What are the big issues and emerging themes for the year ahead? A new publication from the Global Partners of WORKTECH Academy spins through the scenarios What’s in store for the future of work in 2020 and beyond? The World of Work in 2020, a new report from WORKTECH Academy developed in partnership with its six Global Partners, sets out the shifting landscape for a momentous year ahead. Where are the world’s top companies taking workplace experience in the race for talent? Why are designers eyeing up the techniques of stage and scenography for office interiors? Will open-plan workspace mount a fightback? What should workplaces do to address an age of anxiety? And how can organizations be digital predators and not digital prey? These are just some of the questions addressed in the report which identifies and analyses some big shifts right across the spectrum of concepts and disciplines that shape the contemporary workplace. Link: https://www.worktechacademy.com/world-of-work-in-2020/ #WORKTECHAcademy #futureofwork #People #Design #Technology #Culture #Place

What does a Mini have to do with the workplace? Henry Ford's vision was for one car, one color, one specification, and the Mini today has over one million different configurations. Every organization is different, has its own culture, personality, and needs and therefore the opportunity to curate a personal, customized, tailored work experience for just for you. There are many insights and statistics available on the workplace and whichever of those you choose to pay attention to, the underlying message is that the workplace and work experience has changed, and for the most part, employees think for the good, for the better. That said, creating the right work experience is a very personal thing, and the most effective work experiences are those that are customized to the culture, mission, and values of the organization, the demographics of the workforce, and also the geographical location of the workplaces. The work experience design should have common threads that make the connection between place and company but maybe tailored by work-type, demographics, and location. For example, the employee experience design may differ widely between a leadership center and a call center, between software engineers to accounting, and the cultural differences and expectations are very different between San Francisco and Singapore, between Dublin and Dubai, Santiago, and the Silicon Valley. In other words, one-hat does not necessarily fit all in work experience design. A Curated Work Experience Beyond the experience of the real estate, the building, cool spaces that encourage and nurture better working, meetings, collaboration, community, the range of amenities available, when tailored and addressing potential points of dissatisfaction will work best. We know that the commute and access to quality coffee feature regularly in employee feedback as real issues to address. From commuter buses to shuttles, rideshare programs or onsite valet parking might be appropriate. Providing a quality coffee offering in comparison is a relatively easy fix. Then dependent on the profile of each workgroup, each building, then what about fitness, health, wellness and wellbeing, classes, Yoga, Barre, dance? Then what about convenience retail from every day needs to home convenience and take-home groceries and meals. What about laundry, eye care, pharmacy? What about a workplace-as-a-service App that brings all these amenities to life?

Growth is an all-in commitment, not just a transaction. Throughout my business career, I have always believed that growth is not just a one-time transaction but an all-in commitment to partnership and as I look at my own life I realize that I have lived by that mantra. In my wallet, I have a #CapitalOne bank card, a #Fidelity savings account, a #JPMorganChase, #Citi Credit Card, and I am a loyal traveler with #AmericanAirlines and #Hilton too. The cars I drive include a #Ford and a #Mini. We are an #Apple family for our devices and own only #Nike gear for sportswear. I use #CiscoSystems WebEX for business, I use #Airbnb, and have in the past owned #GeneralMotors #BMW, #Audi and always been a loyal customer of #Dell. I use #3M products daily, #Symantec, and sell my novels on #ebay too. Too many people today, and too many organizations think that it's just about the here and now and treat customers as a transaction. I believe that even the little things you can do to reciprocate business and demonstrate your commitment, loyalty, and to show that your customer is not just another transaction, really matters. At the end of the day, to be successful in the long term, you have to care about the mutual success of your Clients, and even small gestures can go a long way, if not just to be in the right mindset to show that you care. What's in your wallet? #Connect #Collaborate #Create #Community #LoyaltyMatters #ExperienceMatters

The current pandemic is devastating lives, families, businesses not just in terms of the sick, the fatalities, the financial hardship, it is disrupting the entire world, nations, populations, the global economy, and business, but what will be the long term legacy of COVID-19? It's a big question with far-reaching implications, and the longer it runs the more likely it is to change how we live and work, not just for the short term, but potentially permanently, and even, maybe for GOOD? As organizations adapt through home-working and learn the impact upon their businesses, might this alter strategies around often expensive real estate, offices, maintenance, amenities? How will organizations accommodate a potentially more disparate workforce and offer a support structure that is inclusive and collaborative? WorkXP-as-a-Service One company, Errand Solutions believes that they have part of that answer through their WorkXP-as-a-Service App, Luv Your Life. LYLA provides employees, no matter where they are, access to employee services, benefits, support, health, and wellbeing, as well as solutions that support the work experience through a range of services. Access to specially negotiated deals, everything from insurance to preferential banking, from ordering food, gifts, flowers, and even booking errand runners to walk the dog, valet the car, or personal shopping. The Cost of Business Travel According to Business Wire, and the Runzheimer Cost of Business Travel Report, the average cost of a business trip in the United States in 2019 was $1,293 over 117 million business trips. Then, it's not just about the financial cost, but if each business trip represents, on average, 2.5 days from door to door, then, the same number of trips equates to 292.5 million business days a year. Combined, the average cost per business trip is a whopping $2,793 and doesn't include the efficiencies created by an extra two and a half days at your desk and the productivity associated with that extra time. Mute the Commute The WORKTECH Academy and @Aramark WorkXP Report 2019, shares that the commute is often in the Top 3 frustrations of the work experience and a major consideration for employees to stay in their job, or even take a job in the first place. CNBC's Make-It!, reports that today's roundtrip commute represents a high in Palmdale, CA of 85.4 minutes, closely followed by New York at 81.6 minutes. With a 250 day working year, that is as high as 356 hours a year, or over a 30-year career, over 1,300 days, that's 5 working years! Imagine how reducing, or muting the commute could impact on the overall employee experience, productivity, efficiency, even happiness, engagement, and employee retention. Collaborative Technologies Granted, face to face meetings cannot be completely replaced but how will the current lockdown of workers across the nation, globe, make us realize that perhaps there are more efficient, more effective ways of doing business? The technology has been around for a long time, everything from Facetime to enterprise platforms designed to make the experience more real, enhance collaboration, and make teams more efficient and effective. According to Unified Communications, the Top 10 Kings of Collaboration include platforms such as Zoom, Poly, Blue Jeans, PGi (Global Meet), West (now Intrado), StarLeaf, Cisco Webex, Microsoft (Skype and Teams), GoTo (LogMeIn), and Google. But given the size of the opportunity, then why has adoption of collaborative technology not being fully embraced? Well, maybe its the fear of missing that face to face moment, that colleagues are making the trip and you don't want to miss out, or that it feels like the norm and that you just ought to? Even prior to the current pandemic, more progressive organizations, especially in technology were embracing the possibilities of collaborative technologies, and this current situation is surely likely to accelerate that level of adoption. Real Estate-as-a-Service Then, think about the traditional real estate model. Large, often expensive real estate, potentially more underutilized than ever in this new world. How can organizations mitigate their need for space and the associated expense, and at the same time elevate the human and work experience? Companies like Convene provide a network of high-quality experiential co-working or dedicating workspaces in addition to meeting spaces and hospitality. WeWork offer is similar on a consume-as-you-go basis. There are many more companies globally offering a similar solution that provides organizations the opportunity to flex their real estate needs and create access to employees to smaller, more local hubs to where they live. Human Experience For companies like JLL, Human Experience has become a greater focus. As organizations grow to understand the importance of the overall proposition of the workplace and work experience, as it relates to an organization's ability to attract and retain the best and brightest talent, to turn spaces into places where people choose to be. Whatever the range and combination of solutions, what is sure is that there is nothing constant in life except change and the Coronavirus pandemic, devastating as it may seem at the moment, maybe a catalyst that changes the way we live and the way we work into the future and maybe even for GOOD. Contact 4xi Global Consulting for more information or to discuss your organization's future work experience strategies.

I will leave the predictions of the scale and length of this current crisis to the scientists and the experts, but what I do know is that the COVID-19 global pandemic is set to change the way we live, learn and work into the future. Here are some musings of what the 'New Normal' might be: 1. Natural Selection Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution found that those organisms which adapt to their environment tend to survive and thrive better than those that do not. Those organizations that have enough liquidity and are swift enough to reduce expenses are more likely to survive. Tragically, there will be many that do not, and this will create opportunities on the other side. Food for Thought: Weaker organizations that do not have enough cash, their balance sheet is too heavily burdened, and that do not make cost reductions quickly enough will inevitably fail. In the converse, those that do will survive and thrive and a consolidation of markets will occur. 2. Collaboration Technology We have already seen evidence that the demand for collaborative technology has increased. As millions of children are now learning from home, college students taking their exams remotely, millions of workers, at home, learning how to stay efficient and effective during this forced time of remote working. The longer that the pandemic forces people to stay at home, then these remote learning, working, living norms will begin to be proven. Over time, adoption of collaboration technology as an integral element of how we live, will rise like never before. Food for Thought: Humans are by nature social creatures, that is part of our DNA, we need social interactions to survive and thrive as individuals, teams, as a society. Face to face collaboration can never be replaced completely but expect the frequency to be reduced, potentially significantly. 3. Missing the Commute? Although for many, being locked down at home is challenging but how many people are really missing the commute? For many, reducing pointless hours each day, stuck in a car, on a bus, train or even a plane. Food for Thought: Organizations, people, may well change their perspective and the new normal might well mean less commuting, or even in some cases an elimination of commuting at all. The time given back will increase happiness, effectiveness and efficiency. 4. Bricks & Mortar The pressure on bricks & mortar business models has been well documented in recent years and especially in the world of retail but how will the new normal impact schools, libraries, restaurants, businesses, cinemas, even fitness centers? Will the future be even more reliant upon staying at home and through technology ordering, working, consuming these products and services? Food for Thought: Some buildings may go away completely but many will be repurposed. Shopping malls becoming life-style centers with housing that become stand alone communities. Schools may become drop-in centers, offices become co-working spaces, not five days a week but drop in once a week, twice a month. 5. Is Social Distancing Here to Stay? As COVID-19 eventually passes, as it will at some point, then what is the next threat to humankind? Will social distancing become a part of our self-protectionist behavior, an expectation for our own safety and survival? Food for Thought: The days of open public spaces may be numbered. The movie theater in the face of on demand TV at home. Restaurants already shifting their model to takeaway and delivery. Sports events from your sofa as opposed to mixing with tens of thousands often shoulder to shoulder. 6. Rise of the Robots Will this be a catalyst for the rise of robots to be completing work that traditionally involves human interaction? Self-Driving vehicles, automated factories, and warehouses, robot servers at your local diner, robotic food, and grocery delivery? Will human intense activities like call centers be replaced by AI? Do drones replace the millions of delivery vehicles? Do computers replace teachers? Food for Thought: The technology exists today and improves hour by hour. Even before the pandemic, it was probably likely that this level of technology would become commonplace, but now, with Covid-19, then this could be the catalyst that boosts the rise of the robots. 7. The Workforce of The Future? What will worker groups such as long haulers, UBER drivers, wait staff, call center folks, cruise ship workers, retail staff do in the new normal as demand for their services reduces? How will they secure meaningful work, pay the bills, support themselves and their families in the new normal? Food for Thought: The workforce is inevitably set to change. A different way of work, alternative activities, different skill sets, and could signal an accelerated metamorphosis into a true gig economy. More home working, more local, more disparate, variety of work with multiple employers. 8. An Economic Evolution If any of these things do happen, then the knock-on effects on the economy are not just temporary but here for the long-term and how does the world economy adapt? Service heavy economies will suffer, physical places where historically people would go for leisure would diminish, retail could potentially collapse in the form it is in today, home utility demand would rise and reliance on oil could reduce. Food for Thought: Whatever the dynamic of the economic impact, we need to be prepared to be nimble, adapt, and overcome. Those that do will survive and thrive. 9. Health, Wellness & Wellbeing Beyond the virus itself, keeping safe, staying well, taking precautions such as sanitization and social distancing, the new normal may well play a greater emphasis on the importance of health, wellness, and wellbeing. Restrictions in the ability to enjoy the great outdoors, work out at your fitness center, play individual or team sports. But also, more remote, isolated, reduced human interaction may well affect the overall health of the population. Food for Thought: There may become a greater reliance on the family unit, greater use of the collaborative technologies mentioned. Tools that enable, help and support what might be potentially a lonelier existence. Maintaining positivity, connectivity and being mindful of the health and well being of your family, friends, students, and workers will become ever more important. 10. Impact on the Planet Fewer vehicles on the road, fewer planes in the sky, reduced levels of manufacturing, and the skies are clearing once more, waters are becoming clearer, the air is becoming cleaner, and wildlife coming back to the otherwise crowded and polluted areas. Food for Thought: There often positives that can come out of adversity, and just maybe, this is one of them. There is no Plan B for the planet, the place we live, our children, our grandchildren and generations to come. Perhaps this will be the catalyst we need to save our planet from further irreparable harm. Conclusion I don’t know how deep the Coronavirus pandemic will cut, or for how long. Whatever the ‘New Normal’ does look like, what I do know for certain is that COVID-19 will be a catalyst for change. Mother Nature can be so giving with the gift of life, but she can also be unforgiving too. There are many examples, but one thing that I do know for sure is that the very day after what often is seen as a devastating jungle fire, is that the green shoots of life appear as nature moves from adversity into revitalization and birth of a new day, survival and our continuous cycle of evolution. These are merely my observations and musings and whatever the future may hold, I remember an old saying from a wise man I once met, “There is nothing so challenging that the human form cannot overcome.” #Onward #Forward #Together we will #Survive and #Thrive

Many of us are trying to work out what the future beholds beyond COVID-19 and what the Next Normal might be. What is for sure is that the global pandemic is likely to change the way we live, work, and learn for good. The norms of the past will change. The impact of the pandemic is and will continue to force change, "Here are some of our meanderings:" Business Resilience & Preparedness The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our ability and our preparedness for the unexpected. We have done some resilience planning around many incidents and natural disasters, but few were ready for a global and deadly pandemic. The initial shock of an incident shakes up the old normal and goes through a series of evolution to discover the new normal, often more resilient than the original state. The lessons learned will help businesses survive and withstand incidents and disasters into the future, these will include a greater focus on, and potential key performance indicators to measure an organizations state of preparedness: Robust Business Continuity Plans and Emergency Preparedness readiness Sufficient cash reserves and liquidity to survive a major incident Nimble enough to scale forward or scale back costs and overhead Adaptability to a new operating environment Ability to innovate quickly and react to new opportunities Leadership level-headedness to steer through to the New Normal Business Rightsizing The need for nimble and swift change is critical in adjusting to any emergency, and the way that organizations run has undoubtedly changed with such velocity few had imagined. Operations of the past are no longer relevant for the current or for the future, and the need to right-size existing operations, economics, and even contractual arrangements is upon us, even if for the short term but certainly for the new future. "Beyond these more elementary observations, here are our thoughts and meanderings on how COVID-19 may affect the New Normal:" Employee Safety In a way like never before and far beyond health and wellness. How do employers make sure that they honor their level of responsibility to the lives of their employees and their families? "Safety has always been a #1 consideration, but COVID-19 has accentuated that focus even further up the list of executive priorities." The Rise in Homeworking Is inevitable. Collaborative technology such as video has been around for many years but over the recent weeks, we have learned to really adopt this not only in business but to keep in contact with loved ones in the next town or around the world. We have even learned to have happy hour cocktails and dinner parties with friends and family. "This technology and these new behaviors are here to stay." Social Distancing At some level is also likely to stay. The days of the movie theater may be numbered. The way restaurants run may change to more take-home models. The end of the salad bar, the buffet for sure. Crowded elevators may be a thing of the past, meeting rooms full of people, the common practice of going to work with a cold. "The fragility the virus has exposed will undoubtedly change our behaviors." Occupancy Levels Of buildings which were previously places of work, study, for entertainment, for retail have dramatically reduced and the legacy may well continue. Do schools reopen as they were, or a new way of managing space combined with remote learning, rostered attendance, and field trips? Do workers that have already proven their efficiency working from the home return to the office? "The way in which we utilize space and physical interaction is likely to change for good." Commuting & Business Travel The human being is a social animal and the need for one to one interaction can never be totally replaced, however, we have been learning well and learning fast. After COVID-19, why would individuals go back to their in extreme cases, 2 hour each way commutes crammed on a tube train? Why would organizations reopen the pandora's box of travel to fly from one side of the country to another for a 2-hour business meeting? Not only the cost but the efficiency and time given back to employees will positively impact work-life balance, health and happiness, and notably sustainability. The Future of Real Estate It is set for disruption like no other time before. If fewer people are going to work less, then beyond the expanded footprint to accommodate social distancing, the footprint requirement will still shrink. Therefore, what will become of the latent space? Will the potentially empty shopping mall become a lifestyle center with a hotel, even residential accommodation, a self-sufficient town that in theory, you would not need to leave? And what about the same for a corporate office building? Live where you work, work where you live might be the new future and a way to limit exposure to external risk. The Employee Experience Whether working remotely or at company premises, how do organizations protect and promote the health and wellbeing of all their employees no matter where they are? How does the homeworker get access to the same safety blanket and levels of diligence and care for their welfare? How does the homeworker get the same level of access to the benefits, amenities, and perks of the office? Proactively tackling the haves and the have nots will become a priority. Reimagining the Future Every business is very different, requirements are unique but what is for sure, that the future needs reimagining and those that take a longer-term view beyond survival but identify a way in which to thrive in the new future will come out the strongest, and be best placed to grasp the inevitable opportunities on the other side. CONTACT US TODAY TO DISCUSS HOW 4xi GLOBAL MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU REIMAGINE YOUR FUTURE 4xi Global supports organizations through the navigation of change and we believe in Optimizing the Power of Potential. Get in touch today to see how we can help you navigate the future.

As I walked to the local lockdown farmers market this week with my inquisitive twelve-year-old daughter, she tested my elementary knowledge of astrophysics to the very limit. We talked about different planets, the stars, the galaxy, the universe, and the possibility of parallel worlds. It got me thinking about further parallels to business, and especially in the current challenging times. Specifically, I thought about the different profiles of organizations and their ability to not only survive but to thrive beyond the current crisis into the New Normal. I liked the context of the Stellar Galactic and hope that you do too. In business, the Perfect Star has all the factors required for success. They are balanced and aligned in a way that they are focused, from leadership through to execution and everywhere in between. They understand the importance of an aligned approach and that all the moving parts are focused on client and consumer success. "The Perfect Star, has the foundational core, an equal balance of Dreamers and Doers, of Partners and Believers and has the fundamentals of Liquidity, Nimbleness, Agility, and importantly the Imagination to adapt, even co-create the New Normal." Just like everything in existence, stars have a lifespan and different factors dictate how long that can be. The difference is the currency of stars is millions, billions, or even trillions of years. Just like a business though, these foundational elements are critical in understanding that trajectory and life-cycle, but unlike a star, a business has the opportunity to make changes to what the future can be. If this Perfect Star is likened to our own Sun, it is stable, optimally sized, with a balanced fuel and burn rate, then what are the other potential categories in the constellation, galaxy, or universe we can learn from? "Which star relates to your organization, but more importantly, which one do you aspire to be into the future?" There are many examples but here is a quick summary: The Protostar is the equivalent of the start-up in the business world. It's a collection of gas full of gravitational energy but not the nuclear fusion to materialize fully. Often they either fail or get swallowed up, only the few make it all the way to superstardom. A Tauri Star is waiting for its big break before it makes it to center stage as a Main Sequence Star. Its gravitational pressure holds itself together and is often its only source of energy, yet to have all the ingredients required for nuclear fusion. The Red Giant has gained critical mass but over time has consumed all of its energy but can still exponentially increases in size. Despite its continued growth, it has depleted all its fuel, and in the absence of a renewed source it will eventually turn into a White Dwarf - it may continue to exist but become increasingly less relevant in the scheme of the wider Universe. "The Red Giant exists in business. The company's size and mass continues to push growth but it may have run out of its fuel - creativity, new ideas, innovation, or lack of talent to further future differential." True, it's not just about the makeup of the star itself, it's also about the environment in which it exists, but without the right level of awareness, innovation, creativity, talent, then the internal and external factors can lead to any organization becoming a White Dwarf, or altogether non-existent. Red Dwarf Stars often have a much lower mass and are much cooler than our own Sun. They are however able to keep the hydrogen fuel mixing at their core and can conserve their resources for much longer than most others and are estimated to continue burning for a very long time. "Red Dwarf's will not necessarily shine the brightest, but they will continue to outlive most of their contemporaries." Neutron Stars are between one and a half and two times the size of our Sun. When they die, often through a catastrophic supernova explosion, it leaves behind its core and becomes a neutron star composing entirely of neutrons. If the original star is even bigger, then these can become black holes, or in business, can get swallowed up where the core activity is complementary to an acquirer. Supergiant Stars are the largest stars in the Universe. They are monsters, dozens of times the mass of our Sun. Unlike a relatively stable star like the Sun, Supergiants are consuming hydrogen fuel at an enormous rate and will consume all the fuel in their cores within just a few million years. "Supergiant stars live fast and die young, detonating as supernovae; completely disintegrating themselves in the process." Especially in this current environment, there are several Supergiant Star candidates to watch closely. Then finally, Main Sequence Stars have all the factors of the Perfect Star, they are both balanced and stable. They have an overall vision and purpose, their stakeholders are aligned with the shared values and focus of success. They have sufficient fuel, funding, liquidity, they have the optimum mix of factors for them to shine bright. As you can see, stars come in many sizes, colors, and varieties, as do businesses. Knowing what accounts for this, and what their various life stages look like, are all important when it comes to understanding our Universe. It also helps when it comes to our ongoing efforts to lead our organizations into the future and steer them to the longest possible period of sustained success. I am sure you will draw your own conclusions on which type of star represents your organization but the constants exist in astrophysics as they do in business. Companies also need the right conditions not only to survive but to thrive. A set of factors uniquely balanced to ensure you have the gravitational pull that aligns your united efforts, the right balance of resources required to fuel your business, the optimum size, and sufficient focused energy to excel. "At the core, you have Liquidity, Nimbleness, Agility, and Imagination to varying degrees. This is at the very heart of your star. You should nurture each of these well." The shared vision and values between your Dreamers and Doers, your Believers, and Partners is your gravitational pull. Your Insights, your Proactive Innovation, your Value to, and Strategic Alignment with your stakeholders, including your customers is your fuel source. Finally, Your Brand, your Image, and Reputation are your shining light and together will be collectively what will make your star shine long into the future. I hope you have enjoyed my meanderings and that I have not exposed my almost non-existent knowledge of astrophysics too much! What I do know is that our world, our universe is changing and only those with these core elements, harnessed in the right amounts will not only be the ones to survive but the ones who will thrive and shine long into the future. 4xi is a global consulting firm helping EMPLOYERS, OPERATORS, INNOVATORS, and ACCELERATORS Optimize the Power of Potential. 4xi Global is a part of the Global Partner Leadership Board of WORKTECH and is also the Chapter Chair for North America.

It might seem like an obvious statement, but what are the obstacles in the way for corporations to successfully innovate? Meaningful innovation is an essential element to long term and sustainable business success. As your competition develops and evolves, companies need to make sure that they keep up. Some choose to follow the trend, some choose to lead the way, and those who do neither will eventually wither. Fail fast, the mantra of Silicon Valley is the dichotomy of the culture that can often exist in corporations, the fear of failure. Innovation for Innovation Sake First, I want to test the principle of meaningful innovation, what does that mean? How do you get the balance right between challenging the status quo, disruption, and avoid innovation for innovation's sake? This is an equation between what consumers think they want, what innovators think they need, and somewhere in between an educational evolution that drives adoption and ultimately a sink or swim for the product, service, or technology. "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." - Henry Ford. As an old mentor of mine once said, “don’t go suggesting selling sandwiches on the space shuttle.” And, there have been many inventions that just do not get past GO because they are too highly technical, too gimmicky, impractical, or beyond the realms of the consumer's imagination. The balance equation has been missed. Funky, futuristic workstations, a Nose Stylus for multi-tasking. The Fliz that overcomes the need for bicycle saddle, the iPhone Fan. Or what about a paper shredder for your hamster's cage, a baby mop so infants can clean the floor, or what about even vibrating jeans? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and at some point, innovators believed that all these ideas were good, had value and that consumers would adopt to make them, The Next Big Thing. The flying car, in some shape or form, may well yet make an appearance in the mainstream. In Los Angeles, there is much hype about the prospect as they think about the infrastructure of sky-ports, landing pads, and even self-flying autonomous vehicles in the air space above. It was not that long ago that this was just considered a fantasy, a dream, a storyline in The Jetsons. Back down on terra firma, think about the plight of the electric car, and how after decades of that prospect, TESLA has turned it into reality. TESLA is leading the charge. In just seventeen years they have reached a market capitalization of nearly 7X that of Ford who has been around since the beginning of automotive, over a century earlier! There are many examples of companies who failed as a result of their inability, for whatever reason, to innovate. The famous Kodak story who invented the digital camera but decided that traditional film was the future. BlockBuster having the opportunity to buy Netflix but turned it down. Nokia, Compaq, ToysRUs, there are many examples of why having a healthy regard for innovation probably makes good business sense. So, if the premise of the need for innovation is accepted as being important, then what are the challenges and blockages in the way. Entrepreneurial Spirit For many of us, the notion of the entrepreneurial spirit might be likened to the stuff of pioneers, climbing the highest mountains, exploring the deepest oceans, maybe polar explorers, space explorers. We tend to look up to these few. We admire them, we are in awe of their trials, tribulations, and successes, often as our heroes. Thing is that these pursuits are often dangerous, and many times these pioneers are putting their lives at risk. That is the same in corporations. Those individuals that take the most risks may well be more likely to succeed but they are also more likely to fail too. The Corporate Herd Corporate compensation systems rarely reward risk, and never reward or recognize failure which is, and should be so closely linked to innovation. When Thomas Edison was asked the question, "How did it feel to fail a thousand times?" his response was: "I didn't fail a thousand times. The light bulb was an invention with a thousand steps." - Thomas Edison. Compensation programs mostly reward the success and the safety of the herd and not the entrepreneurial innovator. In fact, if the innovator is perceived as putting the herd at risk then a group resistance may dilute the innovation itself, or worse, halt it completely. Disruption Indigestion The whole notion of disruption flies in the face of everything we have ever learned from childhood, from our parents, throughout our school years, and into the workplace. Disruption often gives many workgroups and individuals indigestion, and in many cases, corporations too. Courage Innovation doesn't just need a good idea, the resources and wherewithal to turn the dream into reality, or, the consumers' appetite for ultimate adoption, it also requires its fair share of courage too. "One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." - Andre Gide. A challenge from a C-Suite Executive asked my group, "How do we really disrupt our marketplace?" As the room fell deathly silent, I suggested lifting the lid on the industry's dark and secret practice and the retention of hidden purchasing rebates as a sure way to really challenge the status quo. From the reaction, I understood there and then that the challenge was aesthetic and not a fundamental desire. There was no real appetite to truly disrupt. The fear of disruption was not just the internal fear of failure but also the fear of disrupting an entire industry and a lifetime of industry relationships. In other words, whether the idea was right or wrong, there was an element of personal risk that got in the way. The Sterling Method Bob Christopher, Senior Director for Innovation at Diamond Edge Ventures, a division of Mitsubishi, and career innovation leader shared with us his thoughts on innovation in corporations and introduces the Sterling Method. Innovation requires creativity, inspiration, and insights. Yet many companies bury innovation by penalizing risk, i.e. failure. Instead, they promote compliance with the corporate culture and company objectives. Of course, many companies think they are innovative and they promote themselves in this way. "So, how do you know if your company is truly innovative or just talking innovation (not walking it)?" Well, there is a formula for measuring innovation within a company, it’s called The Sterling Method. The formula focuses on the variables that support or penalize risk. These variables are: Employee compensation models Access to corporate resources Internal communication flow Physical and virtual work environments Mentorship or advisory support, and C-level alignment. By addressing each of these six, then organizations can create an environment where innovation may not only survive but thrive. De-Risking Innovation Opportunities exist to remove some of these risks and obstacles from the process of innovation. There are many examples of enterprises accommodating or even acquiring the capability. Often enterprises maintain their independence as they recognize the distinct cultural differences and the risk of suffocation. Some organizations create workgroups that sit in isolation to the rest of the business. Maybe in a different building, a different culture, a different work experience, and often starkly different look, feel, environment, and output. This is evidenced by Financial Services firms having in house FinTech Labs, Automotive manufacturers having a presence in Silicon Valley, retailers developing new technologies to lessen the reliance on bricks & mortar. "A large, traditional, financial services firm with suits and ties, conservative, risk averse. A couple of blocks away, a roof top studio office full of hoodies, free snacks, music blaring and a tribe of FinTech software developers busily creating, inventing, innovating." The core business needs this innovation to survive and stay ahead. The talent needed to achieve this goal are different, have different needs, values, desires and simply don't abide by the same rules. Outsourcing Innovation Tapping into outside resources to fuel your innovation pipeline may well also be an option, and an attractive one too. Specialists who scout for the latest products, services, technologies to keep you ahead of the game. Or, through their network of innovators build on demand. Innovation: How will you Choose to Optimize your Future Potential? ------------ 4xi Global Consulting works with innovators on our quest to identify the innovations whether products, services, or technologies specifically for the world of work and ultimately how these can drive a better work experience adding value to both Employers and Operators in the space. EMPLOYERS | OPERATORS | INNOVATORS | ACCELERATORS Work Experience | Global | Consulting | Hospitality Review | Benchmark | Insights | Partnerships | Growth | Innovation | Accelerate Strategy | Marketing | Talent | Procurement | Leadership | Impact 4xi Global is proud to be Chair of the WORKTECH Academy North America and on the Global Partner Leadership Board. Driving the conversation on how we'll work tomorrow.