change management Archives

Who Are Your Teachers? Issue 182, October 17, 2024 Several years ago, we attended a thought leadership conference that explored emerging trends. At the end of a session on sustainability (not just climate change, but resilience and prosperity) Chief Oren Lyons, the Haudenosaunee Faithkeeper of the Onondaga and Seneca Nations of the Six Nations of the Grand River, looked straight at the audience and asked us, “Who are your teachers?” It was one of those moments in time when a…

Kevin Novak

October 17, 2024

Risk Management: Are You a Responder or Solver?

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Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Risk Management: Are You a Responder or Solver?

Risk Management: Are You a Responder or Solver? Issue 177, September 12, 2024 We were recently invited to sit in on a cybersecurity simulation at a cybertech conference. The simulation was staged as an interactive exercise between the experts and the audience. The expert panel was comprised of local, state and federal disaster relief experts, a US Congress representative, the military and a few private sector officials. The simulation started with a cyberattack, not unlike those we see in movies,…

Kevin Novak

September 11, 2024

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Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Does Substance Always Matter?

Does Substance Always Matter? Issue 175, August 29, 2024 Style over substance. This is a matter of debate that keeps social commentators relevant – at least in their own eyes. And it’s the eyes, the optics, that seem to be winning the popularity contest over substance. Think about our political arena. Fashion pundits are weighing in on the candidates’ attire with their deep psychological explanations about the colors of ties, designers of dresses and why navy blue is the new…

Kevin Novak

August 28, 2024

The Power of Optimism in Organizational Storytelling

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The Power of Optimism in Organizational Storytelling

The Power of Optimism in Organizational Storytelling Issue 174, August 22, 2024 We become the stories we tell as do organizations (companies, governments, non-profits and the like). The more we tell them and elaborate on the narrative, the more we believe them to be true and represent who we are in our purpose, relationships and how we use our energy mentally and physically. These stories can become family legends, cultural origin stories, national histories, and an epic organizational tool. Psychologist…

Kevin Novak

August 22, 2024

Dynamics at Play: How to Leverage Determinants

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Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Dynamics at Play: How to Leverage Determinants

Dynamics at Play: How to Leverage Determinants Issue 173, August 15, 2024 Last week we wrote on trends, cycles and determinants, giving a new twist on understanding the process of change and transformation. To quickly review, determinants are the underlying elements that shape cycles and ultimately determine outcomes (positive, negative or neutral). As we navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world, the ability to distinguish between trends, shifts, and determinants shaping our environment becomes ever more crucial. Also important…

Kevin Novak

August 15, 2024

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Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Independence Day 2024 Reads: Become an Independent Thinker

2040’s Independence Day Reads: Become an Independent Thinker Issue 167, July 4, 2024 We’ve all got summer reading lists. Ours is understandably eclectic. In celebration of Independence Day, we thought it timely to share a selection of our most popular newsletters; what they have in common (no surprise) is independent thinking, which is a useful skill in our admittedly confusing times. If the recent presidential debate showed room for improvement in critical thinking and credibility, our readers put those themes…

Kevin Novak

July 4, 2024

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Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Are You a Renaissance Leader?

Are You a Renaissance Leader? Issue 166, June 27, 2024 Just when you thought leaders have been disintermediated by demanding younger employees who want a seat at their bosses’ tables, these leaders are more important than ever. So much has been reported and written about working to live, life/work balance, and the quality-of-life fulfillment of remote work that managers and their roles have been shoved to the side. But in truth, leaders have their work cut out for them. The…

Kevin Novak

June 27, 2024

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Looking Ahead: 2024 Runway

Looking Ahead: 2024 Runway Issue 162, May 30, 2024 We know that the second half of 2024 starts in a month, but we want to get a jump on what to pay attention to for the rest of this tumultuous year. As we move into summer mindsets to rest and restore, it’s a good time to process and plan for when fall arrives. Being mindful of what lies ahead ensures an ability to adapt our approaches and solutions, recognizing so…

Kevin Novak

May 29, 2024

Why Strategic Re-Think Is Today’s Prerequisite Strategy

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Why Strategic Re-Think Is Today’s Prerequisite Strategy

Why Strategic Re-Think Is Today’s Prerequisite Strategy Issue 158, May 2, 2024 Although it seems counterintuitive in today’s dynamically changing marketplace, many organizations still live, breathe, and sometimes die by their static three- or five-year strategic plans. It takes so much work and time to develop these long-term plans, often structured more as a laundry list of aspirations, that they are hard to let go of. This multi-year term model is often disconnected from the actual capability or capacity of…

Kevin Novak

May 2, 2024

The Importance of Language in Organizational Transformation

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Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

The Importance of Language in Organizational Transformation

The Importance of Language in Organizational Transformation Issue 157, April 25, 2024 Think about this for a moment. The English language we speak is referred to as Modern English dating back to 1450. It’s related to the emergence of the printing press and was adopted through the expanded volume of printed materials including Shakespeare in the late 1500s and the King James Bible in 1611 (study.com). That was over 570 years ago. If you’re following us here, it might dawn…

Kevin Novak

April 24, 2024

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