1.
Uncomfortable Talk #5: The Age of Transition
Vienna August 11, 2011.

2.
Servas,
my name is
Matthias Weber.

3.
I‘m here tonight
with my two partners:

4.
Matthias Abel &
Marc Schäfer.

5.
We were invited
to give an
Uncomfortable Talk
thanks to the folks
from

6.
What do we do?

7.
We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

8.
Insights
We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

9.
Strategy
Insights
We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

10.
Strategy Innovation
Insights
We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

11.
We are currently a Company without a Name and Identity.

12.
We are about to launch our business.

13.
I always wanted to use the launching rocket in a presentation.

14.
Anyway: we are working on it.

15.
We might even turn to Crowdsourcing for our name...

16.
...although I really don‘t hope we have to.

17.
Well, we are Germans.

18.
Everything has to be in order!

19.
It must be perfect!

20.
Sorry about that!

21.
If this attitude
should become too
annoying, please do
hit us hard at any
time during our
#Untalk.

22.
Unfortunately,
these days being a
good German puts
you into trouble.

23.
Since the demand
for perfect stuff is
declining.

24.
Today companies
hiding away in ivory
towers designing
the perfect whatever
will lose.

25.
Today companies
hiding away in ivory
towers designing
the perfect whatever
will lose.

26.
They will die from
long time to market
and irrelevancy.

27.
Today companies living on
the street and in the web
sharing and anticipating
new ideas win.

28.
Unfortunately, today only
few of these companies
are German companies.
We need to change this fact.

29.
Intro (done)

30.
Intro (done)
Quick Recap of previous Untalks
in context to our Untalk #6

31.
Intro (done)
Quick Recap of previous Untalks
in context to our Untalk #6
The Age of Transition

32.
Intro (done)
Quick Recap of previous Untalks
in context to our Untalk #6
The Age of Transition
Q&A

33.
Intro (done)
Quick Recap of previous Untalks
in context to our Untalk #6
The Age of Transition
Q&A

34.
So what is our
#Untalk about?

35.
In short:
we would like to
bounce some
ideas with you on
transitions.

36.
Let‘s start with
an example.

37.
Transition #1:
Who thought,
we would trade competition
in favour of collaboration?

38.
„This is not how I grew up
in business but I’m so glad
its changed.“
– Joanna Bakas
A transition in the way we think about business.

39.
Btw: This is not how
we grew up either.

40.
Transition #2:
Who thought Americans
would fall in love with bikes?

41.
Bike Lanes around Times Square?

42.
Before After
From Car-Centric Gotham to Bike-Friendly Big Apple?

43.
Before After
From Traffic Jam to Piazza (well almost)?

44.
If cars are continuously
being banned from our cities,
how does this change the
concept of designing living
space and enabling mobility?

45.
Especially if you‘re a car brand?

46.
Side note:
Congrats to BMW for
breaking all your records.

47.
By the way:
how are your cars shaping the
future of mobility?

48.
Side note 2:
Kudos to DB (Call a Bike, DB
Car Sharing, Flinkster) and
Daimler (Car2Go).
Thanks for anticipating that
our world is changing.

49.
@BMW:
success breeds #failure.
Ask Nokia.

50.
Most of the previous
#Untalks already dealt with
change and transitions.

51.
Steffen Stäuber

52.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave

53.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave
Marcus Brown

54.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave
Marcus Brown Neil Perkin

55.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave
• Transitions in the way we
market, advertise and
communicate.
Marcus Brown Neil Perkin

56.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave
• Transitions in the way we • Transitions in the way we
market, advertise and work, live and interact with
communicate. media through new
technologies.
Marcus Brown Neil Perkin

57.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave
• Transitions in the way we • Transitions in the way we
market, advertise and work, live and interact with
communicate. media through new
technologies.
Marcus Brown Neil Perkin
• Transitions in the way we
perceive and use the web.

58.
Steffen Stäuber Third Wave
• Transitions in the way we • Transitions in the way we
market, advertise and work, live and interact with
communicate. media through new
technologies.
Marcus Brown Neil Perkin
• Transitions in the way we • Transitions in the way we
perceive and use the web. plan and build business
strategies.

59.
Our #Untalk thesis:
Today, most innovation is
held back.

60.
Why?

61.
Because:
As long as business is
running smoothly,
innovation is only seen as
one thing:

62.
A Source of Irritation.

63.
It is more convenient not
to change.

64.
When it comes to
innovation we have
been thinking about two
archetypes.

65.
Visionaries Copycats
Two archetypes

66.
Visionaries Copycats
Two archetypes

67.
Visionaries Copycats
Two archetypes

68.
Visionaries Copycats
Fueled by different sentiments.

69.
Fueled by different sentiments.

70.
Courage
Fueled by different sentiments.

71.
Courage Fear
Fueled by different sentiments.

72.
Both create innovation,
but for different reasons.

73.
Impact Pressure
Motivations

74.
Impact Pressure
Motivations

75.
Impact Pressure
Motivations

76.
Most organizations only change when being under pressure.

77.
„I guess it‘s about time to change this
uncomfortable situation.“
Most organizations only change when being under pressure.

78.
Our assumption:
this applies to all forms
of social entities.

79.
Personal Relationships.

80.
Personal Relationships.
Communitites.

81.
Personal Relationships.
Communitites.
Cultures.

82.
Personal Relationships.
Communitites.
Cultures.
Businesses.

83.
Personal Relationships.
Communitites.
Cultures.
Businesses.
Governments.

84.
How can we understand
this behaviour better?

85.
Intro (done)
Quick Recap of previous Untalks
in context to our Untalk #6
The Age of Transition
Q&A

86.
The Age of Transition.
A few assumptions to explain what we
are thinking and discussing about.

87.
We live in a time where
changes in almost all fields
of life are occuring much
quicker than in the past.

88.
We believe that these
changes will even speed up
in the future.

89.
The Age of Transition is a
metaphor used to explore and
understand these changes.

90.
#TAOT will be a snapshot
during one moment in time
that needs to be revisited in
the future.

91.
#TAOT will be a
collaborative project growing
with your participation.

92.
Let‘s take a look at three
select fields in which
transitions are taking place.

93.
Governments:
From Nuclear Necessity to Renewable Energies.

94.
Governments:
From Representative to Participatory Democracy.

95.
Governments:
Power Shifts from Top-Bottom to Bottom-Top Societies.

96.
Governments:
Power Shifts– London Riots.

97.
Business:
From ivory towers to openness and collaboration.

98.
Cultures:
From Privacy to Sharing.

99.
Governments

100.
Governments Businesses

101.
Governments Businesses Cultures

102.
Governments Businesses Cultures
• Nuclear Phase Out in DE

103.
Governments Businesses Cultures
• Nuclear Phase Out in DE
• Participatory Democracy
(e.g. Stuttgart 21)

104.
Governments Businesses Cultures
• Nuclear Phase Out in DE
• Participatory Democracy
(e.g. Stuttgart 21)
• Power-Shifts both in
western democracies and
Arab countries

105.
Governments Businesses Cultures
• Nuclear Phase Out in DE • from ivory towers and
• Participatory Democracy gated business thinking to
(e.g. Stuttgart 21) openness and collaboration
• Power-Shifts both in
western democracies and
Arab countries

106.
Governments Businesses Cultures
• Nuclear Phase Out in DE • from ivory towers and • From privacy to sharing
• Participatory Democracy gated business thinking to culture both in the web and
(e.g. Stuttgart 21) openness and collaboration everyday life
• Power-Shifts both in
western democracies and
Arab countries

107.
How can we support
individuals, communities,
businesses and
governments to foster
these insights?

108.
1. Find a Purpose.
And stick with it.

109.
2. Build your organization/
brand around this purpose.
And invite people in. Eypecially those you
wish to have around you.

110.
2. Be broad.
Explore the boundaries of your business.

111.
2. Open up!
To complimentary cultures and embrace
them for being different.

112.
Get involved.
In conversations about where your
category or market is going to.

113.
Create Experiences.
For you will be measured by what you do
(not what you say).

114.
Know your Category.
And know when to leave it.

115.
Do not stick to what made
you succesful in the past.
For it might not in the future.

116.
Rely on capabilities (soft
factors) not on solutions.
Because somebody is already building
something better or cheaper.

117.
Take Risks and Fail if you
must.
If you do not fail, maybe you were not
brave enough!

118.
Embrace Change.
The age we live in is the most interesting. Ever.

119.
Do not feel too
comfortable.
Wherever you are: places and
surroundings change quickly.

120.
Thank You!

121.
Uncomfortable Q&A!
@checkdisout