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June 2022
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THE RIGHT CULTURE MIX2/18/2021 What's the relationship between creativity, innovation, change, and leadership?
Creativity: People don't stare at the unknown and wait for the 'aha' moment. They create new things out of old, and turn old things to new activities, services, or products. Innovation: People apply their creativity as solutions to daily problems. Innovation is not just a step up, but creating new out of nothing. Change: People have pragmatic expectations of changes in the organization and are willing to join into uncertainty which is a demonstration of commitment. Leadership: The change process is muddier than we all imagine it to be. Even muddier in the layered context of the pandemic. Leadership without doubt, provides a good lever to buffer against resistance and cooptation. If your organization is struggling to bring about a transition to better in the pandemic context, keep reiterating and don't stop until you get the culture right. Without fostering the right culture, creativity, innovation, change, and leadership will remain as idealized concepts. instead of transplanting new values, consider what shared unconscious beliefs are existing and double-dip on it. Hearts and minds follow emotions, not logic
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RUNNING INTO THE EDGE OF CHAOS1/27/2021 When everything is urgent, nothing is urgent.
When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Change efforts go by the wayside if there's not enough urgency within the organization to ensure that it will be given an undivided attention and resources it needs. Moving the strategic priorities into implementation requires consistent and constant pressure from management that understands strategic management. 85% of strategic plans do not get implemented. When the rubber hits the road, the tendency is to focus on the day-t0-day mundane issues, relegating the higher objectives into the backburner. This stop-and-go scenario will delay your progress and unconsciously reward inventing obstacles. Managers and leaders- stop treating all crisis as equal. You should know how to treat priorities as real priorities, or your employees will not believe another memo with an urgent stamp. It's not what they hear, it's what they see in action that gets believed.
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BEYOND RESILIENCE8/12/2020 Yesterday, I spoke at Trico Changemakers Studio and it was a delight to have a very engaging discussion with the members present.
What I observed about the resilience narrative is that they are based on patterns and a sense of predictability that is not present right now in a climate of ambiguity, uncertainty, complexity, and volatility. I have made a Beyond Resilience paradigm to show what we are missing out on many important themes. Insead of asking yourselves, are you ready to bring your kids to schools, ask about how education can be reimagined for the future generation. Instead of asking how can we solve homelessness together, why don't reimagine how the vulnerable population can be part of us, not something to be considered separate, different, and wanting? We asked the wrong questions therefore get the wrong answers. We need bold imagination for a future that is not what we desire, but we can thrive and build stronger. Let's start a conversation.
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WINNER TAKES ALL7/15/2020 Within my network of business executives and leaders who are doing well, I see two patterns of opportunity-seeking behavior that are important to underline in this time.
One is that they don't believe in palliative measures and don't look to outward signals to navigate their way out of the pandemic slump. They create their own metrics, dig into what they do best, and engage their peers and industry leaders to help them move strategically. The second pattern I observe is that these leaders believe with all of their hearts that investing and increasing their impacts is now, in spite and despite of the volatility of the markets. Waiting for the green signal from WHO, CDC, and other institutions to say that all is clear is like waiting for a new utopian society. Nobody knows what's going to happen next year, in two years, so on and so forth. Two organizations have embarked on a new expansion project for their facilities, upgraded their equipment and protocols, and increase their value as a result. Another organization had been relentless in deepening their connections with their stakeholders that it has become a mature and evolved center since the pandemic, offering never-been-conceived offerings and services, not just as a response to help, but a mission-laden value. The pandemic accelerated their transition from an underperforming asset to a powerhouse organization! A number of organizations have decided that hiring for the future but keeping with the responsibility of pandemic prevention is the way to go. There are powerful examples of not coasting along and resisting to just cope and endure. Beyond resilience, leaders must prepare for the inevitable-radical change that is now in our faces! What are you doing now to increase your value and impact to your customers and stakeholders? What is the winning mindset that you should adopt to enable you to thrive and not just endure the crisis?
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TAKING SHARP TURNS11/13/2019 For two weeks, I have been procrastinating in writing my manuscript.
I waited for external cues to tell me that I need to write now. I waited for that demand to come from elsewhere to tell me that I need to start now. I waited for the internal eureka to say that I am ready to write it. Of course, two weeks passed and I don't have anything to show. I should have at least 20-25 pages of material by now, or more. I could have enjoyed that momentum, I tell others to ride on and be carried forward. I could be on my way to the goal of being published! Just as I am learning that there is no reason to wait for anyone or anything. Setting aside that sacred time to write is a must. Writers write as farmers farm and dancers dance. There is no excuse that is great enough not to write. So now, I write, will write and will continue to write until this is done. And write some more! k here to edit.
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ENJOY THE PLATEAU MOMENTARILY11/11/2019 It's nice to reach a plateau.
You can have a break, walk around, smell the roses, enjoy the scenery, take some photos along the way, have a snack, and rest your legs after the long drive. But you can't stay too long. All plateaus lead to a decline. While staying there increases pleasure and comfort, it doesn't allow you to reach new heights where you can experience a different level of accomplishment- the next summit. Think about that in your organizational life and in your career trajectory. You might be in a plateau too long to figure out you are running circles and not moving an inch to your destination.
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GET A CAULDRON AND MIX THEM ALL10/4/2019 There are many approaches and methods that one can use to deal with a management issue. Not all of them, though can get you directly to the solution.
Some are too cumbersome, you don't even want to embark on the program. Even for the personal empowerment solutions, you wonder if the nine steps towards debt-free lifestyle can make you even broke! That nine steps or twelve stages will not get you closer to your destination unless you break it down and only use what is pragmatic for your situation. Blindly following the prescribed actions without considering if it is appropriate, value-adding, and practically easy to execute is wasting precious time and effort. Do the needful-get a big cauldron and mix them all. 1. What gets traction, has long-term promise & viability, and resonates well with the culture and direction of your organization? 2. Aside from costs, what time commitment and effort are involved? 3. Who is championing this and will ensure that things get done properly? If you find it difficult answering these questions, then you have yet to learn about the proposed solution and get your head down to work. Look for evergreen principles and eschew the fads and newer models. In five years, these will fade and you will be surprised Drucker's ideas are as relevant as fifty years ago! Go figure-:
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AFRAID TO LOSE?6/20/2019 Scarcity mentality in people is very dangerous. And if applied in organizations, it is doubly lethal.
It can cause organizations to be reactive, defensive, and insecure, hoarding the little asset they have thinking that it would protect them from the ravages of change. With little that they have, they are afraid to invest in strengthening their core and increasing their value, thereby getting stuck in diminishing returns. They are not ready to innovate, experiment, take prudent risks, change anything substantial because they are afraid to lose. Being afraid to lose instead of going for the win is what separates the winning organizations from those that have decided to stay behind and wait. |