A somewhat neurotic New York-based film director once had a character say in a movie when he was undergoing enormous stress: "tradition was the illusion of permanence."
I could say something less polite and agree. Digital transformation, the early application of Ai, and the complexity of global markets are in themselves forces of immense and complex change. Add in the worse global pandemic since 1665, and it would be elementary to say flippantly that tradition is the illusion of permanence.
That is not an answer our people want or need to hear.
We live in a divided world. Survive, transform, or stay the course. It's a conscious decision
Some recent research by Wind River (April/May) in the US and China shows an obvious divide between organizations looking to use this moment as an opportunity to thrive and those who see this as a fundamental focus on succeeding.
One-third of organizations in the US (39%) and 43% in China are survival-focused. Only one in four are focused on staying the course, and one third (35% USA and 33% in China) are using this moment to transform.
us-vs-china-transformation-stats co: Wind River
This group is investing significantly more in 5G, cloud development, etc. It's scary to see a pandemic divide us this fast. That's the nature of complex change. It needs courage to make that decision, but a decision has to be made by leaders about how they structurally handle this environment. Here are five ideas to help you set your North Star for whichever of these three directions you go:
Your people -100% of every moment
First and foremost. No matter how much we automate or have used Ai to replace humans in factories, supply chains, or any other administrative function, humans are the lifeblood of the company. It's especially important when anxieties about work, customers, roles can feel like they are consistently volatile. The principle of everybody being responsible to each other sits at the heart of successful digital transformations because decisions need to be increasingly made in real-time from the edge of the business. We need motivated, empowered employees to make this happen. Our people need to feel comfortable leaning into these moments, and that requires a sense of absolute comfort in the companies' North Star. Companies that function with this level of executive clarity and that sense of collaborative empowerment are dominant portions of the most successful Global 2000 companies in the world.
Your customers – Howard Humphries from Mr. Mom, tells us how to do it
Clarity is vital. I saw some terribly exploitative advertising at the beginning of Coivd-19, followed by the buy more for less messaging, and then eventually, we care about your messaging. First impressions count here not just now, but as we evolve through this. The tendency to act too fast indicates a lack of core North star leadership in an organization. Decide what you care about and how you want to express it. Stick to it, and it will do miracles for you because we all remember it. Remember Howard Humphries from Mr. Mom? The tuna with a heart.
Experiment for success – VUCA Matters more than ever so learn the muscles
Digitally transforming organizations rock the world of experimentation. They hang in, adjust, learn, and see the whole nature of testing as core to their DNA. Testing without purpose is not the same.
In complex, continually evolving, and chaotic space, adopting that VUCA mentality is vital it is worth a read or even a second review because it gives you a calm framework for succeeding in this extended period of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity that can ensue in every sector. We need to experiment, but it has to be around a North Star, or it will all go haywire.
Right size. Up, down or sideways. Just ask the question and lean in
Right size everything. Now is a moment for deep reflection about what your leadership should be about.
That may mean holding ground, or it may mean letting go of assumptions that you have been hanging onto for too long. All leaders need to be part of this process because assumptions run deep, and re-alignment has to be a complete process. Asking that question, what do we right size may be painful, but it's a necessary component for success. As much as executive leaders who invest 17.4 hours a week on directly managing change management for digital transformation for their organizations are four times more likely to succeed than those that invest 10.5 hours a week. This is heavy lean in the process, so make sure your North Star sits as the compass for this, or people will get distracted, misaligned, and thus fail.
Time Investment in Business
We have to lead by a compass to the North Star
Leadership is incredibly stressful in these moments. What was once a pressurized rhythm now will likely become a cauldron of new dynamics and choices. What might have once been a small decision (how much to spend on a particular marketing activity) might become enormous. What was once a solid list of criteria for hiring might no longer be enough. We might need to add in adaptive intelligence too (AQ) for an uncertain future.
A North Star is that compass for decision making. It is the truth that should guide and rubber stamp our learning and decisions. It is critical for us as leaders to mentor that North Star for our colleagues than ever before. In effect, it is our safe harbor and our engine for confidence. It is our moment of calm and the best guide we can give for decision making to our teams.
