However, less than 12% saw a measurable return on their investment of money and time. THEN the paradigm shifted.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID19 a pandemic. Business as usual was no longer possible. Action replaced talk, as leaders innovated, adapted and truly transformed their way of working, digitalized their business models and engaged teams in home offices.
There was no going back – only a question of how to go forward.
“Paradigm shift is a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.”
From a Silicon Valley perspective, innovation is not something that can be learned in a class or from a book, but from experimentation. And, lets face it, in 2020 there were no books or classes on how to adapt to succeed during a global pandemic!
Leaders who openly committed to growth and bravely embraced the crisis as an opportunity to learn and innovate ‘real time’ are now reaping the rewards – record levels of revenue, profitability and market share.
By working together in facilitated peer circles, 85 of these open committed brave leaders collaborated with global peers (from different industries and regions) to overcome common challenges, learn and co-create new solutions. Their organizations are now thriving in the new paradigm through:
- An open innovation culture in which team members embrace change, take risks and create new solutions
- Team empowerment and commitment to embrace new models, processes and challenges
- Flexibility to address customers’ rapidly changing needs
- Tools to proactively address global disruptions
- A truly future-ready organization by leveraging diverse perspectives from local and remote teams
By working in Executive Growth Circles (EGCs) with 6-12 peers from other industries and global regions, they learned to innovate – addressing Specific Actionable Challenges in their real-world organization. By sharing their experiences, successes and failures all benefited. At the end of each EGC, all members committed to taking action to try new approaches, make changes, engage team members ‘real time’.
“The insights I have gained from leaders in other industries and countries who are addressing the same challenges I am facing has been priceless. I leave each EGC inspired and confidently prepared to take action.” as stated by EGA member Oystein Bach, of Novartis.
As a result of their work in EGCs, these leaders’ organizations have 30-50% increased revenue (from pre-pandemic days), greater team loyalty and a vastly stronger market position.
Innovation requires exploration, collaboration, action and outside perspectives. EGA’s global peer circles provide the platform for real-time education and peer-learning. As noted by another EGA member Freddie Quek, CTO, Times HigherEd:
“Innovation must happen ‘real-time’ – its not something in a book. Through EGCs we become masters of innovation through exploration, sharing and action.”
Executive Growth Alliance:
EGA is a global community of Open Committed Brave leaders who collaborate for success in a rapidly changing future. Through facilitated peer circles, they address common challenges and co-create new opportunities – gaining leadership skills, confidence, partners; enhanced corporate sustainability and have a positive impact on society.
EGA is sponsored by Next Step and available for any open, brave leaders committed to future-ready success through experiential learning.
Learn more on www.executivegrowthalliance.com
