Fit For the Future

20 years ago, Clay Christensen wrote a groundbreaking article about "disruptive innovation", and that brought the term "disruption" into everyday business use. Hardly a week goes by without hearing about a business - or even an entire industry - being disrupted, so it's not surprising many business leaders are worried. But we're all talking about disruption, and forgetting the second part of his p...

We all know the workplace of the future will be very different from the workplace of today. It's more than just technology and automation - it's about the environment you create for attracting the smart, talented, savvy people with the skills we need for future-proofing our organisations. The bad news is that those "stars" are in demand, and can choose where they work. Are YOU providing the sort o...

In our social, mobile, and highly-connected world, the best people to solve your problems could turn up in the most unexpected places. Don't just turn to the people you already know. There’s a whole world that’s willing to help. Reach out to them, and you tap into endless talent, skills, and expertise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re already seeing significant changes in the nature of work, and the workplace of the future will be very different from the workplace now. If you’re leading a team or organisation in this new world of work, you will face different responsibilities and challenges than you do now. Discover the six key principles behind creating the best workplace on earth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

There's a lot of buzz about being more customer-centric, but most experts and advisers miss the most important element of customer-centricity. Without it, you will almost certainly be disrupted by competitors inside or outside your industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Futurists aren't fortune-tellers! They simply look broader, deeper, and further than most people, and help you find new opportunities to apply what they find. As writer William Gibson said, the future is already here - it just isn't evenly distributed. In this podcast episode, I'll teach you nine practical skills you can use yourself to think like a futurist, so you can make better decisions - and...

Videoconferencing, online meetings, telepresence and other collaboration technology are gaining traction. Does that mean the in-person conference is obsolete? No – not by a long way! But its role has changed. In this webinar, Discover the top trends affecting our professional and personal lives, and how great conference organisers use them to create transformational experiences. Hosted on Acast. S...

Why do so many change and innovation programs fail? Even with management buy-in, a willing culture, and good ideas, too many innovation programs just don't get traction anymore. In this fast-changing world, there's one element missing from many of these programs, and it can doom them to failure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bitcoin is currently valued at $17,057, but it's volatile and filled with hype. What IS it, and should you invest $15,662 of your hard-earned cash in buying it? Even if you don't have a spare $16,902 sitting around, take the time to understand the basics of Bitcoin and blockchain technology and know what it means for you and your business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

You’ve done everything right, played by the rules, and built a solid business, but the world has changed and everything you valued is shaken to the core. So how do you continue to be successful in a fast-changing world? In a nutshell: Disrupt yourself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The traditional workplace - an office with everybody working the same hours, at the same time, in the same place, and focussed on the same goals - is changing fast, but many leaders don't know how to apply their leadership skills to these new environments. Leaders who understand the needs of their distributed teams members will increase productivity, retain the best talent, and achieve their perso...

Members of distributed teams value and expect opportunities for professional development just as much as in-office team members. As a leader or manager, be proactive and innovative to find ways to help accelerate the experience curve for your distributed team members. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many industries are experiencing disruption - sometimes from inside the industry, but more often from outside. Are you going to thrive and survive in a time of disruption and change, or will you nose-dive and disappear? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disruption has become a bit of a buzzword now – and it’s become so hyped up it’s lost a lot of its meaning. You hear that you’re being disrupted, you know you need to do something about it, but you don’t exactly know WHAT disruption means, and then you don’t know HOW to manage it. In this podcast, we look at global megatrends affecting us all, the six biggest disruptive forces that could turn your...

Conflicts are inevitable in any workplace, but can be particularly challenging in distributed teams, where team members don't work in the same office. As a leader, it's important to understand these differences, so you can prevent conflicts before they occur if possible, and address them promptly when they do occur. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Innovation is everybody's business now, and doesn't only come from off-site retreats or an R&D department. It starts with you as a leader, extends to every member of your team, and then expands beyond your team to your customers and clients. Discover how to embrace innovation as a leader, spark ideas in your team, and encourage trusted involvement and engaged interaction. Hosted on Acast. See acas...

Leaders need followers, and followers are crying out for strong leaders. But the best people only follow you if you can give them work with meaning, energy, and purpose. And you can only do that if you yourself have meaning, energy, and purpose - in other words, you bring passion to your work. Leadership expert Charles Kovess explains what this means - not just in high-level language, but with pra...

Great leaders aren't afraid to stand for something that matters to them, even if it means being unpopular. They have a strong personal brand based on what they stand for, and built on two things: their expertise (what they know) and their network (who they know). That personal brand drives their decision-making, attracts the best followers, and makes a mark in their world. Hosted on Acast. See aca...

External workers - such as freelancers, contractors, consultants, and workers in the sharing economy - are no longer just fringe workers, but an important part of the workforce. Even if you're an experienced leader, the rules of engagement have changed when you bring these people into your team. They bring both challenges and opportunities, but working with them effectively is a leadership skill t...

We now have so many options for doing work - and that brings more flexibility, greater access to talent, and better integration of work goals with personal goals. But this also needs a new mindset around work, for everybody in the workplace - especially leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have recently seen some interesting purchases, mergers and developments from high-tech companies that will affect all workplaces. In this episode, we'll look at how they influence the future of work in general, and distributedwork in particular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you have to be a fear-monger to be a great leader - resorting to scare tactics and dire warnings of the future? Sally Anderson of Evolved Leadership doesn't think so! She talks about a new kind of leadership - Co-Creative Leadership - which doesn't deal with fear and narrow-minded thinking, but with abundance and unlimited potential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 20th century, leaders identified goals for their organisation, described the jobs required to meet those goals, and hired people with the right skills to fill those job descriptions. That's no longer the case. Our world is changing so fast that neither goals nor roles are clear and well-defined. The skills needed for success in the future aren't technical, task-oriented skills – because tho...

For the last 200 years, the office with a permanent staff has been the default work environment of the knowledge worker. But it wasn’t in the past, and it’s not necessarily the best for the future. What would the workplace look like if offices weren’t an option? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your positioning in your marketplace - how your ideal customers and clients view their relationship with you - has a huge impact on your success. If you have low-level positioning, you're constantly pushing hard to get noticed and get picked. But if you're positioned as an expert, authority, or partner, the right customers and clients are magnetically attracted to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...