14 Sep Dismounting from dead horses.
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence – it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”
– Peter Drucker
The world in which we find ourselves now in, is changing faster than at any other time in human history. Leadership just isn’t what it used to be. In our conversations, we see leaders struggling to lead or even admit that they’re struggling to lead. Part of the issue is that leaders seek simple solutions in a time of great complexity. This piece has therefore been written from a place of empathy. But before becoming adoptive, it’s expedient that we as leaders become reflective and understand the three fundamental forces causing the deepest structural changes in our world right now: technology, institutions and social values.
Technology: Never before has so much information been available to so many, so quickly. Unlike the past wherein information was power, hence guarded and protected, today information is only as valuable as it is shared. In 2018, IBM registered 9,100 patents; the most of any company in the world. Yet as far back as 2005, they’ve been regularly releasing some of their patents. In 2019, Tesla made all of its patents open source. Elon Musk’s Space Xs followed suit.
“Too many marketers assume that the future will hold back and wait until they’re ready for it… it won’t,” said futurist Faith Popcorn. Leaders failing to get a handle on the implications of these change drivers, are riding horses that have already perished in the starting stall.
Institutions: Centralised organisational models with their impressive hierarchies, chains of command and silo functions, are crumbling to make way for decentralised, open, flat structures. It’s a world where elephants must learn to be nimble, or perish. Legacy hierarchies reward longevity, experience, rank and authority. The titles and privileges this brings are indeed hard to part ways with.
Social values: The people who today walk through the doors and staff most workplaces, are those we often refer to as GenX, GenY or Millennials. Their behaviour and values stand in sharp contrast to those they share the workspace with. While they understand titles, positions and hierarchies, they see themselves as equal and valuable contributors, who will question authority at every turn, if it isn’t working for the good of others.
The new gen looks for change, flexibility, informality and information. Try dealing with a request to bring your pet cat to work. Not surprisingly, leaders continue to struggle with how best to attract, retain, motivate and reward this gen. The belief that they will get sorted ‘once they grow up,’ is a myth.
The new world of work is typified by unexpected happenings, constant change and fundamental lack of control. Doing nothing is not an option. The good news is, perspicacious leaders globally are already embracing a paradigm that has always worked… a change in mindset, to make sense of these disruptive times.
Listed below are pointers we can all adopt:
- Dismounting from the dead horse and riding the ponies in the direction they’re galloping.
- Adopting principles rather than best practices. They allow you all the flexibility you need.
- Practicing the three golden rules: unlearn, relearn, repeat.
- Realising that what got you here, won’t get you there.
- Embracing surprises, differences of opinion and diversity.
- Creating disruption and meaning instead of waiting for it.
- Communicating constantly. Listening incessantly.
What’s really as simple and as complex it can get, is summed up beautifully in these words:
“The thinking that created the problems we are facing will not generate the solutions that we need.”
– Albert Einstein
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