OUR WORLD IS BROKEN…WE NEED TO FIX IT
THE PATH TO STRATEGIC HARMONY
Most people see the world as it is and get frustrated. We need people who see the world as it could be and get ready to change it!
This paraphrase of a well-known quote is the reason why, for the last two years, my fellow inspired Catalyzer and Skype pal, Velimir Srića and I began a journey to confront our myths reflected in our broken world and propose a roadmap to Strategic Harmony as solutions. We seem to be very ambitious — this book is for those who want to reinvent the world, to be in harmony driven by universal values and a superior ethical compass. It is for those who want to transform an institution, business, or organization; catalyze political change; or disrupt outdated, unresponsive policies (in healthcare, education, government, economics, and all other).
Central to all changes are the forces of Power and Love. They are at present playing a complicated game full of inconsistencies and double standards that fertilize our myths and change the direction of our ethical compasses. As for Power, we live in the age of global shifts that are dramatic, the old being challenged by the new. Globally, people are in search of a new balance and harmony. In pursuit of Strategic Harmony, we design strategies that align Power, augment Love and reduce resistance to change.
Hieimann and Timms suggest that “The Old Power works like a currency. It is held by few, and when gained, it is jealously guarded. The powerful have a lot to store and to spend. So they keep it closed, inaccessible, and leader-driven.” It enslaves and captures, makes the powerless majority feel miserable and unhappy. On the other hand, Transformative Power operates like a current. It is available to many; it’s open, participatory, and peer-driven. It empowers and connects. It is not supposed to be kept and abused but channeled and distributed. Of course, our book discusses the constructive use of Transformative Power and misuse of Old Power.
Like Power, there are also the Old and the Transformative Love. The Old is selfish and controlling, the Transformative is supportive and enriching. The Old is like a chain, the Transformative gives you wings. Transformative Love is realized through values — compassion, empathy, understanding — with clients, employees, other leaders.
The former has broken the world, the later leads to more sustainable and harmonious Global Order.
We need a RESET! It is the imperative to transform our broken world to what it must become instead of accepting the present situation as the default. Most people see what’s wrong and just criticize it — we want to engage in a radical change. Hence, the book is written as a conversation about the challenging conditions in the world and how we can address them.
Let’s reflect on our condition. 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer,an annual global survey on trust and credibility “finds that two-thirds of the countries we survey are now “distrusters” (under 50% trust in the mainstream institutions of business, government, media and NGOs to do what is right), up from just over half in 2016.” The Report suggests “As trust in institutions erodes, the basic assumptions of fairness, shared values and equal opportunity traditionally upheld by “the system” are no longer taken for granted. We observe deep disillusion on both the left and the right, who share opposition to globalization, innovation, deregulation, and multinational institutions.”
At the last World Economic Forum 86% of global executives suggested the world is facing a major leadership crisis — with executives having less than 50% confidence and trust in the leadership of business, media, government, education, and religious institutions. Despite all the technological innovation, we are unable to deal with the burning issues of political instability, suspended economic growth, poverty, injustice, international terrorism, global warming, or epidemic depression. It seems that humanity has never faced such deep social and economic problems, and, at the same time, was equipped with such a low level of understanding of the scope and reach of these problems.
Furthermore, 90% of global businesses have initiated a formal digital transformation initiative , but 84% have failed ! WHY? Because executives have defaulted to what is comfortable and are investing in hardware or solutions. Instead, Digital Transformation is pervasive, thus it requires organization’s culture and structure to be transformed to reflect the values and agility required to respond and adapt in World 4.0.
What are the solutions? We all recognize the vast potential of collaboration on emerging technologies. Today, almost everything humanity wants to achieve becomes possible. Why are we still pursuing wrong goals, trusting questionable ideas, and following the same deadly routine from the past? The answer lies with the values and beliefs. As Albert Einstein used to point out, we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
The world is broken because we are trapped in the cage of the old economic, social and political values. They are based on the “myths” that we now consider being true.
1. For a leader to be successful, he or she must be on the top of a hierarchy and control information and decisions.
2. We are happy and secure only with people we are familiar with in terms of religion, culture, ethnicity, and gender.
3. Nobody is unbiased, and everyone has an agenda, so don’t trust anyone.
4. Asking forgiveness is a weakness, emphatic people are wimps
5. Sustainability is just focused on our environment. Our resources are constantly growing and being replenished; there’s no need to be restrained.
6. You can lie about anything; as everyone does it; as long as you don’t get caught.
7. Admitting your wrong or made a mistake or don’t have complete knowledge is not acceptable and needs to be covered up.
8. Taking a risk and failing is bad; it’s not a learning experience.
9. Strive to win, be right and in control; compromise is a sign of weakness.
10. A successful product is based on sales revenue only.
11. It’s waste of resources to collect data that you don’t have a use.
12. Experience of senior executives is the key to success in the complex world.
13. Efficient, profit-centered departments increase business innovation in digital age.
14. We have done things for many years quite successfully. Why should we change?
15. Customer experience is very complicated and can’t be measured.
16. You are what you do and what you “possess”; money opens all doors and is the key to success.
17. Sharing of ideas and collaborating can be dangerous; it’s better to exploit ideas by yourself.
18. A university degree prepares you for future jobs in the growingly complex world.
19. Innovation should be determined by the capacity of the current team.
20. Return on Investment (ROI) is the best tool to measure success of businesses and organizations.
Behind each of these “untruths” there is a belief and a value that underpins a resulting action. As an outcome, we are witnessing the broken world, reflected in our political systems, economy, ethics, culture, health, education, and ecology.
Our book is aimed at providing our executives, managers and entrepreneurs in government, business and nonprofits with a breakthrough in mind-set about the false “truths“ we accept and live by and provide a road map for sustainable change.
2017 Edelman Trust Barometer concluded “The onus is now on business, the one institution that retains some trust with those skeptical about the system, to prove that it is possible to act in the interest of shareholders and society alike. Free markets can succeed for all if business works with the people, not just sells to them.”
Yet business faces a paradox; the public’s distrust of their integrity and support for loss of jobs (due to globalization, automation, and lack of training) vs the company’s capacity to both increase profits and improve economic and social conditions. We agree, that business leaders must step up and become “Catalyzers”” integrating social impact into their goals. Based on a Quadruple Bottom Line, (a “stakeholder centric“ approach where sustainable outcomes are generated for all stakeholders), they can be catalysts for global change.
All the broken things must be transformed. Our book is organized in three parts. The first is Assessing the conditions. The second Designing mindset and tools required for change. The third part is Re-inventing social impact solutions that generate sustainable change.
Please join us by engaging in discussion, contributing new “myths” and help contribute to our timely and necessary guidebook for our current leaders and future “Catalyzers”.
Listen as though you feel everyone’s pain
Innovate as though you’re open to limitless possibilities
Collaborate as though no obstacles exist
Manage as though sustainability is your bottom line
Thank you.
************
Ira Kaufman, PhD is a Digital Transformation Strategist, CEO, Social Entrepreneur and Educator. His company, Entwine Digital, has been working with midsize and multinationals to design Digital Transformation strategies and train World Class Digital Leaders and Transformative Leaders (Transformation Academy) . He launched Institute for Transformative Leadership at University of Lynchburg College of Business s. His team is collaborating with Legacy International (NGO specializing in training future leaders) to develop the Global Transformation Corps as an interactive network of executives, experts, impact investors and emerging leaders to face the challenges and seize the opportunities of our 4th Industrial Revolution.
Velimir Srića (MS in Electrical Engineering; MBA from Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, New York; PhD in management information systems) is professor of management at Zagreb University and visiting professor at UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles). He was teaching at Beijing Renmin University a, as well as in Budapest, Dubai, Graz, Maribor, Podgorica, Rijeka, Sarajevo and Split. He was Director of Croatian Information Technology Institute, Minister of Science and member of Croatian Government. He is member of The Club of Rome, founder and president of ELITE, and program director of DELFIN (Developing Effective Leadership for INnovation), a private executive development and consulting firm.
