Future Focused Leadership
The fast learning track
In the fast learnings track together we focused on what we learned from the world-class speakers and at the same time, what we as individuals or as an organization could do differently. Read more about the common learning themes and common actions:
Embrace the rapidly changing world and have a vision
Learned today
One central theme we discovered: the fast pace of how the world is changing. And that is not only about the visible impact of climate change, as Anders shared. Yuval Harari explained us about the impact of technology in the future. Human qualities that are relevant in our workforce now, like creativity, might be fulfilled by AI in the future.
So can we embrace this uncertainty? And how can we do something ourselves?
A first step is understanding where your organization is now, and what role it must play in the future. That is where the vision comes in. We learned from both Usain Bolt and Deborah Nas: We need to set a goal that raises the bar for how we want to act.
In the context of business that might be: Do we want a new feature? A new product? A new Value Proposition? Or a completely new business? Or even something that never has been done- in terms of Bolt.
Start tomorrow
- Openness to technologies, try new technology.
- Create a long-term vision and gameplan
- Share your vision and be inclusive in creating it.
Start small and experiment before building something
Learned today
To transform your vision into action, we learn from Alexander Osterwalder to start by experimenting. A fundamental part of this is understanding the difference between exploit and explore. Where exploiting is about controlling and planning your business, exploring is about finding where value is next and having multiple options.
And this asks for an experimenting mindset and culture. Bolt shared about this in his journey: “You have to learn how to lose, to be able to learn how to win”. Osterwalder adds: "If you want to do innovation, stop building shit. Ideas don’t matter. It’s all about the process and having the right metrics to build something the market actually wants."
Yet as noted by Boyan, innovating comes with “unscheduled learnings moments”. Having the right mindset can help to leverage those moments.
Start tomorrow
- Kill our zombie project(s)
- Incorporate KPI’s to new innovation projects
- Start small, no big bets (/overinvestments)
Build the right culture and setting teams up for success
Learned today
This way of exploring and thinking about value ask us for the right team and culture. A culture in which failure (in terms of experimentation) and learning is being embraced. The key topic in this: Psychological Safety. According to Amy Edmondson, this is a not a goal in itself, but a means to an end in terms of high performance, innovation or quality improvement
Curiosity is a central theme here. We learned from Jimmy Nelson and Duncan Wardle how valuable this is, and what it means to be free from prejudice. According to Edmondson, you can reflect on this by checking if the right questions are being asked in your organization.
Start tomorrow
- Reframe: Speak up more.
- Visit Nelson’s exhibition.
- Be (more) humble, curious, and empathic.
- Give your team more confidence.
- Get more in the learning zone.
Lead by example and start a movement
Overall, leading by example is key. Appreciate it when your team challenges the status quo. Ask the right questions back to your team, focusing on how to achieve goals in the future.
This way you can start a movement to move towards your goal, together with your team. To do so, really put yourself in the shoes of people in your organization. Is it fun and easy to participate in the central mission? And are your goals triggering one another?
As you might be changing a system here, perseverance is key. Dewi Van De Vyver: “If a problem is not being solved, it may be that the question was wrong.
Start tomorrow
- Make it easy and fun to be part of your vision and movement
- Create clear benefits of contributing to your organization’s vision
- Challenge teams in their thinking by saying “yes, and..” instead of “no, because..”