CHANGE TALK

Design thinking has become a widely accepted and extraordinarily useful methodology for addressing a diverse set of problems and solutions. There's no doubt that its user-centered and iterative approach can radically improve the outcome of new product and service development.

Your organization has a shadow – whether you want it or not. That shadow is always there; it is part of a natural process. However, the shadow is most likely to interfere with your ambitions and strategies during phases of organizational change, and often in unexpected ways.

Company leaders often wish for an organizational culture change, to make their companies more agile, innovative and growth-oriented. What many forget though, is that culture is deeply rooted in the organization’s DNA and unique history. That can make company culture as difficult to change as an individual’s personality.

In working with business leaders around the world, we spend a lot of time talking about the values, philosophies, and cultures they need to guide and nurture innovation in their business.  One of the key questions we are often asked is, “how can we drive engagement and ownership in the business for the new things we are trying to do?” …“how can we put some power into our strategy?”

 I was watching Shark Tank the other day. (Yes, I totally admit to watching pure entertainment TV.) And there they were: the seemingly brutal assessments of the various start-up ideas by the investors: “The idea is great but you don’t seem committed enough. I’m out.”

Have you ever experienced the power of visual collaboration with customers and colleagues when facing complex problems?

Immensely successful companies are constantly embracing innovation, testing new boundaries and experimenting with new product development. Large enterprises, such as GE, have built and acquired dozens of new divisions spanning multiple industries.

Approximately 543,000 new businesses open in the U.S. per month. At some point, these companies will, in all likelihood, reach out to a consulting firm to help them get started, move to the next level or maneuver through crisis.

 

Organizational leaders wish they could obtain transformational change without having to change the culture. That’s because changing the culture is so much more difficult and time consuming. They would love to get the benefits of change by keeping the status quo, but, that’s not how it works.

Many established companies struggle immensely with the concept of becoming more agile. On the one hand, they wish to react quickly to unforeseen circumstances by creating innovative opportunities. On the other hand, they fear that their size, level of establishment and need for structure might get in the way – or simply – that chaos will break loose if they even try.