5 ways to lead in an era of constant change | Jim Hemerling

The Power of Self-Transformation

This section discusses the positive emotional space occupied by self-transformation projects in personal lives.

Self-Transformation in Personal Lives

• People are often energetic and positive when talking about personal self-transformation projects.

• Self-transformation is empowering, energizing, and exhilarating.

• Examples include training for a marathon, picking up old hobbies, or learning new skills.

The Different Emotional Space of Organizational Transformation

This section highlights the contrasting emotions associated with organizational transformation.

Emotional Response to Organizational Transformation

• Organizational transformation is often met with apprehension and negative emotions.

• Layoffs are commonly associated with organizational transformation.

• Many people feel the need to run and hide from organizational changes.

The Era of "Always-On" Transformation

This section introduces the concept of constant organizational adaptation in the era of globalization and technological advancements.

Constant Adaptation in Organizations

• Organizations constantly need to adapt due to globalization, technology advancements, and other factors.

• This era is referred to as the "always-on" transformation.

Challenges of Traditional Approaches to Transformation

This section discusses why traditional approaches to organizational transformation can be exhausting.

Obstacles in Traditional Approaches

• Change is naturally hard for people, especially when imposed on them.

• Leaders often wait too long to act, leading to crisis mode and exhaustion.

• Short-term focus neglects hope for the future.

• Superficial one-off approaches fail to address long-term success.

Transforming Transformation: Putting People First

This section proposes five strategic imperatives for transforming how organizations approach change by prioritizing people.

Five Strategic Imperatives for Putting People First

1. Inspire through purpose:

• Financial and operational goals are important but not motivating to most people.

• Connecting transformation with a deeper sense of purpose is essential.

2. Empower through autonomy:

• Giving individuals the freedom to make decisions and take ownership leads to empowerment.

3. Enable through resources:

• Providing necessary resources, such as training and tools, supports successful transformation.

4. Engage through collaboration:

• Involving employees in decision-making processes fosters engagement and commitment.

5. Evolve through learning:

• Encouraging a culture of continuous learning and adaptation promotes successful transformation.

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Investment and Innovation

The speaker discusses the importance of investment and innovation in enabling children to experience the joy of learning through play.

Investment and Innovation

• LEGO focuses on enabling more children to experience the joy of learning through play rather than developing new products.

• Having a deep sense of purpose is highly motivating for LEGO's employees.

Putting People First

The speaker emphasizes the importance of putting people first in organizational transformations.

Go All In

• Many transformations are merely head-count cutting exercises disguised as transformation. It is important to go beyond cost-cutting and focus on initiatives that drive growth, fundamentally change operations, and invest in leadership and talent development.

Enable People with Capabilities

• Providing people with the necessary capabilities for success during transformation and beyond is crucial.

• Just like different legs of a triathlon require different capabilities, organizations need to ensure their people have the skills and tools they need throughout the transformation process.

• Chronos, a global software company, invested in new tools, skill development, and collaborative behaviors to empower employees during their transition from building software products to software as a service. This resulted in energized employees who embraced their new roles.

Instill a Culture of Continuous Learning

• In an era of constant transformation, it is essential to foster a culture of continuous learning within organizations.

• Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella led a cultural shift at Microsoft from silos and internal competition to a living, learning culture that encouraged listening, learning, and bringing out the best in people. This shift was noticed by Microsoft employees early on.

Inclusive Leadership

• Inclusive leadership is critical in putting people first.

Leadership in Transformation

The speaker discusses the qualities of effective leaders during organizational transformations.

Vision and Accountability

• Leaders need to have a clear vision, a roadmap with milestones, and hold people accountable for results.

Inclusivity and Directive Approach

• Effective leaders capture the hearts and minds of people by being inclusive while also being directive.

Conclusion

The speaker highlights the importance of investment, innovation, putting people first, continuous learning, and effective leadership in successful organizational transformations.

New Section

The impact of inclusive leadership on the success of the Golden State Warriors under coach Steve Kerr.

Inclusive Leadership and Transformation

• The success of the Golden State Warriors can be attributed to various factors, including their talented players.

• However, one key reason for their success is their head coach, Steve Kerr, who is an inclusive leader.

• When Kerr joined the team in 2014, the Warriors were in need of a major transformation.

• They had not won a national championship since 1975.

• Kerr had a clear vision and immediately engaged with players and staff to create an environment of open debate and solicited suggestions.

Open Communication and Bold Decisions

• Kerr actively sought input from players during games, asking them what they were seeing that he might be missing.

• A notable example of this inclusive approach was seen in game four of the 2015 finals when Kerr made a bold decision to change the starting lineup.

• This move proved pivotal as the Warriors went on to win both that game and the championship.

• Interestingly, it was not originally Kerr's idea but that of his assistant Nick U'Ren.

• U'Ren felt comfortable bringing forward his idea due to Kerr's leadership style.

Giving Credit and Inclusive Actions

• Kerr not only listened to U'Ren's idea but also implemented it successfully.

• He then gave U'Ren all the credit for the decision, demonstrating his inclusive approach to leadership.

Transforming Approach to Transformation

• In today's era of constant transformation, organizations are always undergoing change.

• However, this process does not have to be exhausting if approached differently.

• It is important for organizations to prioritize people by adopting an inclusive approach to transformation.

Putting People First

• To truly transform our approach to transformation, we need to prioritize people.

• This means considering their perspectives, engaging in open communication, and valuing their contributions.