The world has changed: how to build a high-performing organization in a slow-growth economy.

All rights reserved PeopleFirm LLC 2014
Toto, we’re not in a high-
growth economy anymore:
How to build a high-performing organization in the 21st century.
PART 1: The world has changed.

the world has changed.

in what way, you
ask?

Toto, we’re not in
a high-growth
economy
anymore.
Once upon a time you could expect
splashy growth and fat returns, if
you ran your business well. No
longer.
.
well… a few ways,
actually.
It’s a VUCA world:
Volatility, Uncertainty,
Complexity, and
Ambiguity.
Which pretty much means, ‘Hey, it’s crazy
out there!’
The workplace is a
demographic melting
pot.
Boomers, and their Boomer expectations
(and desire to retire… or not). Millennials,
and their Millennial expectations.
Workforces spread across the globe.
Different expectations, anyone?
Eight hours a day at
a desk? What’s
that?
Coffee shop workstations, portable
devices, and 24/7 connectivity.
Welcome to the new office. How do
you support all that?

let’s look more closely.

1. because we’re not in a high-
growth economy anymore:
It is time to revisit what success
means for the organization and
your employees. Focus on
the long-term: on stability,
career mobility, and the
connection to community
and environment.
When moving up is no longer a real option,
facilitate lateral employee growth to develop
people, keep careers interesting, and support a
flatter, more nimble organization.
Build loyalty and performance by giving
your people more autonomy - and
growing their individual mastery
through real-life experience.
Recognizing that employees now
have to do more with less, make
processes simple and streamlined.
In short, make it easy for
employees to do the work that
matters: get the clutter out of
the way.
To create “stickiness”, connect employees to the
purpose of the organization (as Jim Collins calls it, “the
big hairy audacious goal”). Financial incentives are
rarely the best way to driving engagement - and for
many organizations they’re no longer an option.
Structure
Strategy
People
Work
Culture

2. because it’s a VUCAworld:
Create transparency, and connect your
employees’ work to the organization’s
strategy. Your team can react with more
intention when everyone is aligned to
the same plan.
In a VUCA world, agility is a requirement. Build flat structures,
widen spans of control, and empower your employees to move
quickly and have an impact.
In a world of crazy change, organizational culture
must become the ‘safe place’ where
employees can thrive, safe from the spinning world
outside - like the eye of the storm.
To imbed agility in the DNA of your
organization, hire, develop, and
reward for change-capable behaviors.
Be explicit – build your roadmap for creating
a change capable organization.
If you can predict it, you can prepare
for it. Use technology to provide
insights, track trends, enhance
collaboration, and share
knowledge. Only when fully
informed can your team quickly
mobilize to meet change.
Strateg
y
Culture
Structure
People
Work

3. because the workplace is a
demographic melting pot:
How do you address fickle millennial loyalty,
keep boomers committed, and optimize a
global team? Engage your people in the
why, what, and how of strategic
planning - from their point of view. Make it
an organization-wide dialogue.
Think community. Build operating models that
connect your employees to the groups and
people who matter. Start thinking networks
(rather than org charts), with personal
connections and strong information flow.
Differences, whether generational, regional, or individual,
make teams stronger when they are embraced and
celebrated. Create a culture that embraces different
work styles and expectations.
They’re bound to go
sooner or later, so be
ready to capture and
transfer knowledge as
the Boomers retire.
Know where your risks
are and build a plan -
avoidance is not the
solution.
Recognize and support the
differences in how the generations
define work. Boomers ‘go to
work’, Millennials ‘do work’.
Strategy Culture
Structure
People
Work

4. because office time and desk
time aren’t what they used to be:
In a world of self-direction and autonomy, strategic
alignment is the name of the game. When
we’re all working toward the same goal, how
and where we work matters far less.
Welcome to an era where titles and levels don’t
mean much. It’s contribution that matters.
Create great roles for your people and
make it clear what good looks like.
In a world of ‘always on’ – how do you keep your
team healthy and balanced? Creating a culture
that works hard and plays hard is the ticket.
Encourage down time, create space, and be
OK when folks are not ‘on’.
Rethink your people process to ensure your team
is recognizing contributions, rather than
tabulating tenure or time spent at the desk.
After all, if nobody’s at a desk anymore, you’re going
to need a different measure.
Flexibility is the
rage: support
choice by making
it easy for your
people to
B.Y.O.D. (bring
their own
devices to
work) - And
make sure you
provide the tools
to fully
support a
virtual
workforce.
Strategy
Culture
Structure People
Work

but how do you do all of
that?
We’re glad you asked.
Tune in next month for PART 2: How to win your
strategy by getting all your leaders walking in the
same direction.

your people = your success.
Seattle | Portland | Vancouver, B.C.
www.peoplefirm.com

The world has changed: how to build a high-performing organization in a slow-growth economy.

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The world has changed: how to build a high-performing organization in a slow-growth economy.