Fit for the future... leadership and culture in a digital age

Fit for the future…

Eva Appelbaum

@evaapp

...what is leadership & culture in a digital age?

Volatile

Complex

Uncertain

Ambiguous

@evaapp

@evaapp

@evaapp

A human revolution

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@evaapp

70% of ‘transformations’ fail

People are hardwired to resist change It triggers our threat response.

There are more neural pathways to the threat state than the reward state. And stress is socially contagious.

When we feel threatened, we cannot access the reward state – the creative, open, collaborative

part of our brain. @evaapp

80% feel stress on the job

only 13% of employees are engaged

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The good news…. We recognise what we need to do

Enable organisations and people to thrive amidst this change

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Cultivate the kinds of culture & leadership that support this

13 Source: Jean Boulton, Embracing Complexity, 2016

Working with complexity – not too tight not too lose

Think systemically

‘Weave’ intentions, to create a containers

Design adaptive organisations – economies of scale vs ability to respond

‘Seed’ the system with good ingredients (purpose, meaning!)

Make connections / build relationship

Jean Boulton, Embracing Complexity, 2016

14 Source: Jean Boulton, Embracing Complexity, 2016

The machine view - Order

Standardise Best practice

Plan

Cause & effect

Economies of scale

Jean Boulton, Embracing Complexity, 2016

‘Digital’ is not a silo

…. or technology, or a channel, or format, or function or a person or team’s

responsibility.

Start thinking about mindset, culture, skills and behaviours of the digital age.

@evaapp

Technology enabled – inside and out Outward focus – customers / audience / user A culture of experimentation Agile, flexible, able to move or make decisions at speed Environments and processes that fuel collaboration

Empowered, accountable staff

Clear purpose Brave leadership

Design is valued

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Emphasis on learning

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” - Simon Sinek

Agile – mindset, attitude, structures

Not just a dev methodology & scrum masters

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Andrew  Mullins,  Informa  in  Deloi4e  UK’s  “Building  your  digital  DNA”  

ready to take the lead, empowered to get things done, courageous in saying and doing what matters, authentic in

thoughts and feelings, and acknowledging others?

eager to prototype and experiment, and be prepared to fail, foster confidence among your team and colleagues, learn from success

and failure?

empathic with others, understand what motivates them, and want to engage and draw on the skills, motivation and energy of

customers, business partners and stakeholders?

ACCOUNTABLE

AGILE, EXPERIMENTING

COLLABORATIVE

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consistently asking questions, noticing how things might be different, what needs might be emerging, what’s new

and what’s possible, seeking perspectives and experiences of the unfamiliar to stretch your learning and

development?

confident in not knowing, energised by uncertainty, able to turn seemingly unsolvable problems into opportunities? Are you resilient to not be thrown off course, even as the

course ahead is not clear?

MANAGING AMBIGUITY

CURIOUS

(Specific technical skills can be taught) @evaapp

Digital mindset & capabilities ≠digital and tech skills!

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@evaapp

Role Model – Walk the Talk Inspiring Vision

Empathy High Challenge

Transformational Leadership

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Impact on people More

Less

High Challenge

Less More Empathy

Anxiety

Empowered Loyal

Collaborative Innovative

Go the extra mile

Apathy Comfort

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THANK YOU!

@evaapp