Category Archives: Leadership

The Innovation Leader’s Playbook

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Key Skills and Strategies

The Innovation Leader's Playbook

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In a world where change is the only constant, the role of the innovation leader has never been more critical. As organizations navigate an ever-evolving landscape of technology, consumer behavior, and market dynamics, the need for visionary leaders capable of steering innovation is paramount. This article delves into the essential skills and strategies every innovation leader should master, while highlighting case studies of successful innovation leadership in action.

Key Skills Every Innovation Leader Should Have

1. Visionary Thinking

Innovation leaders must possess the ability to envision the future and identify opportunities for transformative change. This requires a blend of creative thinking and strategic foresight to map out a path forward that breaks new ground.

2. Empathy

Understanding the needs, desires, and pain points of customers and team members is crucial. Empathy enables leaders to design solutions that truly resonate with users and create a culture where team members feel valued and understood.

3. Collaboration and Inclusivity

Great innovation rarely happens in isolation. Effective leaders foster a collaborative environment where diverse ideas can flourish. Inclusivity ensures that a broad range of perspectives are considered, leading to more robust and innovative solutions.

4. Risk Management

Innovation inherently involves risk. Successful innovation leaders are adept at balancing the need for risk-taking with prudent risk management. They create frameworks that allow for experimentation while safeguarding the organization’s core interests.

5. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to pivot strategies and approaches in response to changing conditions. Agile innovation leaders embrace flexibility, using iterative processes to refine their initiatives continuously.

Strategies for Leading Successful Innovation

1. Cultivating a Culture of Innovation

Creating an environment where innovation thrives is foundational. This involves empowering employees to experiment, encouraging cross-functional collaboration, and recognizing and rewarding innovative ideas.

2. Leveraging Technology and Data

Technology and data analytics can unearth insights and streamline processes. Leaders should harness advanced tools, from AI to big data, to drive decision-making and automate routine tasks, freeing up creative resources.

3. Strategic Partnerships

Partnering with external organizations, startups, or academic institutions can bring fresh perspectives and capabilities. Strategic alliances can accelerate innovation efforts and open up new avenues for growth.

4. Agile Methodologies

Adopting agile methodologies allows for iterative development and rapid prototyping. This enables teams to test ideas quickly, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments in real time.

5. Continuous Learning and Development

Encouraging and providing opportunities for continuous learning ensures that team members are always up-to-date with the latest trends, tools, and best practices. Training programs, workshops, and conferences can be valuable investments.

Case Study 1: Tesla’s Electric Vision

At Tesla, innovation is a core component of the company’s DNA, driven by the visionary leadership of Elon Musk. Tesla’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy has resulted in groundbreaking advancements in electric vehicles, energy storage, and solar technology.

One key strategy employed by Musk is a relentless focus on long-term vision. Despite numerous challenges, including production bottlenecks and financial strain, Musk’s unwavering commitment to sustainable innovation has rallied the organization and captivated investors.

Additionally, Tesla has leveraged cutting-edge technology and data analytics to inform its design and manufacturing processes. For instance, the company’s use of over-the-air updates continually improves vehicle performance and user experience, keeping Tesla at the forefront of automotive innovation.

Case Study 2: LEGO’s Creative Rebirth

LEGO faced a severe crisis in the early 2000s. The iconic toy manufacturer was on the brink of bankruptcy due to overexpansion and a fragmented product line. The turnaround began with the appointment of Jørgen Vig Knudstorp as CEO, who embraced a culture of innovation to revive the brand.

One of Knudstorp’s pivotal strategies was the introduction of the “LEGO Ideas” platform, which crowdsources ideas from fans. This initiative not only generated a plethora of new product concepts but also deepened customer engagement and loyalty.

LEGO also focused on strategic partnerships, such as the collaboration with movie franchises like Star Wars and Harry Potter. These alliances expanded LEGO’s market reach and introduced the brand to new audiences.

By fostering a culture of collaboration, encouraging customer-driven innovation, and strategically leveraging partnerships, LEGO managed to reverse its fortunes, becoming one of the most beloved and profitable toy brands globally.

Conclusion

Innovation leadership is a multifaceted challenge that requires a combination of visionary thinking, empathy, collaboration, risk management, and adaptability. By cultivating a culture of innovation, leveraging technology, forming strategic partnerships, employing agile methodologies, and committing to continuous learning, leaders can navigate their organizations through the complexities of modern markets.

The case studies of Tesla and LEGO illustrate how these principles can be put into action effectively. The Innovation Leader’s Playbook is not just a guide for achieving success but a roadmap for creating a sustainable and dynamic future. As we move forward, the capacity to innovate will define the difference between organizations that thrive and those that merely survive.

SPECIAL BONUS: The very best change planners use a visual, collaborative approach to create their deliverables. A methodology and tools like those in Change Planning Toolkit™ can empower anyone to become great change planners themselves.

Image credit: Pixabay

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Creating 21st Century Transformational Learning

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Creating 21st Century Transformational Learning

GUEST POST from Janet Sernack

I was privileged to attend one of the first Theory U; Presencing Leadership for Profound Innovation and Change Workshops presented by the Sloane School of Management, in Boston in 2008. This means that I have been able to observe, engage with and participate, from both Israel and Australia, in the evolution of Presencing and Theory U as powerful resources and vehicles for effecting profound transformational change and learning.

Intentional Change and Learning

I have seen and experienced the growth of the global Presencing community, as it transformed from a small, diverse, thought-leading group in the USA, seeding a range of deeply disruptive core concepts, as described in their groundbreaking book – Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future into a global movement.

Where they introduced a radical new theory about change and learning, I also participated in its evolution into its current manifestation, as a global movement for profound transformational change. Which seeks to create, within the whole system, intentional shifts that break old patterns of seeing and acting that continually create results, on a planetary level, that are no longer needed or wanted. Achieving this by encouraging deeper levels of attention and intention, as well as deep and continuous learning, to create an awareness of the larger systemic whole, ultimately leading to us to adopt new and different mindsets, behaviors, actions, and systems that can help to shape our evolution and our futures.

A Turning Point

It is suggested by many, that we are at a turning point, a critical moment in time, where all of us, individually and collectively, have the chance to focus our attention toward activating, harnessing, and mobilizing transformational change and learning to shape our evolution and our futures intelligently. To maximize the emergence, divergence, and convergence of new patterns of consumer and business behaviors that have emerged at extraordinary speed and can be sustained over long periods of time because digitization, coupled with the impact of the global pandemic, have accelerated changes faster than many of us believed previously possible.

Paradoxically, we are facing an uncertain future, where according to the World Economic Forum Job Reset Summit – “While vaccine rollout has begun and the growth outlook is predicted to improve, and even socio-economic recovery is far from certain” no matter where you are located or professionally aligned.

Leveraging the Turning Point

This turning point, is full of possibilities and innovative opportunities potentially enabling organizations, leaders, teams, people, and customers to embrace the opportunity to change and learning in creative and inventive ways to shape our evolution and to co-create our futures, in ways that are:

  • Purposeful and meaningful,
  • Embrace speed, agility, and simplicity,
  • Scale our confidence, capacity, and competence through unlearning, relearning, and innovation.

Resulting in improving equity for all, resilience, sustainability, growth, and future-fitness, in an ever-changing landscape, deeply impacted by the technologies created by accelerated digitization, by putting ourselves into the service of what is wanting to emerge in this unique turning point and moment of time.

Forward-looking leadership

This is validated by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), who outlined, in a recent article the key strategies employed by most innovative companies in 2021 that “forward-looking leaders soon looked to broader needs affecting their companies’ futures, such as resilience, digital transformation, and customer relevance”.

Realizing, like the authors of Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future, the need to build the systemic ability to drive change, learning and innovation, by transforming their ambitious aspirations into real results through:

  1. Clarifying a clear ambition: that is meaningful and purposeful, compelling and engaging that aligns to people’s values and helps build “one team” mindsets.
  2. Building systemic innovation domains: that are strategically and culturally aligned, enabling people and technology to connect, explore, discover, design, and deliver the ambition through making changes and learning, collective and ecosystems approach that provides clear lines of sight to stakeholders, users, and customers.
  3. Performance management: that acknowledges and rewards collaborative achievements, results in transformational change and learning through smart risk-taking, experimentation and drives accountability, and celebrates success.
  4. Project management: that provides rigor and discipline, through taking a human-centered, and agile approach that allows people and teams to make the necessary shifts in assigning and delivering commercially astute, ambitious, radical, and challenging breakthrough and Moonshot projects.
  5. Talent and culture: by exercising leadership that brings people and teams together, collaborating by fostering openness, transparency, permission, and trust so people can safely unlearn, relearn, adapt and innovate. By supporting and sponsoring change initiatives, by harnessing and mobilizing collective genius, by granting prestige to innovation roles and valuing radical candor, generating discovery and challenges to the status quo.

A Moment in Time

Some thirteen years later, in a recent Letter, Otto Scharmer, one of the original authors of the Presence book, shared with the global Presencing community, that it:

“feels as if we have collectively crossed a threshold and entered a new time. A time that was there already before, but more as a background presence. A time that some geologists proposed to refer to as the Anthropocene, the age of humans. Living in the Anthropocene means that basically all the problems, all the challenges we face on a planetary scale are caused by… ourselves”.

He then stated that “Being alive at such a profound planetary threshold moment poses a critical question to each and every one of us: What is my response to all of this, what is our response to this condition, how am I – and how are we – going to show up at this moment?

Showing up at this moment

Change and learning today involve people, developing their knowledge, mindsets, and behaviors, skills and habits. So, making a fundamental choice about how you wish to show up right now, as a leader or manager, business owner or employee, consultant, trainer, or coach, is crucial to making your contribution and commitment to shaping your own individual, and our collective evolution and our futures.

Taking just a moment

It may, in fact, be beneficial, to take just a moment – to hit your pause button, retreat into reflection, stillness, and silence and ask yourself Otto’s question – how am I, and how are we as a business practice, team or organization going to show up at this moment?

Drawing on my experience as an innovative start-up entrepreneur in Israel, people can either be forced to change and learn through necessity, conflict, and adversity in order to survive. Alternately, they can choose to change through seeing the world with fresh eyes, full of possibility, positivity, optimism, and self-transcendence, to innovate and thrive.

  • How might you develop the courage to make transformational and systemic changes and learning and innovation your key priorities to survive through necessity and adversity, or thrive through unleashing possibilities, optimism, and positivity?
  • How might you develop the compassion to focus on developing both customer and human centricity in ways that are purposefully meaningful and aligned to people’s values and contribute to the good of the whole (people, profit, and planet)?
  • How might you be creative in transforming your time, people, and financial investments in ways that drive out complacency, build change readiness and deliver the deep and continuous change and learning that equips and empowers people to deliver tangible results that are valued, appreciated, and cherished, now and in the future?

Not only to take advantage of the moment in time but to also use transformational change and learning to extend your practice or organizations future fitness and life expectancy, because, according to a recent article in Forbes –  “Half of the giants we now know may no longer exist by the next decade. In 1964, a company on the S&P 500 had an average life expectancy of 33 years. This number was reduced to 24 years in 2016 and is forecast to shrink further to 12 years by 2027”.

This is the final blog in our series of blogs, podcasts, and webinars on Developing a Human-Centric Future-Fitness organization.

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 8-weeks, starting Tuesday, October 19, 2021.

It is a blended and transformational change and learning program that will give you a deep understanding of the language, principles, and applications of a human-centered approach and emergent structure (Theory U) to innovation, within your unique context.  Find out more

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Leading Change

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Strategies for Successful Organizational Transformation

Leading Change - Strategies for Successful Organizational Transformation

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

Effective organizational transformation is not just about making changes; it’s about making the right changes in the right way. As a leader, your role is to guide your organization through the challenges and uncertainties that accompany transformation. This article explores key strategies for successful organizational transformation and illustrates them with two compelling case studies.

Key Strategies for Organizational Transformation

  1. Establish a Clear Vision and Communicate it Effectively

    A clear vision provides direction and purpose. Communicate this vision consistently across all levels of the organization to ensure alignment and buy-in.

  2. Engage and Empower Your Team

    Involving employees in the transformation process boosts morale and commitment. Empower them to take ownership of their roles in the change process.

  3. Measure Progress and Adapt

    Set measurable objectives and keep track of progress. Be prepared to adapt strategies based on feedback and changing circumstances.

  4. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement

    Encourage a mindset of innovation and continuous improvement. This ensures the organization remains agile and responsive to new opportunities and challenges.

Case Study 1: Zappos – Creating a Customer-Centric Culture

Zappos, an online shoe and clothing retailer, is renowned for its exceptional customer service. Tony Hsieh, the former CEO, led a transformation that put the customer at the core of the business. Here’s how they did it:

Strategy in Action:

  • Clear Vision: Hsieh communicated the vision of delivering “WOW” through service and instilled this vision into every aspect of the business.
  • Employee Engagement: Zappos invested heavily in employee training and development, ensuring that every employee was aligned with the company’s values.
  • Continuous Improvement: The company maintained an open-feedback culture where employees could contribute ideas for enhancing customer experiences.

The result was a culture that celebrated extraordinary customer service, making Zappos a model for customer-centricity in retail and driving sustained business growth.

Case Study 2: Microsoft – From a Culture of Know-it-All to Learn-it-All

Under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft underwent a cultural transformation that shifted the company from a “know-it-all” to a “learn-it-all” mentality. Here’s a look at the strategies employed:

Strategy in Action:

  • Clear Vision: Nadella emphasized a vision of empathy, collaboration, and a growth mindset. He communicated this vision through regular town halls and personal storytelling.
  • Employee Empowerment: Microsoft encouraged cross-functional collaboration and learning from failures. Employees were empowered to pursue creative solutions and explore new technologies.
  • Measuring Progress: The company set quantifiable goals related to innovation and employee engagement, regularly reviewing performance and making necessary adjustments.

This cultural shift rejuvenated Microsoft, fostering innovation and establishing the company as a leader in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other cutting-edge technologies.

Conclusion

Organizational transformation is a journey that requires intentionality, leadership, and persistence. By establishing a clear vision, engaging and empowering your team, measuring progress, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you can navigate the complexities of change and achieve sustainable success.

Remember, transformation is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process. The cases of Zappos and Microsoft highlight that with the right strategies, any organization can transform itself to meet future challenges and opportunities head-on.

Bottom line: 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: Dall-E

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Why Change Failure Occurs

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Why Change Failure Occurs

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

Never has the need for transformation been so dire or so clear. Still, that’s no guarantee that we will muster the wisdom to make the changes we need to. After all, President Bush warned us about the risks of a global pandemic way back in 2005 and, in the end, we were left wholly vulnerable and exposed.

It’s not like pandemics are the only thing to worry about either. A 2018 climate assessment warns of major economic impacts unless we make some serious shifts. Public debt, already high before the current crisis, is now exploding upwards. Our electricity grid is insecure and vulnerable to cyberattack. The list goes on.

All too often, we assume that mere necessity can drive change forward, yet history has shown that not to be the case. There’s a reason why nations fail and businesses go bankrupt. The truth is that if a change is important, some people won’t like it and they will work to undermine it in underhanded and insidious ways. That’s what we need to overcome.

A Short History Of Change

For most of history, until the industrial revolution, people existed as they had for millennia and could live their entire lives without seeing much change. They farmed or herded for a living, used animals for power and rarely travelled far from home. Even in the 20th century, most people worked in an industry that changed little during their career.

In the 1980s, management consultants began to notice that industries were beginning to evolve more rapidly and firms that didn’t adapt would lose out in the marketplace. One famous case study showed how Burroughs moved aggressively into electronic computing and prospered while its competitor NCR lagged and faded into obscurity.

In 1983, McKinsey consultant Julien Phillips published a paper in the journal, Human Resource Management, that described an “adoption penalty” for firms that didn’t adapt to changes in the marketplace quickly enough. His ideas became McKinsey’s first change management model that it sold to clients.

Yet consider that research shows in 1975, during the period Phillips studied, 83% of the average US corporation’s assets were tangible, such as plant, machinery and buildings, while by 2015, 84% of corporate assets were intangible, such as licenses, patents and human capital. In other words, change today involves mostly people, their knowledge and behaviors than it does strategic assets.

Clearly, that changes the game entirely.

What Change Looks Like Today

Think about how America was transformed after World War II. We created the Interstate Highway System to tie our nation together. We established a new scientific infrastructure that made us a technological superpower. We built airports, shopping malls and department stores. We even sent a man to the moon.

Despite the enormous impact of these accomplishments, none of those things demanded that people had to dramatically change their behavior. Nobody had to drive on an Interstate highway, work in a lab, travel in space or move to the suburbs. Many chose to do those things, but others did not and paid little or no penalty for their failure to change with the times.

Today the story is vastly different. A crisis like Covid-19 required us to significantly alter our behavior and, not surprisingly, some people didn’t like it and resisted. We could, as individuals, choose to wear a mask, but if others didn’t follow suit the danger remained. We can, as a society, invest billions in a vaccine, but if a significant portion don’t take it, the virus will continue to mutate at a rapid rate, undermining the effectiveness of the entire enterprise.

Organizations face similar challenges. Sure they invest in tangible assets, such as plant and equipment, but any significant change will involve changing people’s beliefs and behaviors and that is a different matter altogether. Today, even technological transformations have a significant human component.

Making Room For Identity And Dignity

In the early 19th century, a movement of textile workers known as the Luddites smashed machines to protest the new, automated mode of work. As skilled workers, they saw their way of life being destroyed in the name of progress because the new technology could make fabrics faster and cheaper with less workers of lower skill.

Today, “Luddite” has become a pejorative term to describe people who are unable or unwilling to accept technological change. Many observers point out that the rise of industry created new and different jobs and increased overall prosperity. Yet that largely misses the point. Weavers were skilled artisans who worked for years to hone their craft. What they did wasn’t just a job, it was who they were and what they took pride in.

One of the great misconceptions of our modern age is that people make decisions based on rational calculations of utility and that, by engineering the right incentives, we can control behavior. Yet people are far more than economic entities, They crave dignity and recognition, to be valued, in other words, as ends in themselves rather than as merely means to an end.

That’s why changing behaviors can be such a tricky thing. While some may see being told to wear a mask or socially distance as simply doing what “science says,” for others it is an imposition on their identity and dignity from outside their community. Perhaps not surprisingly, they rebel and demand to have their right to choose be recognized.

Building Change On Common Ground

The biggest misconception about change is that once people understand it, they will embrace and so the best way to drive change forward is to explain the need for change in a very convincing and persuasive way. Change, in this view, is essentially a communication exercise and the right combination of words and images is all that is required.

Yet as should be clear by now that is clearly not true. People will often oppose change because it asks them to alter their identity. The Luddites didn’t just oppose textile machinery on economic grounds, but because it failed to recognize their skills as weavers. People don’t necessarily oppose wearing masks because they are “anti-science,” but because they resent having their behavior mandated from outside their community.

In other words, change is always, at some level, about what people value. That’s why to bring change about you need to identify shared values that reaffirm, rather than undermine, people’s sense of identity. Recognition is often a more powerful incentive than even financial rewards. In the final analysis, lasting change always needs to be built on common ground.

Over the next decade, we will undergo some of the most profound shifts in history, encompassing technology, resources, migration patterns and demography and, if we are to compete, we will need to achieve enormous transformation in business and society. Whether we are able to do that or not depends less on economics or “science” than it does on our ability to trust each other again.

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

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Change Leadership

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An Essential Skill for Today’s Leaders

Change Leadership - An Essential Skill for Today's Leaders

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, leaders face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. To navigate this environment successfully, change leadership has emerged as an indispensable skill. Leaders who can adeptly guide their teams and organizations through change not only ensure survival but also drive innovation and long-term growth. In this article, we’ll explore what change leadership entails, why it’s essential, and how it’s been successfully implemented through two enlightening case studies.

What is Change Leadership?

Change leadership refers to the ability to influence and inspire teams to embrace change and drive transformation. Unlike traditional change management, which focuses on processes and tools, change leadership centers on people. It’s about engaging hearts and minds, fostering a culture of adaptability, and ensuring that everyone is aligned with the vision for change.

Why is Change Leadership Essential?

There are several reasons why change leadership is more critical now than ever:

  • Accelerated Technological Advancements: The digital age has introduced rapid technological changes, requiring leaders to be agile and forward-thinking.
  • Globalization: As businesses expand globally, leaders must manage cross-cultural teams and navigate various market dynamics.
  • Regulatory Changes: Frequent regulatory updates necessitate quick adaptation and compliance.
  • Workforce Dynamics: With the rise of remote work and the gig economy, traditional management structures are evolving.
  • Customer Expectations: Modern consumers demand constant innovation, pushing organizations to be more responsive to market shifts.

Case Study 1: IBM’s Transformation Under Lou Gerstner

Background

Starting in the early 1990s, IBM faced declining revenues and a rapidly changing technology landscape. The mainframe-centric company was struggling to compete in the burgeoning personal computer and network computing markets. Lou Gerstner was appointed CEO in 1993 with the monumental task of turning the ship around.

Change Leadership in Action

Vision Setting

Gerstner began by articulating a clear vision. He envisioned IBM transforming from a hardware-centric company to a solutions-based provider. This vision broke from IBM’s traditional focus and set a new course for the company.

Engaging Stakeholders

Gerstner took steps to engage all levels of the organization. He initiated regular town hall meetings, encouraging open communication and feedback. This inclusivity helped dismantle silos and fostered a collaborative culture.

Cultural Shift

Recognizing that the existing culture was a barrier to change, Gerstner introduced a new set of values emphasizing customer solutions, teamwork, and speed. He also revamped the performance evaluation system to align with the new cultural values.

Results

IBM’s transformation under Gerstner was a resounding success. By the late 1990s, the company had repositioned itself as a leader in the IT services sector, experiencing significant revenue growth and improved market share. The shift not only saved IBM from potential obsolescence but also set the stage for future innovations.

Case Study 2: Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and the Cultural Renaissance

Background

In 2014, Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft. At the time, Microsoft was criticized for its cutthroat culture and was lagging in key areas like mobile and cloud computing. Employee morale was low, and the company needed a transformative leader.

Change Leadership in Action

Empathy-Driven Leadership

Nadella emphasized empathy and collaboration from the outset. His leadership style was a significant departure from Microsoft’s historically aggressive culture. He introduced the concept of “growth mindset” to encourage employees to embrace challenges and learn continuously.

Vision and Strategy

Nadella articulated a clear vision: to transform Microsoft into a cloud-first, mobile-first company. He made bold moves, such as acquiring LinkedIn and GitHub, to align with this vision. These strategic acquisitions positioned Microsoft as an indispensable player in the tech ecosystem.

Inclusivity and Diversity

Nadella focused heavily on inclusivity, believing a diverse workforce would foster better innovation. He implemented measures to improve diversity at all levels, creating an inclusive atmosphere where every voice could be heard.

Results

Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft experienced a cultural renaissance that translated into financial success. The company saw its stock price quadruple, re-established itself as an industry leader, and was lauded for its inclusive culture.

Key Takeaways for Today’s Leaders

Change leadership is not just about steering your organization through disruption but about thriving in it. From IBM’s pivot under Lou Gerstner to the cultural shift at Microsoft led by Satya Nadella, the principles of effective change leadership remain consistent:

  • Clear Vision: A compelling vision can unite and guide an organization.
  • Engage Stakeholders: Open communication and stakeholder engagement are vital.
  • Cultural Alignment: A culture aligned with your vision can propel your organization forward.
  • Inclusivity: Diverse perspectives foster innovation and resilience.

In an era of constant flux, embracing change leadership is not just advisable—it’s imperative. As demonstrated by our case studies, those who master this skill can lead their organizations to unparalleled success.

Conclusion

Change leadership is an essential competency for navigating today’s ever-changing business landscape. By understanding its core principles and learning from successful leaders, today’s executives can set their organizations on a path to sustainable growth and innovation. Through vision, engagement, cultural shifts, and inclusivity, leaders can inspire their teams to not just accept change but to thrive in it.

Bottom line: 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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Re-Skilling and Upskilling People & Teams

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Re-Skilling and Upskilling People & Teams

GUEST POST from Janet Sernack

The pandemic has increased the pace of change in a digitally accelerated world, and at the same time, it is forcing organizations, leaders, and teams to become more purposeful, human, and customer-centric. Where managing both the future and the present simultaneously requires people to unlearn what has worked in the past and relearn new mindsets and behaviors as to what might be possible, useful, and relevant in the future.

This is crucial to enabling people to perform at their best, and it requires investment in reskilling and upskilling people to be future-fit to meet the needs of previously unheard-of occupations, newly emerging flexible job options. All of which are being transformed by the pandemic, coupled with technologies created by accelerated digitization. Where organizations, leaders, and teams can increase speed, agility and improve simplicity and strategically generate new ways of tapping into the power of and harnessing and mobilizing people’s collective intelligence.

To better enable them to balance and resource organizational digital, agile, or cultural transformational initiatives with the needs of its people, users, customers, and communities, and execute them accordingly.

Collective Intelligence

Collective intelligence is group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration, efforts, and engagement of diverse groups, tribes, teams, and collectives. Which poses a great opportunity, which is also critical to recovery, for organizations to attract, retain, manage and leverage talent  through reskilling and upskilling people to be future-fit by:

  1. Enhancing flexible work options

The recent World Economic Forum Job Reset Summit reported that – “in 2020, the global workforce lost an equivalent of 255 million full-time jobs, an estimated $3.7 trillion in wages and 4.4% of global GDP, a staggering toll on lives and livelihoods.”

McKinsey & Co in a recent article state that – as many as 25 percent more workers may need to switch occupations than before the pandemic.

This means that in a hybrid work environment, without the constriction of location, and with the ability to leverage connection digitally, at little, or no cost, there is a greater talent pool to draw from. Including, according to a recent Harvard Business Review article “What your future employees want most” untapped pools of talent such as the “home force” which includes bringing people back into the workforce including people who put their careers on hold due to raising children, caring for the elderly and retired baby boomers.

It also means that some people will be more likely to prioritize lifestyle (family and personal interests) over proximity to work, and will pursue jobs in locations where they can focus on both – even if it means taking a pay cut. Workers will be more likely to move out of cities and other urban locations if they can work remotely for a majority of the time, creating new work hubs in rural areas.

  1. Measuring the value delivered and not the volume

Designing people and customer-centric work experiences, roles gives people the space to unlock their full potential, maximize their impact by delivering transformative results that contribute to the common good and to the future of humanity.

It also encourages cross-fertilization of creative ideas through teaming and networking, maximizing the power of collaboration and collaborative technologies to create and capture value, through inventing new business models, services, and products that users and customers appreciate and cherish.

  1. Prioritizing continuous learning, reskilling and upskilling

At the same time, customer expectations and preferences are also constantly changing, giving rise and opening doors to new roles and opportunities, that may have never previously existed.

Organizations also need to discover and explore new ways of competing and future-proofing against uncertainty and disruption. They also need to invent new ways of boosting productivity and improving efficiency, through adapting and flexing to flow with the new reality and to ultimately grow and thrive within it.

There are also opportunities to solve complex problems by increasing reciprocity and collaboration through cross-functional partnerships, collectives, tribes, and ecosystems, designed to capture and deliver value co-creatively.

Continuous learning

Reskilling and upskilling people to be future-fit by maximizing collective intelligence require disrupting complacency and stagnation and creating an environment of continuous learning and trust.

Where people are focused on delivering a great customer experience and have the permission and safety and are “allowed” to:

  • Value and leverage differences and diversity in ways that evoke, provoke, and create new ways of being through unlearning, and through relearning to adopt a beginner’s mind, develop a paradox lens, and elastic thinking strategies to pivot quickly into new roles and structures as situations demand.
  • Challenge the status quo, by withholding judgment and evaluation, through developing vital generative questioning, listening, and debating skills to deep dive into and unleash creative and inventive ideas.
  • Continuously learn, to remain both agile and adaptive, collaborative and innovative, to discover, evolve, and grow talent in ways that are both nimble and sustainable.
  • Create lines of sight between strategy, structures, systems, people, and customers, identifying and maximizing interdependencies, through intentional collaboration where everyone knows that their efforts contribute to, and make a difference to the delivery of organizational outcomes.
  • Provide rigor, discipline by driving accountability and by constantly measuring and sharing feedback and results to allow for engaging people in continuous learning, iterative process, and real-life pivots.

Leveraging collective genius

Only by prioritizing reskilling and upskilling people to be future-fit organizations will leverage people’s collective genius and enhance their agility to survive and thrive, flow, and flourish in a VUCA world.

Organizations that are future-focused will create meaningful and purposeful hybrid workplaces that increase peoples’ job satisfaction and support.  That provides flexible work options, continuous learning, and focus on generating value delivery will build people’s loyalty and retention and lower hiring costs over time.

An uncertain future

According to the World Economic Forum Job Reset Summit – “While vaccine rollout has begun and the growth outlook is predicted to improve, and even socio-economic recovery is far from certain”.

Yet, with so much uncertainty about the future, there is one thing that we can all control and is controllable, are our mindsets – how we think, feel, and choose to act in any situation, especially in our communication, problem-solving, and decision-making processes.

All of us have the freedom to choose, to develop our independent wills, and create new ways of being, thinking, feeling, and doing – to meet the needs of a wide range of previously unheard-of occupations that are emerging, to provide more flexible, meaningful and purposeful job options.

To leverage the current turning point, which is full of possibilities and innovative opportunities for enabling organizations, people, and customers to be more equitable, resilient, sustainable, and future-fit, in an ever-changing landscape, impacted by the technologies created by accelerated digitization.

This is the next blog a series of blogs, podcasts, and webinars on Developing a Human-Centric Future-Fitness organization

Find out more about our work at ImagineNation™

Find out about 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 8-weeks, starting October 19, 2021. It is a blended learning program that will give you a deep understanding of the language, principles, and applications of a human-centered approach to innovation, within your unique context. Find out more.

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Building Trust in a Virtual Workplace

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Strategies for Remote Leaders

Building Trust in a Virtual Workplace: Strategies for Remote Leaders

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s rapidly changing work landscape, remote work has become the new norm. As more teams transition to virtual workplaces, leaders face the daunting task of building trust amongst team members who may never meet face-to-face. Trust is the foundation of effective collaboration, and remote leaders must adapt their strategies to foster a sense of trust and connection in the virtual realm. In this thought leadership article, we will explore two case studies that exemplify successful strategies for building trust in a virtual workplace.

Case Study 1: Company X – Establishing Open Communication Channels

Company X, a tech startup with a globally distributed team, faced the challenge of building trust within their remote workforce. The CEO recognized that clear and open communication was the key to success. To address this, the company implemented the following strategies:

1. Transparent Communication: The leadership team started sharing detailed updates about the company’s direction, challenges, and wins. They encouraged employees to ask questions and participate in discussions openly. This not only increased transparency but also created a sense of belonging and trust amongst team members.

2. Regular Video Conferences: To foster personal connections, Company X scheduled regular video conferences instead of relying solely on email or chat platforms. These virtual meetings allowed team members to see each other’s faces, making interactions more meaningful and building trust through nonverbal cues.

3. Individual Check-ins: To address the unique challenges faced by remote employees, each team member had regular one-on-one check-ins with their managers. These check-ins were not only focused on work-related matters but also served as an opportunity to discuss personal concerns. This personalized approach helped leaders understand their team members on a deeper level, leading to stronger trust bonds.

Case Study 2: Company Y – Encouraging Autonomy and Empowering Remote Teams

Company Y, a marketing agency with a global client base, had a fully remote workforce. The challenge for them was building trust when physical supervision was not possible. Their strategies focused on autonomy and empowerment:

1. Outcome-based Performance: Company Y transitioned from monitoring daily work hours to focusing on deliverables and outcomes. Instead of micromanaging, remote leaders set clear goals and expectations, allowing employees to take ownership of their work. This approach demonstrated trust in employees’ abilities and motivated them to perform at their best.

2. Empowering Decision-Making: Remote leaders at Company Y empowered their teams by involving them in decision-making processes. They sought inputs from diverse perspectives, encouraged collaboration, and took team members’ suggestions seriously. This inclusive approach not only built trust but also fostered a culture of ownership and innovation.

Conclusion

Building trust in a virtual workplace is essential for remote leaders to ensure productivity, collaboration, and employee satisfaction. The case studies of Company X and Company Y demonstrate that effective communication, transparency, personal connections, autonomy, and empowerment are critical strategies for remote leaders. By adopting these techniques, leaders can create an environment where employees feel valued, trusted, and motivated, ultimately resulting in a high-performing virtual team.

SPECIAL BONUS: The very best change planners use a visual, collaborative approach to create their deliverables. A methodology and tools like those in Change Planning Toolkit™ can empower anyone to become great change planners themselves.

Image credit: Pixabay

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Leveraging AI to Drive Smarter Decision-Making in the Workplace

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Leveraging AI to Drive Smarter Decision-Making in the Workplace

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s fast-paced and data-driven world, organizations are constantly challenged to make smarter decisions at an increasingly rapid rate. As a human-centered design professional, I firmly believe that Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds immense potential in transforming the workplace, enabling decision-makers to unlock unprecedented insights and steer their organizations towards success. In this thought leadership article, we will explore the benefits of leveraging AI in decision-making through two compelling case studies that demonstrate its transformative power.

Case Study 1: Enhancing Customer Experience with AI-powered Insights

One of the key areas where AI is revolutionizing decision-making is in optimizing customer experiences. A leading e-commerce company, “SuperStore,” adopted AI-powered analytics to delve deeper into their customer data and gain actionable insights. By leveraging AI algorithms, they analyzed vast amounts of customer purchase history, preferences, and demographic information. Consequently, they identified customers’ propensity to purchase certain items, enabling them to personalize recommendations and offers dynamically.

SuperStore observed a substantial increase in conversion rates and customer satisfaction as a result of this AI-powered decision-making. With the ability to understand customer behavior patterns and predict preferences, they successfully exceeded their customers’ expectations. Furthermore, the insights obtained from AI algorithms provided valuable guidance in optimizing marketing strategies, product placements, and inventory management decisions, yielding significant business growth.

This case study highlights how AI-driven decision-making tools can harness vast amounts of customer data to create unparalleled customer experiences, boosting sales and establishing a competitive edge.

Case Study 2: Improving Operational Efficiency through AI-powered Automation

Another area where AI is revolutionizing decision-making is in streamlining operational processes. A global manufacturing firm, “SmartCorp,” sought to leverage AI to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs. They implemented an AI-driven automation system that analyzed real-time production data from various sources and generated real-time alerts for potential anomalies or bottlenecks.

The AI system enabled SmartCorp to detect deviations from standard processes and critical inefficiencies promptly. Production managers were provided with actionable insights that enabled them to make data-driven decisions in real-time, such as adjusting production rates, identifying maintenance needs, and optimizing resource allocation. With the aid of AI, SmartCorp experienced a substantial decrease in downtime, a reduction in errors, and a significant increase in overall productivity.

This case study showcases how AI-powered decision-making supports organizations in transforming their operational landscape. The ability to automate and analyze vast amounts of data in real-time empowers decision-makers to proactively identify and address issues as they arise, optimizing operational efficiency and driving remarkable business outcomes.

Conclusion

AI represents a powerful opportunity for organizations to unlock new levels of productivity, efficiency, and success by harnessing data-driven decision-making. The case studies of SuperStore and SmartCorp demonstrate the profound impact that AI can have on enhancing customer experiences and improving operational efficiency. By leveraging the potential of AI, decision-makers can confidently navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape, ensuring smarter decisions, and ultimately propelling their organizations toward a prosperous future.

Bottom line: 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.

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Incorporating Diversity and Inclusion Principles in Change Management Efforts

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Incorporating Diversity and Inclusion Principles in Change Management Efforts

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In the evolving world of business, the significance of diversity and inclusion (D&I) cannot be overstated. These principles are pivotal not only for building a dynamic workforce but also for steering successful organizational change. The interplay between D&I and change management creates a powerful synergy that drives innovation, fosters employee engagement, and enhances overall performance. In this article, we’ll explore the marriage of D&I principles with change management efforts, illustrated through two compelling case studies.

The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Change Management

Diversity as a Catalyst for Change

Diverse teams bring together individuals with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, fueling creativity and problem-solving capabilities. When navigating change, a diverse workforce can anticipate and mitigate a wider array of challenges and opportunities.

Inclusion Ensures Commitment and Engagement

Inclusivity ensures that every employee feels valued and heard, which is critical during transitions. An inclusive approach to change management promotes transparency, trust, and collective ownership, leading to more sustainable and effective change.

Case Study 1: Transforming Customer Service at TelecomCorp

The Challenge

TelecomCorp, a leading telecommunications company, struggled with stagnant growth and declining customer satisfaction. The leadership team decided to overhaul their customer service model to revitalize the brand and improve customer experiences.

Scenario

The company’s workforce was diverse, but previously, this diversity was not leveraged effectively in decision-making processes. To achieve the desired transformation, TelecomCorp integrated D&I principles into their change management strategy.

Change Management Approach

1. Inclusive Leadership Training

  • Executive leaders received coaching on inclusive leadership, ensuring they understood the value of every team member’s input.

2. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

  • ERGs for various minority groups were established to facilitate dialogue and gather unique insights directly from frontline employees.

3. Open Feedback Channels

  • Multiple channels for anonymous feedback were created to empower employees to share ideas and concerns without fear of retribution.

Outcome

The incorporation of D&I principles led to a surge in employee engagement and innovation. Frontline employees, who interacted directly with customers, provided key insights that informed new customer service policies. Customer satisfaction scores improved by 30% within a year, showcasing the power of a diverse and inclusive approach to change management.

Case Study 2: Gender Diversity in Manufacturing at AutoMakers Inc.

The Challenge

AutoMakers Inc., a prominent automobile manufacturer, aimed to introduce advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance productivity. The predominantly male workforce, however, showed resistance to change, citing concerns about job security and unfamiliarity with new technologies.

Scenario

Recognizing that a diverse and inclusive environment could ease the transition, AutoMakers Inc. focused on increasing gender diversity in their teams and fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

Change Management Approach

1. Targeted Recruitment

  • The company launched initiatives to recruit more women into engineering and manufacturing roles, promoting gender diversity within the tech transition teams.

2. Mentorship Programs

    • Mentorship programs pairing experienced employees with new hires, particularly women, were created to build confidence and share knowledge on new technologies.

3. Inclusive Communication Strategies

      • Communication materials were crafted to address diverse concerns and learning styles, ensuring that all employees understood and felt comfortable with the changes.

Outcome

The infusion of gender diversity brought fresh perspectives that benefited the technology implementation process. Additionally, male employees showed greater acceptance as they observed the successful integration of female colleagues into traditionally male-dominated roles. This inclusive approach resulted in a smoother transition, with productivity increases of 25% following the technology rollout.

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

1. Leverage Diverse Perspectives

      • Create structures that actively solicit and incorporate diverse viewpoints during planning and implementation phases of change.

2. Promote Inclusive Communication

      • Use communication strategies that consider the diverse backgrounds of employees to ensure everyone comprehends and embraces the change.

3. Foster a Culture of Belonging

      • Develop policies and initiatives that make every employee feel valued and critical to the organization’s success.

Conclusion

Incorporating diversity and inclusion principles in change management efforts is not just a moral imperative—it is a strategic advantage. As demonstrated by TelecomCorp and AutoMakers Inc., a diverse and inclusive approach can lead to highly engaged employees, innovative solutions, and tangible business improvements. As we move further into an era of continuous transformation, let us embrace D&I as core components of our change management frameworks. By doing so, we create resilient organizations poised for sustainable success.

SPECIAL BONUS: The very best change planners use a visual, collaborative approach to create their deliverables. A methodology and tools like those in Change Planning Toolkit™ can empower anyone to become great change planners themselves.

Image credit: Unsplash

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The Importance of Change Leadership in Digital Transformation

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The Importance of Change Leadership in Digital Transformation

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In the evolving landscape of the digital age, organizations face unprecedented challenges in staying relevant and competitive. The ability to successfully navigate digital transformation is crucial for survival and growth. At the heart of this transition lies the critical need for effective change leadership. Change leadership is a nuanced and strategic approach that goes beyond mere management of change; it involves inspiring and guiding people through transformation. In this article, I will explore the importance of change leadership in digital transformation and illustrate this with two insightful case studies.

Why Change Leadership Matters

Change leadership is essential for several reasons:

  • Vision and Direction: Leaders articulate a compelling vision for the future, aligning everyone’s efforts towards common goals.
  • Motivation and Engagement: Effective change leaders inspire and motivate employees, fostering a culture of engagement and innovation.
  • Managing Resistance: Proactive identification and addressing resistance to change is crucial for smooth transitions.
  • Building a Roadmap: Leaders create a structured approach to implementing change, ensuring coherent and phased progression.

Case Study 1: General Electric (GE)

The Challenge: GE, a century-old industry giant, faced immense pressure to adapt to the rapidly advancing technological landscape. The challenge was to transition from a traditional manufacturing behemoth into a high-tech enterprise focused on digital solutions.

The Leadership Approach: Jeff Immelt, the then-CEO, spearheaded GE’s digital transformation by championing a vision to become a “Digital Industrial” company. Under his leadership, GE established GE Digital and invested billions in technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and analytics.

Key strategies included:

  • Culture Shift: Immelt emphasized a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous learning across the company.
  • Collaboration: Cross-functional teams were created to foster collaboration and break down silos.
  • Investment in Talent: GE hired thousands of software engineers and data scientists to build digital capabilities.

The Outcome: GE’s digital transformation journey had its ups and downs, but it successfully positioned the company as a leader in the industrial internet space. The company’s revenue from digital services grew significantly, and GE Digital became a pivotal part of its overall strategy.

Case Study 2: LEGO Group

The Challenge: In the early 2000s, LEGO Group faced declining sales and increasing competition from digital game markets. The need to evolve and integrate digital strategies into its business model was paramount.

The Leadership Approach: Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, who became CEO in 2004, led LEGO’s turnaround with a strategic focus on digital innovation and customer engagement. His leadership transformed LEGO from a struggling company into a powerhouse of digital creativity.

Key strategies included:

  • Digital Products: Development of digital toys and immersive experiences that integrated physical and digital play.
  • Community Engagement: Engaging with LEGO enthusiasts through online platforms and co-creation opportunities.
  • Streamlined Operations: Overhauling the supply chain and leveraging data analytics to optimize production and distribution.

The Outcome: Through Knudstorp’s visionary leadership, LEGO experienced a remarkable resurgence. Digital platforms like LEGO Digital Designer and LEGO Ideas, combined with innovative products, bolstered the brand’s appeal to new generations. By integrating digital strategies, LEGO not only recovered but thrived, achieving record sales and profitability.

Conclusion

Digital transformation is not merely about implementing new technologies; it requires a transformation of the entire organizational ethos. Effective change leadership plays an indispensable role in guiding organizations through these complex transitions. As demonstrated by GE and LEGO, visionary leaders who prioritize culture, collaboration, and innovation can successfully navigate the tumultuous waters of the digital age. By embracing change leadership principles, organizations can unlock the full potential of digital transformation and secure their place in the future.

SPECIAL BONUS: The very best change planners use a visual, collaborative approach to create their deliverables. A methodology and tools like those in Change Planning Toolkit™ can empower anyone to become great change planners themselves.

Image credit: Pexels

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