1. Address the unsustainable status quo

Embrace the unknown and adopt the humility required to challenge your mindsets and assumptions about your company, its current ways of working, the industry and what will result in success.

• Be open to learning.
• Lean into the emotions of anxiety, fear, and excitement.
• U...

The old model of predictability, stability and hierarchy was the norm in many organisations. However, stakeholders demand a more "organic" organisation where continual transformation is the norm.

Enabling transformation requires giving employees the information and resources they need to de...

The road is full of failed transformation programs: Leaders define objectives, design a project plan, agree on KPIs, and recruit the right people. Yet the failure rate in transformations is far too high and one that organisations can't afford.

For a transformation to be suc...

Employees may find the reality of major shifts in KPIs, performance management, funding, and resources difficult. Their lack of belief in the transformation becomes real as they lose power, status and even their roles.

Losing people is inevitable in a successful transformation, but research...

Research shows that leaders and workers start transformations excited and optimistic. But as the transformations get rolling, they all show reduced positive emotions and increased negative emotions.

All transformations are difficult, and confidence is bound to dip. Yet this is key t...

When executives begin a transformation, they will reach for a project plan that focuses on a rational understanding of how long it will take to deliver key activities. These plans are often overly ambitious and miss the critical listening component, which causes the process to slow down. ...

Transformation is both exciting and unsettling for employees. For example, they can't see how their skills will be relevant. Therefore, it is essential to address these emotions. Formal conversations will help them to work through their anxiety and fear of the unknown.

Yet, listening skills...

Leaders must create psychological safety and mechanisms for all voices to be heard. Without psychological safety and support, workers feel anxious and overworked. Moreover, workers lose faith in transformation when there's no compelling vision, visible progress, or practical and emotional support...

Embracing the unknown and adopting humility helps you to create a vision because you can see more clearly what needs to change and why. 

You can then imagine how you might create value differently at a functional, product and service, or even entire business model level.