How does the gig mindset differ from a traditional approach to work? Is it just a question of nuance, of degree, or are there real, meaningful differences? What does it mean for people and their individual development? What impact does the gig mindset have on organizations? Does it build resilience, and trigger innovation? Does it create disorder and increase risk? The “gig mindset” research is based on eight behaviors (see figure below). The traditional mindset and the gig mindset are posed as opposites on the table, but in reality, people find themselves at different points along the spectrum, and individual people see themselves at multiple points on the spectrum depending on context and circumstances. The […]

What is reachability for an organization? It means people anywhere in the organization can be contacted directly and individually. People can communicate and interact with others beyond their physical workplace. It means ideas and initiatives that originate in one place can reach across the organization, to all interested people. When there is a problem to solve, a challenge to confront, all people in the organization can contribute ideas. From a small company with a few teleworkers to a large, global organization with thousands of people around the world, reachability is a pre-requisite for inclusiveness. Most organizations do not have sufficient reachability and are therefore limited in their ability to be truly inclusive. This is a […]

Strong, horizontal work practices go beyond the empowerment of individuals and teams. The entrepreneurial work culture is one of experimentation, creativity, and risk-taking in the belief that the outcome will be beneficial. Experimentation and creativity have long been stifled in many organizations. Command-and-control leadership, overly complex processes and slow decision-making are among the reasons for this unfortunate state. Data from my 10th annual research with 310 participants in 27 countries confirm this: 47% say their C-level managers have command-and-control leadership styles, 53% say their organizations have complicated processes, and 40% say slow decision-making is a serious concern holding back transformation initiatives. Only 37% agree that people freely challenge ideas, including the business model and work […]

Why is digital transformation hard? Because it goes against the grain of established ways of working and is a threat to management practices that have existed for decades. It is therefore not surprising that the top challenges that slow down digital transformation are much deeper than just resistance to technology. Whether you’re starting up a transformation initiative or trying to re-energize an on-going one, the first place to look is in the work culture of your organization.   I have explored obstacles to digital transformation in my online surveys with organizations around the world over the past nine years. I have grouped the toughest ones – those considered to be serious and holding us back […]