CHAPTER 5 It's about people
If you're just about ready to give up on the traditional old world organisation and consign it to the scrapheap, you'll be pleased to know that beyond the superficial fix we discuss in chapter 4, there is hope. Fortunately, some of the guys who run these big businesses do get it. In encouraging signs, some are showing an understanding about the importance of embracing the change that VUCA brings, and being open to the new opportunities for learning. Most importantly, they have realised the crucial role that their people play in the new VUCA world.
One such example is Marc Bolland, CEO of major British multinational retailer Marks & Spencer (employer of approximately 80 000 people). Despite the business being 130 years old, in a radical shift for such a traditional organisation, Bolland commissioned innovative leadership and engagement firm Cirrus to develop an ongoing transformational initiative for the organisation (and I was fortunate enough to be involved with it). The initiative involved senior staff spending significant time with unconventional new world businesses like Apple, Airbnb and ...
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