Navigating Disruption with Clarity

Purpose as Your North Star

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In a world defined by constant disruption, where technologies, markets, and customer needs shift at an unprecedented pace, organizations are often left feeling adrift. The old playbooks of strategic planning and forecasting are proving insufficient to navigate the volatility. In this environment of chronic uncertainty, I believe the most powerful anchor for any organization is a clearly defined and deeply embedded sense of purpose. Purpose, when authentically articulated and lived, acts as a North Star, providing clarity, inspiring action, and uniting a workforce to not just survive disruption, but to thrive within it.

Purpose is more than just a mission statement or a marketing slogan. It is the fundamental reason an organization exists beyond making a profit. It is the why behind the what. When a company’s purpose is its guiding light, it helps leaders and employees make better decisions, prioritize more effectively, and remain resilient in the face of setbacks. Purpose creates a shared sense of meaning that transcends individual roles and responsibilities, fostering a culture of trust and collective commitment. It gives people a reason to come to work every day that is bigger than a paycheck.

Navigating disruption with purpose requires a human-centered approach to strategy. It’s about moving from a rigid, top-down model to one that is driven by a shared sense of why. This enables organizations to adapt more quickly, as everyone is aligned on the ultimate goal, even if the path to get there needs to change. An organization with a strong purpose will find that its people are more engaged, more innovative, and more willing to go the extra mile. The key elements for leveraging purpose as a navigational tool include:

Authenticity: The purpose must be genuine and deeply ingrained in the company’s DNA, not an afterthought.
Clarity: The purpose must be simple, clear, and easy for every employee to understand and articulate.
Alignment: All business decisions, from product development to hiring, should be evaluated against the organization’s purpose.
Empowerment: Employees must be empowered to act on the purpose, not just told what it is. This fosters ownership and bottom-up innovation.
Storytelling: The organization’s purpose should be constantly reinforced through stories that illustrate its impact on customers, communities, and employees.

Case Study 1: Patagonia’s Environmental Activism as a Business Strategy

The Challenge: Competing in a Fast-Fashion Market with a Commitment to Sustainability

Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company, operates in a highly competitive market often driven by low prices and rapid consumption. The company’s business model, which prioritizes durability and environmental responsibility, stands in stark contrast to the fast-fashion industry. Navigating this landscape while remaining true to its values presented a constant challenge.

The Purpose-Driven Strategy:

Patagonia’s purpose is “We’re in business to save our home planet.” This isn’t just a slogan; it is the core of their business strategy. Every decision, from material sourcing to marketing campaigns, is evaluated through this lens. When faced with disruption, such as a downturn in the economy, Patagonia doesn’t compromise on its purpose. Instead, it doubles down, knowing that its loyal customer base values this commitment. For example, during Black Friday, a time when most retailers encourage consumption, Patagonia famously ran a campaign telling customers, “Don’t Buy This Jacket.” This counterintuitive approach reinforced their purpose and created an even stronger connection with their customers. Their commitment to their purpose has allowed them to attract top talent, build a fiercely loyal community, and remain profitable while staying true to their core values.

The Results:

Patagonia has not only survived but thrived by leveraging its purpose as a navigational tool. It has demonstrated that a strong, authentic purpose is a powerful source of competitive advantage and resilience. The company’s clear “why” has enabled it to make bold decisions that might seem risky from a traditional business perspective, but which ultimately resonate deeply with its customers and employees. This case study shows that a purpose-driven approach provides a clear framework for navigating disruption, allowing a company to stand out and build a sustainable business in the long term.

Key Insight: An authentic and unwavering purpose can act as a powerful differentiator and a source of competitive advantage, enabling an organization to make bold, values-aligned decisions that build long-term loyalty and resilience.

Case Study 2: Microsoft’s Cultural Transformation under Satya Nadella

The Challenge: A Stagnant Culture and Missed Opportunities in a Rapidly Changing Tech Landscape

In the early 2010s, Microsoft was widely perceived as a company that had lost its way. Its culture was siloed and competitive, and it had missed key shifts in the tech industry, such as the rise of mobile computing. The company was in a state of internal turmoil, lacking a unified vision to guide it through the ongoing disruption. New leadership was needed to redefine the company’s direction and reignite innovation.

The Purpose-Driven Strategy:

When Satya Nadella became CEO, he didn’t start with a new product strategy; he started with purpose. He re-framed Microsoft’s mission to “empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” This purpose was intentionally broad and human-centered. It was a clear departure from the company’s past focus on “putting a computer on every desk.” This new North Star guided every subsequent strategic decision, from embracing open-source software and cloud computing to acquiring LinkedIn and GitHub. The purpose served as a unifying force, helping different business units collaborate and innovate together. It allowed the company to pivot into new markets with a clear sense of direction, moving beyond its traditional software dominance.

The Results:

Nadella’s purpose-driven leadership led to a remarkable cultural and business renaissance at Microsoft. The company’s stock price soared, and it regained its position as a global technology leader. By using a clear and human-centered purpose as its guide, Microsoft was able to navigate the complex and disruptive tech landscape with newfound clarity and agility. This case study demonstrates how a renewed sense of purpose, when effectively communicated and integrated into the culture, can act as a powerful engine for change, enabling a large organization to reinvent itself and thrive in a period of intense disruption.

Key Insight: Reclaiming and re-framing an organization’s purpose can serve as the most effective catalyst for a large-scale cultural transformation and business revitalization.

Making Purpose Your Guiding Light

In an era of relentless disruption, a clearly defined purpose is no longer a luxury—it is an essential strategic asset. It provides the clarity needed to make tough decisions, the inspiration required to foster innovation, and the resilience necessary to weather any storm. As leaders, our role is not just to set a course, but to articulate a compelling “why” that will serve as our collective North Star. By putting purpose at the center of our strategy, we can move from being passive observers of change to active agents of a future we are all proud to create.

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.

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Helping Your Workforce Thrive Amidst Uncertainty

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From Resistance to Resilience

Helping Your Workforce Thrive Amidst Uncertainty

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In a world defined by constant change—where market shifts, technological disruptions, and economic volatility are the new normal—the traditional approach to managing change is failing. We often view employee resistance as a barrier to be overcome, a problem to be solved through better communication or more stringent mandates. But what if we re-frame the narrative? Instead of fighting resistance, what if we focused on building resilience? The most successful organizations today understand that their greatest asset is a workforce that can not only cope with uncertainty but thrive in it. This requires a human-centered approach that moves beyond simple change management to true human-centered transformation.

The natural human reaction to change is often fear, anxiety, and a feeling of loss of control. This isn’t resistance for its own sake; it’s a deeply human response to a perceived threat. Trying to push past this without addressing the underlying emotions is like trying to drive a car with the brakes on. A resilient workforce, by contrast, is one that has the psychological safety, emotional intelligence, and adaptive skills to navigate turbulent times. It’s a group of people who see uncertainty not as a threat, but as an opportunity to learn, grow, and innovate. Building this resilience requires a profound shift in leadership mindset and a focus on cultivating a culture of trust and support.

Helping your workforce move from resistance to resilience involves a strategic and empathetic approach. Key elements of this human-centered blueprint include:

Cultivating Psychological Safety: Creating an environment where employees feel safe to express concerns, admit mistakes, and experiment without fear of punishment. Psychological safety is the bedrock of resilience, enabling risk-taking and learning.
Empowering Autonomy: Giving employees a sense of control over their work and their schedules. Autonomy is a powerful antidote to the feeling of helplessness that often accompanies uncertainty.
Prioritizing Well-being: Recognizing that resilience is a product of physical and mental health. Providing resources and actively encouraging rest, mindfulness, and work-life balance are no longer optional—they are strategic necessities.
Fostering a Growth Mindset: Shifting the organizational narrative from one of fixed skills and outcomes to one of continuous learning and development. A growth mindset allows individuals to view challenges as opportunities for skill-building.
Communicating with Radical Transparency: Being honest and open about the reasons for change, the potential risks, and the vision for the future. Transparency builds trust, and trust is the currency of resilience.

Case Study 1: The Transformation of Adobe’s Performance Review System

The Challenge: A Rigid and Demoralizing Performance Management System

For years, Adobe, like many other large companies, relied on a traditional, annual performance review system. This process, often referred to as “stack ranking,” was time-consuming, demotivating, and created a culture of internal competition rather than collaboration. It was a source of fear and anxiety, especially during periods of company-wide change, and it stifled the very creativity and innovation that a company like Adobe depends on.

The Human-Centered Solution:

In 2012, Adobe’s leadership decided to scrap the traditional system entirely. They replaced it with a new, human-centered approach called “Check-ins.” This system prioritized continuous, informal conversations between managers and employees, with a focus on coaching, feedback, and goal alignment. The new model was designed to foster a growth mindset, empowering employees to take ownership of their development and focus on learning from mistakes. It was a direct response to a rigid system that was causing resistance and burnout. By eliminating the fear and stress associated with traditional reviews, Adobe aimed to build a more resilient workforce that could adapt and innovate more freely.

The Results:

The results were transformative. The new system led to a significant increase in employee engagement, a decrease in voluntary turnover, and a noticeable boost in productivity. Employees reported feeling more valued, and managers were able to provide more timely and constructive feedback. The shift demonstrates that by removing a source of fear and replacing it with a human-centered system built on trust and continuous learning, an organization can transform its culture and foster a profound sense of resilience among its employees. It was a clear case of designing a system that empowered people to thrive, rather than just survive, amidst a culture of change.

Key Insight: Removing rigid and fear-based systems and replacing them with human-centered, trust-based models can dramatically increase employee engagement and build organizational resilience.

Case Study 2: Patagonia’s Commitment to Employee Well-being and Activism

The Challenge: Navigating a Highly Competitive and Uncertain Retail Market

Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company, operates in a global retail market characterized by intense competition and significant supply chain uncertainties. To navigate this volatility, Patagonia has consciously chosen to build a resilient workforce by prioritizing employee well-being and a shared sense of purpose. Instead of pushing employees to their limits for short-term gains, the company invests in their long-term health and emotional connection to the brand’s mission.

The Human-Centered Solution:

Patagonia’s strategy for resilience is built on several key pillars. They offer on-site childcare, flexible work schedules, and a unique “environmental internship” program where employees can work for environmental non-profits for up to two months, all while receiving their regular pay and benefits. The company’s commitment to radical transparency is also a core part of its culture, openly communicating its supply chain practices, successes, and failures. This fosters a sense of trust and shared purpose, connecting the workforce to something bigger than their daily tasks. By empowering employees with autonomy and a sense of shared purpose, Patagonia has created a highly engaged and resilient team that is willing to adapt and innovate in the face of market shifts.

The Results:

Patagonia consistently ranks as one of the best companies to work for, and its employees are deeply loyal and committed to the brand. This high level of engagement translates into a strong ability to withstand market pressures. When faced with economic downturns or supply chain disruptions, Patagonia’s workforce is not only more resilient but also more creative and proactive in finding solutions. The case of Patagonia demonstrates that a focus on human well-being, purpose, and trust is not a trade-off for performance but is, in fact, the most powerful driver of long-term organizational resilience and success. It proves that by investing in people, you build a foundation strong enough to weather any storm.

Key Insight: Building a culture of purpose and well-being, rather than a culture of constant pressure, is the most effective way to foster a resilient and adaptable workforce.

The Path to a Resilient Future

The days of managing change through top-down mandates are over. The future belongs to leaders who understand that resilience is not a trait to be hired for, but a muscle to be developed through a human-centered approach. By cultivating psychological safety, prioritizing well-being, empowering autonomy, and communicating with transparency, you can move your workforce from a state of fear and resistance to one of strength and adaptability. The journey to resilience begins by putting people—and their needs—at the very heart of your change strategy. This is not just a better way to manage change; it is the only way to ensure your organization is equipped to thrive in the uncertain decades ahead.

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Preparing for Multiple Futures, Not Just One

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Scenario Planning

Preparing for Multiple Futures, Not Just One

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

From my perspective here in the United States, but working with organizations around the world as they navigate an increasingly uncertain world, I’ve observed a common pitfall: a tendency to plan for a single, most likely future. While forecasting and strategic planning are essential, relying on a singular prediction can leave businesses vulnerable to unexpected disruptions and missed opportunities. The antidote to this rigidity lies in the power of scenario planning – a human-centered approach to exploring multiple plausible futures, allowing us to develop more robust strategies and foster a mindset of adaptability and innovation.

Scenario planning is not about predicting the future with certainty; that is an exercise in futility. Instead, it’s about envisioning a range of potential futures, each based on a different set of key uncertainties and driving forces. By developing these diverse scenarios, we can stress-test our current strategies, identify potential risks and opportunities that we might otherwise overlook, and ultimately become more resilient and agile in the face of change. It’s a crucial tool for fostering strategic foresight and building organizations that are prepared to thrive, no matter what the future holds. This proactive approach moves us beyond reactive problem-solving to a position of informed anticipation and proactive adaptation.

A human-centered approach to scenario planning emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives and collaborative engagement. It involves bringing together individuals from different departments, backgrounds, and levels within an organization to contribute their unique insights and challenge assumptions. This collaborative process fosters a deeper understanding of the complexities of the future and builds collective ownership of the resulting strategies. Key steps in effective scenario planning include:

Identifying Key Uncertainties: Brainstorming the critical factors that could significantly impact the organization’s future, such as technological advancements, economic shifts, regulatory changes, and social trends.
Developing Plausible Scenarios: Grouping these uncertainties into coherent and contrasting narratives of potential futures. Each scenario should be distinct and internally consistent.
Analyzing the Implications: Evaluating how each scenario would impact the organization’s current strategies, operations, and goals. Identifying potential risks and opportunities within each future.
Developing Adaptive Strategies: Formulating actions and strategies that would be effective across a range of different scenarios, enhancing the organization’s resilience and flexibility.
Monitoring and Adapting: Continuously tracking the key indicators that might signal which scenario is unfolding and being prepared to adjust strategies accordingly.

Case Study 1: Shell’s Pioneering Work in Scenario Planning

The Challenge: Navigating the Volatile and Unpredictable Energy Sector

In the 1970s, Shell, a major global energy company, faced significant uncertainty due to oil crises and geopolitical instability. Traditional forecasting methods proved inadequate in such a turbulent environment. Recognizing the limitations of predicting a single future, Shell’s leadership embraced scenario planning as a strategic tool to better understand and prepare for a range of possibilities.

The Scenario Planning Process:

Shell developed several distinct scenarios, such as “The Crisis of the Seven Sisters” (focusing on the power of OPEC) and “The Slowdown” (exploring a period of economic stagnation). These scenarios were not predictions but rather carefully crafted narratives based on different assumptions about key drivers like oil prices, political events, and technological developments. By rigorously analyzing the implications of each scenario, Shell was able to identify potential vulnerabilities and develop more robust strategies. For example, their early scenario planning helped them anticipate the oil shocks of the 1970s and respond more effectively than many of their competitors. They also developed a deeper understanding of the long-term trends shaping the energy landscape.

The Impact and Key Insight:

Shell’s long-standing commitment to scenario planning has been credited with helping the company navigate numerous periods of uncertainty and maintain a strong strategic position in the energy sector. Their ability to think systematically about multiple futures has fostered a culture of adaptability and foresight. Shell’s experience demonstrates that scenario planning is not just a theoretical exercise but a practical tool that can provide a significant competitive advantage in industries characterized by volatility and complexity. The key insight is that by exploring a range of plausible futures, organizations can develop more resilient strategies and avoid being blindsided by unexpected events.

Key Insight: Scenario planning enables organizations to anticipate and prepare for a range of potential futures, enhancing their resilience and strategic agility in volatile environments.

Case Study 2: A Regional Hospital System Preparing for Healthcare Transformation

The Challenge: Adapting to Evolving Healthcare Regulations, Technologies, and Patient Needs

A regional hospital system in the Pacific Northwest faced a complex and rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Uncertainties included potential shifts in government regulations, the emergence of new medical technologies, evolving patient expectations for convenience and personalized care, and the increasing pressure to control costs. Relying solely on traditional strategic planning, which often projects current trends into the future, felt insufficient to prepare for such a dynamic environment.

The Scenario Planning Process:

The hospital system engaged a diverse group of stakeholders, including physicians, nurses, administrators, and even patient representatives, in a scenario planning workshop. They identified key uncertainties such as the pace of technological adoption (e.g., telehealth, AI in diagnostics), the future of healthcare funding models, and shifts in patient demographics and preferences. This led to the development of several distinct scenarios, such as “Tech-Driven Care” (emphasizing remote monitoring and AI-assisted diagnostics), “Value-Based Healthcare” (focusing on outcomes and cost efficiency), and “Patient-Centric Ecosystems” (highlighting integrated and personalized care experiences). For each scenario, the team analyzed the potential impact on their service delivery models, infrastructure needs, workforce planning, and financial sustainability. They then brainstormed adaptive strategies that would allow them to succeed in multiple future contexts, such as investing in digital health infrastructure, developing flexible care delivery models, and fostering partnerships with community health organizations.

The Impact and Key Insight:

The scenario planning process helped the hospital system develop a more nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead. It fostered a shared sense of awareness and urgency among stakeholders and led to the identification of strategic priorities that were robust across multiple potential futures. For example, they accelerated their investments in telehealth capabilities and began exploring value-based care models, recognizing that these were likely trends regardless of the specific regulatory or technological landscape that ultimately unfolded. The key insight from this case is that scenario planning, when approached collaboratively and with a focus on human needs and potential disruptions, can empower organizations to make more informed strategic decisions and build greater resilience in the face of uncertainty.

Key Insight: Collaborative scenario planning, involving diverse stakeholders, can help organizations in complex and uncertain sectors like healthcare develop robust strategies that are adaptable to a range of potential futures.

Embracing a Future-Ready Mindset

Across the globe, the pace of change is only accelerating. Organizations that cling to a single view of the future risk being caught unprepared. Scenario planning offers a powerful, human-centered approach to navigate this uncertainty. By embracing the possibility of multiple futures and proactively developing adaptive strategies, we can move beyond simply reacting to events and instead shape a more resilient and innovative future for our organizations and the communities we serve. It’s about cultivating a future-ready mindset – one that embraces uncertainty, fosters collaboration, and prepares us not for one future, but for many.

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.

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Tell the Truth, Even When It’s Hard

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Tell the Truth, Even When It's Hard

GUEST POST from Mike Shipulski

Our behavior is a result of causes and conditions. One thing paves the way for the next. Elements of the first thing create a preferential path for the next thing. If someone gets praised for doing A, more people will do A, even when A is the wrong behavior. If someone gets chastised for doing B, B won’t happen again, even when B is the right behavior.

The most troubling set of causes and conditions are those that block people from telling their truth. When everyone knows it’s a bad idea, but no one is willing to say it out loud, that’s a big problem. In fact, it may be the biggest problem.

When people think they won’t be taken seriously, they keep their truth to themselves. When people know they will be dismissed, they keep quiet. When people feel the situation is hopeless because there’s no way they’ll be listened to, they say nothing.

When people see others not taken seriously, that creates conditions for future truths to be withheld. When people see others being dismissed, that creates conditions for future truths to be kept quiet. When people see others in others from not being listened to, that creates conditions for future truths to remain unsaid.

And causes and conditions are self-strengthening. The more causes and conditions are reinforced, the more the behaviors become ingrained. The more people are stifled, the more they will keep quiet. The more people are dismissed, the more they’ll shut up. The more people’s truths are ignored, the more they’ll remain unsaid.

Here are three rules for truth-telling that will help you and your company move forward:

Without truth-telling, there can be no truth-telling.
The longer truth-telling is stifled, the harder it is for truth-telling to reemerge.
Truth-telling begets truth-telling.

Image credit — Jinterwas

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Designing for Impact

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How to Measure Success in Human-Centered Projects

Designing for Impact - How to Measure Success in Human-Centered Projects

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

As I engage with organizations striving for meaningful innovation, a recurring question arises: how do we truly measure the success of human-centered projects? Too often, we fall back on traditional metrics like ROI or efficiency gains, which, while important, fail to capture the full impact of designs rooted in human needs and aspirations. Designing for impact requires a more nuanced and holistic approach to measurement, one that considers not just the bottom line, but also the positive changes we create in people’s lives and the world around us.

Human-centered design is, at its core, about creating solutions that are desirable, feasible, and viable. While viability often translates to traditional business metrics, desirability and feasibility are deeply intertwined with human outcomes. Did the solution genuinely address the users’ needs? Did it improve their experience? Did it empower them in some way? These are the questions that should drive our measurement of success. Simply launching a product or implementing a service isn’t the finish line; the true measure lies in the positive change it generates for the people it’s intended to serve. This requires a shift from measuring outputs to measuring outcomes, and even further, to measuring impact on human lives and well-being.

To effectively measure the success of human-centered projects, we need to develop a comprehensive framework that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data. This framework should consider the following dimensions:

User Satisfaction and Experience: Gathering feedback directly from users about their experience with the solution, using methods like surveys, interviews, and usability testing.
Behavioral Changes: Observing and measuring changes in user behavior as a result of the implemented solution. Are they adopting it? Are they using it in the intended way? Is it leading to desired actions?
Impact on Goals: Assessing how the solution contributes to the users’ individual or collective goals. Is it helping them achieve what they set out to do more effectively or efficiently?
Broader Societal and Environmental Impact: Evaluating the wider consequences of the solution, considering its effects on the community, the environment, and overall well-being.
Long-Term Value and Sustainability: Assessing the long-term viability and positive impact of the solution over time. Is it creating lasting change?

Case Study 1: Redesigning Public Services for Citizen Well-being

The Challenge: Low Citizen Engagement and Inefficient Service Delivery

A local government in a neighboring region was facing low citizen engagement with its online services and persistent inefficiencies in service delivery. Residents found the online portals confusing and difficult to navigate, leading to frustration and increased calls to already strained customer service lines. The “traditional” success metrics focused on website traffic and the number of transactions processed online, but these metrics didn’t reflect the actual experience or satisfaction of the citizens.

The Human-Centered Approach and Measurement:

The government adopted a human-centered design approach to redesign its online services. This involved extensive user research, including interviews and usability testing with residents of diverse backgrounds and tech savviness. The redesign focused on creating intuitive navigation, clear language, and a user-friendly interface. To measure success, they went beyond website analytics. They implemented satisfaction surveys integrated directly into the online portals, conducted follow-up interviews to understand the impact on citizens’ lives (e.g., time saved, reduced stress), and tracked the decrease in calls to customer service. They also looked at the behavioral changes, such as the increased adoption rate of online services for tasks that previously required in-person visits. The “impact on goals” was measured by how effectively citizens could now access and complete necessary tasks online.

The Results:

The redesigned online services saw a significant increase in user satisfaction scores (measured through the integrated surveys and interviews). There was a marked decrease in calls to customer service, freeing up resources for more complex issues. Citizen adoption of online services for key tasks increased substantially, indicating a positive behavioral change. Ultimately, the project’s success was measured not just by the efficiency gains for the government, but by the improved ease and convenience for the citizens, leading to a greater sense of civic engagement and well-being. The long-term value was evident in the sustained high satisfaction rates and the reduced burden on traditional service channels.

Key Insight: Measuring the success of public service design requires focusing on citizen satisfaction, behavioral changes in service adoption, and the impact on their ability to access and utilize essential resources.

Case Study 2: Developing Assistive Technology for Enhanced Independence

The Challenge: Creating Technology that Truly Empowers Individuals with Disabilities

A local non-profit organization was dedicated to developing assistive technologies for individuals with physical disabilities. Their initial attempts focused on technical feasibility, but the adoption rates were lower than expected. The devices, while functional, didn’t always align with the users’ specific needs or integrate seamlessly into their daily lives. The organization realized they needed a more human-centered approach to their design and measurement of success.

The Human-Centered Approach and Measurement:

The organization shifted its focus to deeply understanding the needs and aspirations of the individuals they aimed to serve. They conducted extensive ethnographic research, spending time with potential users in their homes and communities to observe their daily routines and challenges. Based on this research, they co-created new assistive technology solutions with users, incorporating their feedback at every stage of the design process. To measure success, they focused on the “impact on goals”—how the technology enhanced the users’ independence, autonomy, and quality of life. They collected qualitative data through in-depth interviews and longitudinal studies, tracking changes in the users’ ability to perform daily tasks, participate in social activities, and pursue their personal interests. They also looked for behavioral changes, such as increased engagement in activities they were previously unable to do. While sales figures were a factor for sustainability, the primary measure of success was the tangible improvement in the lives and independence of the individuals it serves.

The Results:

The human-centered approach led to the development of assistive technologies that were not only functional but also truly desirable and integrated seamlessly into the users’ lives. The qualitative data revealed significant improvements in the users’ independence, self-esteem, and overall well-being. They reported being able to perform tasks more easily, participate more fully in their communities, and experience a greater sense of control over their lives. The long-term value was evident in the sustained use of the technologies and the ongoing positive impact on the users’ daily experiences. This case highlights that in the realm of assistive technology, success is best measured by the tangible improvements in the lives and independence of the individuals it serves.

Key Insight: In assistive technology and similar fields, the most critical measures of success are the qualitative improvements in users’ independence, well-being, and ability to achieve their personal goals.

Moving Beyond Traditional Metrics

As we continue to champion human-centered innovation, it’s crucial that we evolve our definition of success. By embracing a more holistic and human-centric approach to measurement, we can gain a deeper understanding of the true impact of our work. This involves actively listening to the voices of those we serve, observing changes in their behavior, and evaluating the broader societal and environmental consequences of our solutions. Ultimately, designing for impact means focusing on creating positive and lasting change in the lives of people and contributing to a more humane and sustainable future. It’s about moving beyond simply delivering a solution to creating meaningful and measurable impact.

Image credit: Gemini

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Avoiding An Unamazing Customer Experience

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Avoiding An Unamazing Customer Experience

GUEST POST from Shep Hyken

NICE isn’t just the right way to treat people. It’s the name of a software company that specializes in helping businesses improve their customer and agent experience. NICE has analyzed billions of customer interactions to better understand customer behavior. They know what customers like and dislike. They know what frustrates customer support agents and what gets them excited about helping their customers. But often, it’s not an agent experience that gets customers to come back.

A recent study from NICE found that 81% of consumers today start with a digital channel when they have a question, a need or want to buy something. They don’t call the company. They go to a website, YouTube, Google search, etc. They want and expect the companies and brands they do business with to have answers readily available. What they don’t want is to call a company, be placed on hold for what seems like an unreasonable period of time, talk to a rep who transfers them to another rep, etc., etc.

I recently interviewed Laura Bassett, Vice President of Product Marketing at NICE, and had a fascinating conversation about how customers’ expectations are changing. She said many experiences are unamazing. They simply disappoint, which doesn’t give a customer the incentive to come back for more. Bassett said NICE’s mission is to rid the world of unamazing customer experiences. Here are some of the nuggets of wisdom Bassett shared on how to do exactly that.

1. Customer experience is the entire journey.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that customer experience is customer support. It’s much more than that. While customer support is part of the experience, it really starts when a customer initiates a Google search, finds your company and interacts with your website. The service begins with how easy it is to do business with you regardless of where they are in the customer journey.

2. Customer experience involves every person in the business.

Just as customer experience includes the customer’s entire journey—not just when they reach out for customer support—it also involves every employee. If you aren’t dealing directly with a customer, you support someone who is or is part of the process that will impact the experience. Even people behind the scenes, who never interact with the customer, have impact on the experience. Everyone must understand their role and contribution to the customer experience.

3. Proactive communication is essential to the customer experience.

Companies know many of the questions that customers ask. So, why not be proactive about giving customers information before they have to make the effort to get answers? Bassett said, “Companies should understand and predict when they can answer a question before customers even realize they have it.”

4. Walk in your customer’s shoes.

This is an old expression, yet its meaning is timeless. You must understand what the customer is going through at every step of the journey. Then compare it to the experience you would want. When designing an experience that makes customers want to come back, think about what would make you come back. Is the experience your customers receive different than what you want?

5. Agents are consumers too.

Their expectations have accelerated. They compare what they should be able to deliver to what they experience with other businesses. When they have an amazing experience with another company, they want to repeat that experience for their own customers. They must be equipped with the tools to deliver what they consider to be an amazing experience.

6. Make your customer support agents knowledgeable.

This is a great follow-up to No. 5. Help them understand that they don’t have to follow a script when it is unnecessary. They don’t want to feel held back. They don’t want to feel over-managed or under-enabled. After you hire good people and train them well, you should empower them to do their job. Bassett said, “Turn agents into customer service executives who can really own that experience.”

7. Amazing customer service doesn’t need to have fireworks.

Seamless and simple wins every time. This is the perfect concept to close out this article. Nothing shared in this article is rocket science. It’s common sense. It’s what every customer wants. To be amazing, you don’t have to go over the top and WOW the customer with the most incredible service they have ever experienced. Delivering the simple and seamless actually creates the WOW factor so many businesses believe is unattainable. Just be easy. Eliminate friction. Easy and seamless isn’t that hard—and for customers, it’s the opposite of unamazing!

This article originally appeared on Forbes

Image Credit: Shep Hyken

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Crafting Your Change Story

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A Blueprint for Influence

Crafting Your Change Story

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

From my work around the world, guiding organizations through transformative journeys, I’ve learned a fundamental truth: change, no matter how necessary or beneficial, is rarely embraced without a compelling narrative. Data, logic, and strategic plans are crucial, but they often fail to move hearts and minds. The secret to influencing others and driving meaningful adoption lies in crafting a powerful change story – a narrative that resonates emotionally, clarifies the need for change, and paints a vivid picture of a desirable future.

Human beings are wired for stories. Narratives help us make sense of the world, connect with others, and find meaning in complex situations. A well-crafted change story does more than just communicate information; it builds empathy, overcomes resistance, and inspires action. It answers the fundamental questions people have when faced with change: Why is this happening? What’s in it for me? What will the future look like? And how can I be a part of it? Without a compelling story, even the most well-intentioned change initiatives can falter and fail.

Crafting an effective change story is a human-centered endeavor. It requires us to understand the perspectives, fears, and aspirations of those we are trying to influence. It’s not about dictating a new reality, but about co-creating a shared understanding and a collective vision. A powerful change story typically includes the following elements:

The Current State: A clear and relatable picture of where things are now, highlighting the pain points or limitations that necessitate change.
The Inciting Incident: The catalyst or event that makes the need for change undeniable.
The Vision of the Future: A compelling and aspirational depiction of what the future will look like after the change is successfully implemented, emphasizing the benefits and opportunities.
The Journey: A roadmap outlining the steps involved in moving from the current state to the desired future, acknowledging potential challenges and offering reassurance.
The Call to Action: A clear and concise request for individuals to get involved and contribute to the change.

Case Study 1: Satya Nadella’s Transformation of Microsoft

The Challenge: Reversing a Stagnant Culture and Declining Innovation

In the early 2010s, Microsoft, once a dominant force in technology, was perceived as stagnant and out of touch. Its culture was often described as competitive and siloed, hindering collaboration and stifling innovation. The company’s stock price had plateaued, and it was missing out on key emerging trends like mobile and cloud computing. The need for a significant shift in direction and culture was evident.

The Change Story:

When Satya Nadella took over as CEO in 2014, he didn’t just issue a new strategic plan; he crafted a compelling change story centered around empathy, a growth mindset, and empowering others. He painted a picture of a future where Microsoft was not just about Windows, but about empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. He spoke openly about the need to move from a “know-it-all” culture to a “learn-it-all” culture, emphasizing continuous learning and collaboration. He highlighted the missed opportunities of the past (the current state) and articulated a vision of a more open, collaborative, and innovative Microsoft (the vision of the future). His actions, such as embracing Linux and open-source technologies, served as powerful “inciting incidents” that demonstrated his commitment to this new direction. The “journey” involved fostering a culture of experimentation and empowering employees to take risks. His consistent communication and focus on shared goals acted as a continuous “call to action.”

The Results:

Nadella’s change story resonated deeply within Microsoft and with the broader tech community. The company underwent a significant cultural transformation, leading to renewed innovation in areas like cloud computing (Azure), AI, and gaming (Xbox). Microsoft’s stock price soared, and it re-established itself as a leader in the technology industry. His success demonstrates the power of a human-centered change story to inspire a large and complex organization to embrace a new identity and achieve remarkable results.

Key Insight: A compelling change story, rooted in empathy and a clear vision, can transform a stagnant culture and reignite innovation within a large organization.

Case Study 2: The Cleveland Clinic’s Patient-First Initiative

The Challenge: Enhancing Patient Experience and Outcomes in Healthcare

In the early 2000s, the Cleveland Clinic, a renowned medical center, recognized the need to move beyond a purely clinical focus and prioritize the overall patient experience. While known for its medical expertise, there was an opportunity to enhance the emotional and human aspects of patient care, leading to improved outcomes and greater patient satisfaction. The “current state” involved patients often feeling like a number rather than an individual with unique needs and concerns.

The Change Story:

The leadership at Cleveland Clinic embarked on a “Patients First” initiative, crafting a powerful change story that emphasized empathy, communication, and a holistic approach to care. The “inciting incident” was the growing recognition that excellent medical treatment alone was not enough; patients needed to feel heard, respected, and supported throughout their healthcare journey. The “vision of the future” was a healthcare system where every patient felt valued, informed, and cared for as an individual. The “journey” involved training staff in empathy and communication skills, redesigning processes to be more patient-centered, and empowering caregivers to go the extra mile. Stories of exceptional patient care were regularly shared and celebrated, reinforcing the “call to action” for every employee to embrace this new philosophy. The leadership consistently communicated the message that a focus on the patient experience was not just the right thing to do, but also essential for maintaining the Clinic’s reputation and attracting patients.

The Results:

The “Patients First” initiative led to significant improvements in patient satisfaction scores, increased employee engagement, and a stronger sense of purpose among caregivers. The Cleveland Clinic reinforced its reputation as a leader in patient care, attracting patients from around the world. This case study highlights how a human-centered change story focused on empathy and a shared commitment to a core value (patients first) can transform a complex service organization and lead to tangible improvements in both the human experience and organizational outcomes.

Key Insight: A change story that prioritizes empathy and focuses on a shared value can transform a service-oriented organization and significantly enhance the customer or patient experience.

Your Blueprint for Influence

Crafting your change story is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process of communication, adaptation, and reinforcement. By understanding the power of narrative and focusing on the human element of change, you can move beyond simply announcing a new direction to truly inspiring a movement. Whether you are leading a small team or a large organization here in the United States or across the globe, remember that every successful change begins with a story that resonates, connects, and compels action. Take the time to craft your narrative, listen to your audience, and lead with empathy. The blueprint for influence lies within the power of your story.

Image credit: Pixabay

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Scaling New Heights – Building Resilience

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Scaling New Heights – Building Resilience

GUEST POST from Teresa Spangler

“I just love it when people say I can’t do it, there’s nothing that makes me feel better, because all my life, people have said that I wasn’t going to make it.” -Ted Turner

Resilience is what allows us to scale new heights. It is the strength that comes from within, the power to push forward in the face of adversity. Resilience is what allows us to confront our fears and overcome challenges. Resilience is what allows us to build something great. When we are resilient, we are able to tap into our innermost strength and power. We are able to align our team and work together towards a common goal. We are able to face our challenges head-on and emerge victorious. Companies that continually work on building resilient processes, people and continue to innovate scale new heights.

Resilience and innovation are two critical components of any successful organization. Resilience helps organizations withstand and bounce back from challenges, while innovation allows them to proactively identify and seize new opportunities. However, too often these two functions are siloed within organizations, with little connection between them. To build a stronger relationship between innovation and resilience, leaders need to create a culture of collaboration and openness that values diversity and alignment. By fostering a culture of collaboration, leaders can encourage teams to share ideas and perspectives, leading to more innovative thinking. And by valuing diversity and alignment, leaders can ensure that all voices are heard and that everyone is working towards the same goal. When innovation and resilience are properly connected, organizations are better able to weather any challenge and emerge even stronger.

As the world increasingly becomes more VUCA – volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous – organizations must build their resilience in order to thrive. Here are five strategies that organizations can use to encourage imagination, scenario planning, break processes, and throw out old assumptions:

Encourage imagination: One way to encourage imagination is to encourage employees to think outside the box. This can be done by encouraging them to come up with new ideas, and by providing opportunities for them to experiment and try new things.

Scenario planning: Another strategy that can be used is scenario planning. This involves thinking about different possible future outcomes, and making plans accordingly. This can help organizations be better prepared for unexpected events.

Break processes: Another way to build resilience is to break processes. This means breaking away from traditional ways of doing things, and instead being open to new ways of doing things. Sometimes, this may mean taking risks, but it can also lead to new opportunities.

Throw out old assumptions: Finally, another strategy for building resilience is to throw out old assumptions. This means questioning long-held beliefs, and being willing to embrace new ideas. By doing this, organizations can stay flexible.

Image credit: Pixabay

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The Morality of Machines

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Ethical AI in an Age of Rapid Development

The Morality of Machines

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In the breathless race to develop and deploy artificial intelligence, we are often mesmerized by what machines can do, without pausing to critically examine what they should do. As a human-centered change and innovation thought leader, I believe the greatest challenge of our time is not technological, but ethical. The tools we are building are not neutral; they are reflections of our own data, biases, and values. The true mark of a responsible innovator in this era will be the ability to embed morality into the very code of our creations, ensuring that AI serves humanity rather than compromises it.

The speed of AI development is staggering. From generative models that create art and text to algorithms that inform hiring decisions and medical diagnoses, AI is rapidly becoming an invisible part of our daily lives. But with this power comes immense responsibility. The decisions an AI makes, based on the data it is trained on and the objectives it is given, have real-world consequences for individuals and society. A biased algorithm can perpetuate and amplify discrimination. An opaque one can erode trust. A poorly designed one can lead to catastrophic errors. We are at a crossroads, and our choices today will determine the ethical landscape of tomorrow.

Building ethical AI is not a checkbox; it is a continuous, human-centered practice. It demands that we move beyond a purely technical mindset and integrate a robust framework for ethical inquiry into every stage of the development process. This means:

Bias Auditing: Proactively identifying and mitigating biases in training data to ensure that AI systems are fair and equitable for all users.
Transparency and Explainability: Designing AI systems that can explain their reasoning and decisions in a way that is understandable to humans, fostering trust and accountability.
Human Oversight: Ensuring that there is always a human in the loop, especially for high-stakes decisions, to override AI judgments and provide essential context and empathy.
Privacy by Design: Building privacy protections into AI systems from the ground up, minimizing data collection and ensuring sensitive information is handled with the utmost care.
Societal Impact Assessment: Consistently evaluating the potential second and third-order effects of an AI system on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

Case Study 1: The Bias of AI in Hiring

The Challenge: Automating the Recruitment Process

A major technology company, in an effort to streamline its hiring process, developed an AI-powered tool to screen resumes and identify top candidates. The goal was to increase efficiency and remove human bias from the initial selection process. The AI was trained on a decade’s worth of past hiring data, which included a history of successful hires.

The Ethical Failure:

The company soon discovered a critical flaw: the AI was exhibiting a clear gender bias, systematically penalizing resumes that included the word “women’s” or listed attendance at women’s colleges. The algorithm, having been trained on historical data where a majority of successful applicants were male, had learned to associate male-dominated resumes with success. It was not a conscious bias, but a learned one, and it was perpetuating and amplifying the very bias the company was trying to eliminate. The AI was a mirror, reflecting the historical inequities of the company’s past hiring practices. Without human-centered ethical oversight, the technology was making the problem worse.

The Results:

The company had to scrap the project. The case became a cautionary tale, highlighting the critical importance of bias auditing and the fact that AI is only as good as the data it is trained on. It showed that simply automating a process does not make it fair. Instead, it can embed and scale existing inequities at an unprecedented rate. The experience led the company to implement a rigorous ethical review board for all future AI projects, with a specific focus on diversity and inclusion.

Key Insight: AI trained on historical data can perpetuate and scale existing human biases, making proactive bias auditing a non-negotiable step in the development process.

Case Study 2: Autonomous Vehicles and the Trolley Problem

The Challenge: Making Life-and-Death Decisions

The development of autonomous vehicles (AVs) presents one of the most complex ethical challenges of our time. While AI can significantly reduce human-caused accidents, there are inevitable scenarios where an AV will have to make a split-second decision in a no-win situation. This is a real-world application of the “Trolley Problem”: should the car swerve to save its passenger, or should it prioritize the lives of pedestrians?

The Ethical Dilemma:

This is a problem with no easy answer, and it forces us to confront our own values and biases. The AI must be programmed with a moral framework, but whose? A utilitarian framework would prioritize the greatest good for the greatest number, while a deontological framework might prioritize the preservation of the passenger’s life. The choices a programmer makes have profound ethical and legal implications. Furthermore, the public’s trust in AVs hinges on its understanding of how they will behave in these extreme circumstances. An AI that operates as an ethical black box will never gain full public acceptance.

The Results:

The challenge has led to a global conversation about ethical AI. Car manufacturers, tech companies, and governments are now collaborating to create ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks. Projects like MIT’s Moral Machine have collected millions of human responses to hypothetical scenarios, providing invaluable data on our collective moral intuitions. While a definitive solution remains elusive, the process has forced the industry to move beyond just building a functional machine and to address the foundational ethical questions of safety, responsibility, and human trust. It has made it clear that for AI to be successful in our society, it must be developed with a clear and transparent moral compass.

Key Insight: When AI is tasked with making life-and-death decisions, its ethical framework must be transparent and aligned with human values, requiring a collaborative effort from technologists, ethicists, and policymakers.

The Path Forward: Building a Moral Compass for AI

The morality of machines is not an abstract philosophical debate; it is a practical challenge that innovators must confront today. The case studies above are powerful reminders that building ethical AI is not an optional add-on but a fundamental requirement for creating technology that is both safe and beneficial. The future of AI is not just about what we can build, but about what we choose to build. It’s about having the courage to slow down, ask the hard questions, and embed our best human values—fairness, empathy, and responsibility—into the very core of our creations. It is the only way to ensure that the tools we design serve to elevate humanity, rather than to diminish it.

Image credit: Gemini

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Making Innovation the Way We Do Business (easy as ABC)

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Making Innovation the Way We Do Business (easy as ABC)

GUEST POST from Robyn Bolton

“We need to be more innovative.”

How many times have you said or heard that? It’s how most innovation efforts start. It’s a statement that reflects leaders’ genuine desire to return to the “good ol’ days” when the company routinely created and launched new products and enjoyed the publicity and growth that followed.

But what does it mean to be more innovative?

Innovation’s ABCs

A is for Architecture

Architecture includes most of the elements people think of when they start the work to become more innovative – strategy, structure, processes, metrics, governance, and incentives.

Each of these elements answers fundamental questions:

Strategy: Why is innovation important? How does it contribute to our overall strategy?
Structure: Who does the work of innovation?
Process: How is the work done?
Metrics: How will we know when we’re successful? How will we measure progress?
Governance: Who makes decisions? How and when are decisions made?
Incentives: Why should people invest their time, money, and political capital? How will they be rewarded?

When it comes to your business, you can answer all these questions. The same is true if you’re serious about innovation. If you can’t answer the questions, you have work to do. If you don’t want to do the work, then you don’t want to be innovative. You want to look innovative*.

B is for Behavior

Innovation isn’t an idea problem. It’s a leadership problem.

Leaders that talk about innovation, delegate it to subordinates and routinely pull resources from innovation to “shore up” current operations don’t want to be innovative. They want to look innovative.

Leaders who roll up their sleeves and work alongside innovation teams, ask questions and listen with open minds, and invest and protect innovation resources want to be innovative.

To be fair, it’s incredibly challenging to be a great leader of both innovation and operations. It’s the equivalent of writing equally well with your right and left hands. But it is possible. More importantly, it’s essential.

C is for Culture

Culture is invisible, pervasive, and personal. It is also the make-or-break factor for innovation because it surrounds innovation architecture, teams, and leaders.

Culture can expand to encourage and support exploration, creativity, and risk-taking. Or it can constrict, unleashing antibodies that swarm, suffocate, and kill anything that threatens the status quo.

Trying to control or change culture is like trying to hold water in your fist. But if you let go just a bit, create the right conditions, and wait patiently, change is possible.

Easy as 123

The most common mistake executives make in the pursuit of being “more innovative” is that they focus on only A or only B or only C. But, as I always tell my clients, the answer is “and, not or.”

Start with Architecture because it’s logical, rational, and produces tangible outputs like org charts, process flows, and instruction manuals filled with templates and tools. Architecture is comforting because it helps us know what to do and how.
Use Architecture to encourage Behavior because the best way to learn something is to do it. With Architecture in place (but well before it’s finished), bring leaders into the work – talking to customers, sharing their ideas, and creating prototypes. When leaders do the work of innovation, they quickly realize what’s possible (and what’s not) and are open to learning how to engage (behave) in a way that supports innovation.
Leverage Architecture and Behavior to engage Culture by creating the artifacts, rituals, and evidence that innovation can happen in your company, is happening and will continue to happen. As people see “innovation” evolve from a buzzword to a small investment to “the way we do business,” their skepticism will fade, and their support will grow.

Just like the Jackson 5 said

ABC, It’s easy a 123

Architecture, behavior, culture – they’re all essential to enabling an innovation capability that repeatedly creates new revenue.

And while starting with architecture, building new leadership behaviors, and investing until the culture changes isn’t easy, it’s the 123 steps required to “be more innovative.”

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

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