Times of uncertainty
Is it true that organisations are becoming more risk-averse?
Google this question and you will obtain a range of answers from different researchers. Most support the view that organisations need to be more open to taking risks to survive and thrive in these rapidly changing times.
In recent times we have been reminded by cyclones, floods, fires and pandemic that the world is crazy mixed up and uncertain. The uncertainty is growing. The impact of climate change, ecological breakdown, AI, and political instability …. All increase our sense of unfamiliarity and uncertainty in the way things are.
How do we each respond (or react) to growing uncertainty? This is an important question for those who consider themselves' leaders’ because we set the tone within our teams and organisations.
As times become more uncertain, are you becoming more risk-averse?
To what degree are you unconsciously craving more safety, comfort and security?
To what degree are your people feeling more constrained and unable to suggest, let alone experiment, with new ideas?
If your people are anything like the last 80 people I spent time with last week (in three different groups of senior people), they generally feel quite constrained. Ranging from highly constrained to moderate to minimal, my sample suggests that nearly 50% of your people could be feeling highly constrained. Why not ask them?
Why is this important? Most organisations say innovation is vital to remaining relevant within a rapidly changing marketplace, and of course, increasing legislative compliance is emerging in the carbon emission space. Yet innovation needs the space to be creative and for some ideas to fail—quite a few of them, really.
Where will the new business models for the future come from?
How can you nurture a space where the inefficiency of learning what works and what doesn’t is embraced?
Let’s chat if that is a question you are interested in exploring.