cybersecurity and data privacy to build trust with customers and partners.

In conclusion, the journey of digital transformation is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s an ongoing process that requires strategic planning, cultural change, and a customer-centric approach. By embracing change and leveraging digital technologies effectively, organizations can unlock new possibilities and thrive in the digital age.

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: Pixabay

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Balancing Stability and Change in Leadership

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Balancing Stability and Change in Leadership

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s dynamic business environment, leadership requires not just vision but also the wisdom to navigate the ongoing dance between stability and change. Leaders who can skillfully balance these forces are able to steer their organizations towards sustainable success. This delicate balancing act involves fostering an environment that values innovation while ensuring that the core stability of the organization is never compromised.

The Significance of Stability and Change

Stability is crucial for creating a sense of security and predictability within an organization. It involves setting clear goals, maintaining reliable processes, and upholding values that have long-term relevance. Conversely, change is necessary for growth, improvement, and adaptation to shifting market conditions. The real challenge for leaders lies in cultivating a culture where both stability and change coexist harmoniously.

Case Study 1: IBM’s Transformation Journey

Background

IBM, a pioneer in the technology industry, is an iconic example of how a company can balance stability and change. Throughout its history, IBM has managed to reinvent itself multiple times to survive market disruptions and technological advancements.

Leadership Strategy

In the early 1990s, IBM faced significant challenges due to technological shifts. Under the leadership of CEO Lou Gerstner, the company underwent a fundamental transformation. Gerstner focused on stabilizing operations by cutting costs and streamlining business units, but he also championed change by steering IBM towards services and software, areas that became cornerstones for future growth.

Outcome

Gerstner’s approach preserved IBM’s core capabilities while opening new avenues for competitiveness, ultimately stabilizing their financial standing and allowing the company to evolve with industry trends. This balance of stabilization and innovation positioned IBM as a leader in the tech industry once more.

Case Study 2: Netflix’s Agile Adaptation

Background

Netflix, originally a DVD rental service, illustrates the power of balancing stability with a constant penchant for change. As the industry shifted towards digital streaming, Netflix recognized that maintaining existing stability would not suffice for future growth.

Leadership Strategy

Under the guidance of CEO Reed Hastings, Netflix moved away from its successful mail-order model towards digital streaming. While ensuring stability in delivering high-quality content, Netflix embraced radical change by investing heavily in original content and international expansion.

Outcome

By successfully balancing operational stability with innovative change, Netflix transformed into a major streaming powerhouse, redefining the industry and setting standards for competitors. This agile transition has helped Netflix maintain its competitive edge and expand its global presence.

Strategies for Leaders to Balance Stability and Change

As demonstrated by IBM and Netflix, effective leaders employ several strategies to balance stability and change. Here are some key approaches:

Empower Innovation: Encourage a culture of innovation where employees can experiment and take calculated risks without fear of failure.
Maintain Core Values: Hold steadfast to organizational values that provide a stable foundation while adapting practices based on them.
Feedback Loops: Implement feedback mechanisms that allow for quick adjustments in line with internal insights and external market changes.
Strategic Change Management: Develop structured processes for managing change that align with customer needs and market demands.
Continuous Learning: Promote learning and development as central to both maintaining stability and facilitating growth.

Conclusion

The most successful leaders skillfully orchestrate stability and change, creating organizations capable of thriving in the face of uncertainty. By following strategic practices and learning from the successes of companies like IBM and Netflix, leaders can guide their organizations toward sustainable future success. In the world of business, where change is the only constant, the challenge for leaders is not only to foresee disruption but also to embrace and integrate it into the very fabric of organizational life.

Image credit: Pixabay

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The Power of the Humility Principle

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The Power of the Humility Principle

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

In 1929, just before the stock market crash, Louis Bamberger and his sister, Caroline Bamberger Fuld, sold their department store in Newark to R.H. Macy and Company for $25 million ($343 million in 2015 dollars). Grateful to the people of Newark for their support, they planned to endow a medical college in that city.

Things didn’t turn out that way. They were convinced by Abraham Flexner to create the Institute for Advanced Study instead, and to build it in Princeton. It would soon be the home of Albert Einstein and would become a beacon for scientists fleeing Europe, who would prove critical to winning the war and making America a technological superpower.

What always struck me about the story is that the Bambergers achieved their greatest impact not through greater knowledge or accomplishment, but humility. They could have stuck to their initial plan, but because they were willing to see its flaws and support another’s dream, they were able to change the world. We rarely understand the full impact of our actions.

Meritocracy and Humiliation

In 1940, James Conant, the President of Harvard, gave a talk at the University of California that was soon republished in The Atlantic magazine. Entitled, “Education for a Classless Society,” it championed the idea of social mobility based on merit, rather than privilege being handed down through inheritance.

Today, Conant’s idea has become inseparably intertwined with the American dream and repeated with almost metronomic regularity by politicians seeking office, parents raising children and educators trying to motivate students. We’re told, “You can be anything you want to” and “You can make it if you try.”

Yet as Michael Sandel points out in The Tyranny of Merit, this sorting system has had an insidious effect on our culture. Those who are deemed worthy get all the benefits that society has to offer. Those that are not are not only left behind, but are seen as “takers” rather than “makers” and therefore undeserving of even basic things like access to health and child care.

The unlucky have come to be seen as culpable and those more fortunate consider themselves beholden to no one. Many in America, especially the two thirds of the country who do not have a college degree, are not only poor, but humiliated, creating opportunities for populist politicians. Elites, for their part, wonder what’s the matter with Kansas?.

Citizens United, The Rise of Regulation and the Decline of Competitive Markets

In 2009, a conservative organization called Citizens United brought a suit against the Federal Elections Commission which argued that limits on corporate political donations violated the free speech clause of the First Amendment. Its success at the Supreme Court led to the rise of Super PACs and nearly unlimited political spending.

At first, things went according to plan. Studies have found that the ruling did indeed help Republicans, especially in their effort to win statehouses in 2010 and take control of redistricting. However, the decision also opened the door to massive funding of liberal causes and Democrats handily outraised Republicans in the 2020 election.

Yet perhaps the most perverse effect of the Citizens United decision has been how it has fed the rise of lobbying expenditures and regulation. When you allow business to invest unlimited amounts of money to influence government, it should be surprising that a significant portion of that money is used to restrict competition.

It’s hard to escape the irony. An organization that bills itself as dedicated supporting free enterprise and “restoring our government to citizens’ control” has not only led to a weakening of free markets but is also deeply unpopular. Pretty much the opposite of what was intended.

Income Inequality and Healthcare Costs

Research from the Pew Foundation finds that inequality is not only at record levels in the United States, but significantly higher than other developed nations. That should be cause for alarm in itself, but there is also growing evidence that there may be a reflexive relationship between income inequality and healthcare costs.

First, let’s start with the obvious. Income inequality has been shown to adversely affect mental and physical health. Part of the reason this is so is that people at the low end of income spectrum suffer from adverse social comparisons, which lead to depression and anxiety. However, evidence also suggests that even higher income people suffer from fear of losing their position, which has larger implications in a more unequal society.

There’s significant evidence that causality runs in the opposite direction. Because most Americans have insurance plans with high deductibles, we’re often getting hit with big out-of-pocket bills. Researchers have found that these expenses are having a measurable impact on income inequality.

Put simply, we’re becoming so worried about money that it’s affecting our physical and mental health and the costs associated with that deterioration in our health that it’s making us poor, creating a vicious cycle that’s bankrupting our mind, body and spirit.

We Need to Think Less Like Engineers and More Like Gardeners

James Conant was a scientist and an educator, not an economist or a politician. Nevertheless, his ideas have deeply contributed to America’s political zeitgeist. In much the same way, the activists at Citizens United probably didn’t imagine that achieving their goals would undermine their aims. Few medical specialists are aware of the economic impacts of health policy.

We usually take action to solve specific, narrow problems within a domain in which we have acquired some expertise. Often, we train for years to develop that expertise and years more to gain the experience needed to plan and implement an effective solution. During all that time, we rarely stop to consider the impact of our work outside our chosen field.

In a sense, we’ve been trained to think like engineers. We identify problems to be solved, reduce those problems to a limited set of variables, develop metrics to evaluate those variables and develop a solution that is optimized for those metrics. Unfortunately, the solutions we create often create even more problems.

That’s the essence of the humility principle. We rarely fully understand the consequences of the actions we take. We live in a world not of linear cause and effect, but complex ecosystems in which even our best laid plans touch of a complex web of ripple effects.

It’s time for us to take a more biological view in which we think less like engineers and more like gardeners that grow and nurture ecosystems. Instead of assuming we can design perfect solutions, we need to take a more Bayesian approach and make our systems less imperfect over time, fertilizing and pruning as we go.

A good place to start is to, like the Bambergers, think less of ourselves and open up to the mysteries of a universe we do not understand, to people who possess knowledge we do not and to the potential of the future as a collaborative project.

— Article courtesy of the Digital Tonto blog
— Image credit: Pixabay

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Change Agents as Catalysts for Organizational Transformation

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Change Agents as Catalysts for Organizational Transformation

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

Welcome to the fast-paced world of business, where the only constant is change. In today’s hyper-competitive and ever-evolving landscape, organizations must continuously adapt to survive and thrive. Enter the change agents: the unsung heroes of the corporate world. These dynamic individuals not only embrace change but also drive it, transforming organizations from the inside out. But who are these change agents, and what makes them the catalysts for organizational transformation?

Who is a Change Agent?

Imagine a change agent as a magical blend of strategist, psychologist, and cheerleader, all rolled into one. They’re the people who light the fires of transformation, helping organizations pivot away from outdated practices and embrace new opportunities. Change agents can emerge from any level within an organization, but they share key characteristics:

Visionary Thinking: They see the big picture and understand how individual change initiatives align with organizational goals.
Resilience: Change agents persist in the face of resistance and setbacks.
Influence: They possess the ability to inspire and rally others to join the transformation journey.
Empathy: Understanding people’s fears and aspirations allows them to tailor their approach to effectively facilitate change.

The Role of Change Agents

Change agents are instrumental in shaping a flexible, resilient organization that can respond to market demands. Here’s how they contribute to successful transformations:

Identifying Opportunities: They spot areas ripe for improvement and innovation, ensuring continuous growth.
Driving Engagement: By involving employees in the transformation process, they foster a culture of buy-in and collaboration.
Implementing Strategy: Change agents translate high-level strategies into actionable plans and initiatives.
Managing Resistance: They navigate organizational politics and address concerns to mitigate resistance to change.

Case Study 1: Transforming Retail Operations

Our first case study takes us to the bustling world of retail. ABC Retail, a national chain of department stores, faced declining sales due to the rise of online shopping. Enter Jessica, an internal change agent with a flair for innovation and a passion for retail. Jessica quickly identified an opportunity to enhance the in-store experience and integrate online offerings.

She spearheaded an initiative to redesign store layouts, incorporating interactive kiosks and personalized shopping experiences. Jessica also championed the use of data analytics to better understand customer preferences. Thanks to her efforts, ABC Retail experienced a resurgence in foot traffic and diversified their revenue streams.

Case Study 2: Innovating Healthcare Delivery

Our second case study explores the world of healthcare. HealthyTech, a midsized hospital, grappled with inefficiencies in patient care delivery. Mark, a nurse with a keen interest in technology, transformed into an agent of change when he proposed the implementation of a digital patient management system.

Through collaboration with IT and medical staff, Mark led the development and rollout of a mobile app that streamlined patient scheduling, communication, and record-keeping. His initiative not only improved operational efficiency but also enhanced patient satisfaction and care quality. HealthyTech now stands as a beacon of modern healthcare delivery.

Embracing Change: The Way Forward

As these case studies illustrate, change agents are vital to the success of organizational transformations. They help bridge the gap between strategy and execution, driving initiatives that align with business objectives and foster a culture of innovation.

To maximize the impact of change agents, organizations must:

Provide Training and Resources: Equip change agents with the skills and tools they need to succeed.
Recognize and Reward Contributions: Celebrate the achievements of change agents to encourage ongoing innovation.
Cultivate a Supportive Environment: Create an organizational culture where change is welcomed and encouraged.

Conclusion

The role of change agents in organizational transformation cannot be overstated. They are the catalysts that spark innovation and drive change, ensuring that organizations not only keep pace with the demands of today but are also poised to seize the opportunities of tomorrow. So, here’s to the change agents—may their courage and creativity continue to transform the business world for the better!

Image credit: Pexels

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Building an Adaptable Organization with Change Resilience

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Building an Adaptable Organization with Change Resilience

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations must cultivate the ability to adapt swiftly to change while remaining resilient. This adaptability is not just about surviving change but thriving through it. Leadership strategies and cultural transformation play crucial roles in shaping an adaptable organization. This article explores practical approaches and showcases case studies of organizations that have successfully integrated change resilience into their DNA.

Leadership Strategies: Guiding Through Change

Effective leadership is the cornerstone of any successful change management strategy. Leaders must not only drive change but also inspire their teams to embrace it. A key strategy involves developing change resilience among leaders themselves. This involves training them to manage uncertainty and equip their teams with the tools to navigate challenges.

A more in-depth exploration of how to develop these skills can be found in my article on Building Resilience in Change Leaders.

Case Study 1: Tech Innovators, Inc.

Tech Innovators, Inc. is a prime example of how leadership strategies can foster an adaptable organization. Facing the threat of obsolescence in a competitive market, the company embarked on a comprehensive leadership development program. This program focused on agility, equipping leaders with the skills to manage change proactively.

The result? A cultural shift that permeated the organization, enabling teams to innovate rapidly and respond to market shifts with unparalleled agility. Leadership became a collective endeavor, tapping into diverse insights to drive strategic decisions. By championing resilience at every level, Tech Innovators, Inc. fortified itself against future disruptions.

Cultural Transformation: Embedding Resilience

Beyond leadership, cultural transformation is critical in building an adaptable organization. A resilient culture is characterized by open communication, psychological safety, and a shared vision of change as an opportunity.

Embedding resilience into the company culture starts by nurturing it among employees. Encouraging employees to view change as a gateway to growth instills a sense of empowerment. For more insights on nurturing resilience in employees, consider reading Nurturing Resilience in Employees During Periods of Change.

Case Study 2: Global Retail Giant

The journey of a global retail giant illustrates the transformative impact of reshaping organizational culture. Confronted with an unpredictable market and a rapidly evolving consumer landscape, this retail giant prioritized building a culture of resilience.

By investing in continuous learning and fostering a collaborative environment, the company empowered its employees to spearhead innovation. Regular feedback loops and transparent communication bridged the gap between leadership and staff, creating a unified front poised to adapt seamlessly.

The outcome was a rejuvenated workforce, capable not only of managing change but leveraging it strategically to gain a competitive edge. The organization’s adaptive culture became a magnet for top talent, further reinforcing its market position.

Conclusion

In an era defined by volatility, building an adaptable organization requires a dual focus on leadership strategies and cultural transformation. As demonstrated by the experiences of Tech Innovators, Inc. and the global retail giant, resilience can be developed at both individual and organizational levels, positioning companies to thrive amidst change.

The path to becoming an adaptable organization is not without challenges. However, with the right strategies and cultural backbone, organizations can transform adversity into opportunity—emerging stronger and more resilient in the face of an uncertain future.

Image credit: Pixabay

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How to Free Ourselves of Conspiracy Theories

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How to Free Ourselves of Conspiracy Theories

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

If you think about it, postal carriers should be a little bit creepy. If someone told you that an agent of the federal government would come to your house everyday with access to information about places you shop, businesses you transact with and people you know well enough to trade holiday cards with, it might cause you some alarm.

Yet we don’t find postal carriers creepy. In fact, despite vigorous efforts to malign the Postal Service, we trust it far more than most institutions. The truth is that we don’t conjure up conspiracy theories to explain the everyday and mundane, but some far off yonder which we cannot clearly designate, yet find threatening nonetheless.

The function conspiracy theories play is to explain things that we don’t understand and feel out of our control. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the age of Covid has spawned a myriad of crazy, dangerous notions. What we need to come to terms with is that the real problem plaguing society is a basic lack of trust and that is where the battle for truth must be fought.

The Visceral Abstract

One of the frustrating things about modern life is that we experience so little of it directly. As Leonard Read pointed out in his 1966 essay, I, Pencil, the manufacture of even the simplest modern object is beyond the reach of a single person. Today, people depend on technologies to get through their day, but have only the barest notion of how they function.

The truth is that we live in a world of the visceral abstract, where strange theories govern our everyday lives. People may not care much, or even believe in, Einstein’s theory of special relativity, but if GPS satellites aren’t calibrated to take it into account, the delivery man won’t be able to bring their dinner. In much the same way, the Coronavirus will mutate, and the most infectious variant will dominate, no matter what you think of Darwin’s theory.

As Francis Fukuyama explains in his recent book, Identity, the pace of change and disruption in modern society demands that we make choices about who we are. Faced with so much we don’t understand there is no small amount of appeal to rejecting the unknown in favor of simpler explanations in the form of conspiracy theories.

Populists often say that they want to “take our country back,” but what they really mean is that they want to take our existence back. They want to banish the fabulous yonder for something closer and more tangible. They offer safe harbor and, for people who feel stranded on the rocks, with the sea crashing over them, the attraction can be undeniable.

Conforming To Local Majorities

We all have a certain capacity to believe in an idea to or to partake in an action. We may be highly skeptical or wildly enthusiastic, depending on our innate preferences and previous experiences, but history shows that individuals—and, in fact, entire societies—are vulnerable to suggestion.

We are, for example, highly affected by what those around us think. In fact, a series of famous experiments first performed in the 1950’s, and confirmed many times since then, showed that we will conform to the opinions of those around us even if they are obviously wrong. More recent research has found that the effect extends to three degrees of social distance.

The effect is then multiplied by our tendency to be tribal, even when the source of division is arbitrary. For example, in a study where young children were randomly assigned to a red or a blue group, they liked pictures of other kids who wore t-shirts that reflected their own group better. In another study of adults that were randomly assigned to “leopards” and “tigers,” fMRI studies noted hostility to outgroup members regardless of their race.

So it isn’t surprising that people will be more willing to believe, say, a conspiracy theory floated by a high school friend than information from a government agency or recognized news source. If the majority of people around you believe something, you’re likely to believe it too, because that’s what’s close and tangible.

During the pandemic, when everybody is stuck inside, the effect of local majorities, especially in isolated online communities, is significantly more powerful than usual. These communities may be, in fact, at a long distance geographically, but in mental and social space, they make up a large part of our immediate environment.

The Psychology Of Delusion

Once we are exposed to an idea and influenced by those around us to be sympathetic to it, two cognitive biases begin to kick in. The first, called availability bias, is our tendency overweight information that is most available to us. For example, reading or hearing about traffic fatalities on the news will do little to affect our driving habits, but when we pass a bad accident on the road, we’ll naturally slow down and become more cautious.

It’s amazing how powerful availability bias can be. Researchers have found that it even affects how investors react to analysts reports, how corporations invest in research and how jurors evaluate witness testimony. Other studies find that availability bias affects medical judgments. Even in matters of great import, we tend not to look very far for information.

Again, it’s easy to see how the pandemic combined with the Internet can make us more susceptible. Stuck at home, we spend more time engaging with communities online, where we tend to be surrounded by likeminded people. Their opinion will seem more real to us than those of “experts” from outside our community, whether that community is virtual or not.

This effect is then combined with confirmation bias, our tendency to seek out information that supports our prior beliefs and reject contrary evidence. Those who fall prey to conspiracy theories often report spending a lot of time searching the Internet and watching YouTube videos, which confirm and extend their discussions with “fellow travelers.”

Rebuilding Trust

Once we become aware of where conspiracy theories come from, it becomes easier to understand why we tend to be far more suspicious of, say, public officials or medical experts than our postal carriers. We tend to trust those we see as being part of our communities and are suspicious of those we see as outsiders.

Unfortunately, the stresses on our society will only intensify over the next decade as we undergo major shifts in technology, resources, migration and demography. These changes will inevitably hit some segments of society harder than others and, it’s safe to assume, those left behind will likely feel that society has forsaken them.

We need to learn how to rebuild trust, even with our enemies and the best—perhaps the only way—to do that is by focusing on shared values. We might, for example, disagree on exactly how our criminal justice system should function, but we can all agree that everyone has the right to live in a safe community. We may not agree on the specifics of a “Green New Deal,” but can all see the importance of investing in our rural communities and small towns.

Most of all, we need to rebuild a sense of connection. Fortunately, network science tells us that it takes relatively few connections to drastically reduce social distance. Trust is personal, not political. It can’t be legislated or mandated but arises out of shared experience that contributes to the collective well-being. Like our mail carriers, our institutions must be seen to be competently serving us and having our best interests at heart.

In the final analysis, our problem is not one of information, but that of basic good will. The antidote is not stronger arguments, but more capable public service.

— Article courtesy of the Digital Tonto blog
— Image credit: Pixabay

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