"It is imperative that leaders strategically manage information risks, work towards a culture of shared cyber-risk ownership across organizations, and take a strategic approach to cyber resilience…
The following principles will help organizations to shape a responsible course of action that balances short-term goals against medium- to longer-term imperatives"
Culture is the often overlooked, all-pervasive, enterprise-wide, organisational DNA that dictates whether your strategy lands or if your brand sustains. It is "a way to be" shaped by the past but continuously honed by the emerging business, social, economic, political and customer context.
The essential supporting pillars of culture are:
- Mission (why do we do what we do?)
- Diversity (diversity fuels innovation)
- Brand (why buy from us?)
- Speed (Focus - Anticipation - Simplicity - Technology)
The four pillars are braced by the organisation's values. Culture and values frame the context - the cultural canvas. The most forceful elements on that canvas being:
- Vision and strategy;
- Measurement and rewards;
- The talent management system (e.g., who gets hired and/or promoted, the leadership development agenda); and,
- Technology (quickly becoming an irresistible force).
All of the elements described come together to shape the organisation's story. You are your story. Culture is story and story is culture!
Insights from "The 7 Questions Every CEO Should Ask About Culture" by John Burdett
Any form of change that moves beyond improving 'what is' implies working on the organisation's culture.
In a world where agility, ideas, collaboration and global reach dictate who wins and who fails, tomorrow's organisation will, of necessity, be fast, flat, flexible, focused and structured as a network of networks.
Think of a team of teams … not traditional top-down leadership. Think jazz ensemble … not a marching band. Think work … not employment. Think community … not tribe. Think contribution … not title. Think collaboration … not cooperation. Think ideas … not ideology. Think values … not rules.
As for leadership, the market for talent will put a premium on software savvy, the capacity to leverage big numbers, speed of learning, comfort with ambiguity, personal resilience and the capacity to build community.
The dilemma: top talent is going to be more difficult to find than ever. Think hiring with tomorrow's culture in mind … not hierarchy. Think leading the charge … not being in charge. Recognise that we will need super teams more than we need superstars.
Insights from "If It Can Be Digitalised, It Will Be Digitalised" by John Burdett.
How do you prepare before commencing your new Executive role? The following suggestions will help:
- Involve the family – the support of your family and closest friends is invaluable, so share your excitement about the opportunity
- Research the organisation's history, key players and culture
- Reflect on what old habits you could let go of, what you need to start and stop doing
- Develop a beginner's mind – be inquisitive and ask lots of questions from day one
- Rehearse your story and be prepared to provide your new team with some insights about you
- Build trust early by being transparent, sharing your personal values, being respectful and understanding
- Thank those who assisted you secure the role, including your referees
Insights from "7 'Must Do' before you commence your new Executive role" by Bill Sakellaris, Managing Director of TRANSEARCH International Australia. #executiveleadership #talentmanagement
How do you prepare before commencing your new Executive role? The following suggestions will help »
Talent management is a system within a system: the organisation's culture. Get talent management wrong and the organisation's culture will be misaligned with the customer's emerging needs.
Tomorrow, of necessity, talent management will be about resilience, reinvention and recognising that the ideal organisation design reflects how, given a choice, people would choose to work together.
Talent management is ultimately about hard data and tough choices – who to hire and promote, investing in the most efficient and fastest way to develop talent, putting muscle behind the succession process and, generally, building a cadre of leadership talent that will allow the business to survive and thrive in turbulent times.
If you can't imagine it, you won't reach it. If you don't measure it, you can't manage it. Strive to develop tomorrow's leadership competencies with purpose, precision, pragmatism and no little passion.
Insights from "Future-Oriented Leadership Competencies: Today's Talent Management Lynchpin" by John Burdett, Leadership advisor to TRANSEARCH International.
Talent management is a system within a system: the organisation's culture »
Stephen Diotte shares perspectives from the The Bedford Consulting Group on the importance of preparing for 2021 compensation cycles now to ensure company survival through this crisis and beyond.
"At such times of crisis and adversity, employees, clients, and customers are looking to leaders for reassurance, inspiration, and courage to guide them through the storm… So while this is far from the best of times, it is worth asking what this time is actually best for… The challenge for leaders now is to steer colleagues and associates from business panic to brand purpose."
Herminia Ibarra provides a few simple ideas to help you reinvent your career. "When it comes to reinventing your career in this time of crisis, remember this important point: The time to get going is now - but don't go it alone."
There is one fact of life that is impossible to ignore – tomorrow will be (very) different. More specifically, the rate of change is getting faster – and about to get much faster. Being faster, however, is ultimately all about how people learn. It's a matter of adapt or perish.
How and what we learn is a product of the:
- Nature of the experience,
- Mental model (metaphor, theory, hypothesis, conceptual template) used to access the learning,
- Quality of the questions posed,
- Time set aside for reflection, and
- Follow-up.
Ultimately, an investment in learning is about orchestrating change. In pursuit of that goal, learning starts with the experience. And it's not just learning fast at an individual or team level but building an environment where speed of learning becomes an organisation-wide competitive advantage.
If you're not fast, you're going to be last!
Insights from "Speed of Learning: The Ultimate Competitive Advantage" by John Burdett, Leadership advisor to TRANSEARCH International.
There is one fact of life that is impossible to ignore – tomorrow will be (very) different »
The UN Global Compact invites CEOs to record and submit a video sharing what their company is doing in response to COVID-19 giving examples of efforts to recover from, and support resiliency in the face of this global crisis. Several valuable insights have already been shared including:
- The immediate challenges COVID-19 presents to your workforce, community and business.
- How to ensure long-term business continuity and economic recovery.
- The best way to build resilience.