Navigating Change: From Disruption to Sustainability

Sophie addresses the disruption we are now facing in our working lives. How can we navigate unprecedented changes due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak and technological advances? Sophie explains evolving conditions and how to adapt both in the short-term—transitioning to remote working—and for the longer-term, making important strategic changes. She describes sustainable ways of working to adopt that will enable your company to thrive in a digitized, less predictable business landscape when things turn around. 

Key Takeaways

[01:00] How to approach the disruption we are facing in our working lives.

[01:27] Sustainable ways of working that can handle short-term and longer-term needs.

[01:52] Traditional work practices aren’t adaptable enough to handle current circumstances.

[03:08] Short-term focus on transitioning to remote working.

[03:47] Strategic long-term potential changes to be equipped to ramp up successfully when conditions improve.

[04:53] Fundamental changes to our work conditions and lives primarily due to technology advances.

[07:15] Why Sophie is well-qualified to provide clarity and direction.

[08:16] How to approach your company’s unique situation.

[09:21] Seven interrelated key areas to assess for action to transform and future-proof your company.

[11:08] How technology is impacting our business models, revenues, operations and workers.

[13:40] Shorter timeframes for projecting out and planning with more project work.

[14:18] Companies undergoing fundamental strategic reviews to stay competitive in a digitized business world.

[15:44] Employees needing to adapt and respond to faster, less predictable market conditions.

[16:37]Learning new skills ongoing – the start of life-long learning.

[16:55] Human beings resist change.

[18:30] Culture and values matter especially during times of great uncertainty and change.

[19:40] Questions to assess and actions to take relating to your company’s culture and values.

[21:12] Leadership styles shifting: sharing more responsibility and using more empathy.

[23;10] The importance of transparency—one of Atlassian’s core values.

[23:41] Questions to assess and actions to transform relating to your company’s leadership.

[26:04] The need to combine all generations’ expertise, skills, and creativity to compete effectively.

[27:28] How empathy bridges generational gaps—increasing productivity at a ServePro franchise.

[29:26] Questions to assess and step to take relating to your company’s intergenerational integration.

[31:05] The increase of teamwork to respond faster to more complex projects.

[31:48] The challenges of working effectively for teams including remote workers and non-employees.

[32:17] How to manage and motivate distributed and blended teams.

[34:08] Questions to assess and actions steps to transform your company’s remote teams and contractors’ performance.

[36:04] New careers are self-directed, non-linear with shifts between work arrangements, functions and industries. 

[37:44] How is your company projecting out future skills’ needs and helping upskill employees?

[39:24] Questions to assess and steps to act upon relating to you and your direct reports’ careers and upskilling needs.

[40:40] Updating historical approaches to policies, measuring productivity, and performance reviews.

[41:46] Policies and other transformation efforts should be coordinated and consistent.

[42:32] How to monitor and support employees through and beyond periods of unsettling change.

[44:18] Questions to assess and steps to take to update your company’s policies, productivity metrics, and performance reviews.

[45:38] Immediate Action Tip: Urgency to transform for immediate needs and longer term sustainability.