Out-running the Future
Building an organization that can change as fast as change itself
Ours is an age of upheaval. Knowledge is doubling every 36 months and new technologies like AI and robotics are advancing at a furious pace. In this environment, the most important question for any organization is this: “Are we changing as fast as the world around us?” Too often, the answer is “no.” Deep change, when it happens, is belated, episodic and convulsive. Most change initiatives are “catch-up” programs, not “get ahead” programs.
Change brings both promise and peril: promise for organizations that able to proactively reinvent themselves, and peril for those that aren’t. In this sense, change is a pitiless sorting mechanism, separating the swift from the lethargic. It’s essential, then, that every organization build an “adaptability advantage”—an ability to change as fast as change itself.
To that end, leaders must: (1) immerse themselves in the future; (2) build a culture that encourages dissent; (3) actively guard against denial (4) Identify the disruptive potential of emerging trends; (5) preemptively invest in platform skills and technologies; (6) create internal markets for talent and capital; and (7) radically simplify or eliminate internal systems and processes that thwart audacity and speed.
The goal is an organization that rushes out to meet the future, changes before it has too, is always on offense, and captures more than its share of new opportunities, and never suffers an unexpected earnings shock.
Gary can help your organization accelerate the pace of renewal.