Change is an unfortunate term isn't it – it's overused and misunderstood.
The bringing together of 'easy to say' things like increased collaboration, systems appreciation, creativity and fresh ideas can only really happen when conditions for them to flourish exist. Change will be deeply resisted if their meaning is left open to interpretation.
Change can therefore only happen when the conditions are developed. This means that there is probably a leader with vision - or at least a hunger for what's next. There will be a culture for teamwork - or at least a recognition of the need for it. And a 'burning platform' or passion of sorts - clear recognition that things just have to change - at least a few folk looking outside at the gathering black clouds!
This form of 'smart' change means being aware and connected in ways we haven't even begun to imagine.
Developing 80 : 20 vision
Real strategy and smart thinking means charting a course through the unknown. This is where there is the need for real reconnaissance, vigilance and peripheral vision. Change means a massive distortion to our traditional and safe vision - literally and symbolically - and especially so at the edge. This is where 21st Century businesses need the help most. Things that can be observed to need change, are probably well trodden territories and don't strike so much fear - let's call that 80% - it's not even the remaining 20% of the issue that cannot be seen which gives us the problem – it's 20% of that 20% (maybe less - it doesn't matter). It's the edge. The edge of our known stuff and the cause of all the woes or the root of all opportunity.
Problem is most enterprises spend almost a 100% of their time reacting to the 80% - worse the effect of it. And very little time getting out ahead of it. At the very least business needs the 80% tick smoothly and then get a strategy for that critical 20% of the 20%. In this blurry, noisy, irritating fog lies all the opportunity you can imagine. Competitive advantage, critical insight, innovation, early warning and massive risk. Great.
Why I spend so much time fooling with the edge is because I feel that only there am I training my filters, sharpening my sensitivity and preparing my mind for what might happen. Yes we need to leverage networks of people, systems and clever connected 'social' media to help us think about all this and we know these systems are already there but very few traditional businesses leverage this stuff properly. They don’t know how to create the ground for them to exist. The 80% gets in the way.
These new tools are already not new - decision tools - things like Google, Facebook, Twitter and their close cousins. They will soon be making smarter choices - creating better filters that improving every decision you make. Don't ignore them. Discover them. We may not recognise them soon but they are the pioneers of our new world. They are the pathfinders. They, and many others that you won't have heard of yet, are the networks for increasing peripheral vision. From 80:20 to 20:20
