Partner Article

Implementing a Digital Disruption Mindset in the Work Place

Creating and nurturing an innovative disruptive mind set in the workplace can be a very challenging task. But its importance can’t be underestimated as the speed, magnitude and impact of disruptive forces become more frequent and magnified. While the concept of failing fast, breaking things and pro-typing new tech solutions can on the surface seem quite an empowering the key to success is enabling real change and embedding do-able frameworks which really work when learners return to their normal day jobs. To compound the problem, if you have a relatively profitable business why disrupt it? I am sure the Blockbuster founders thought the same thing in 2000 when Netflix came knocking asking for investment into their new online streaming service.

Below are some recommendations on changing organization culture which deliver real results:

1. Choose the correct path to innovation for your business. Every company has to find their own way. Just because someone had success with one process doesn’t mean it’s right for industry or your company’s current challenge. So the best advice is to gather as many tools and processes as possible, test them and use them in the way that works for your business

2. ‘culture eats technology for breakfast’ a famous quote but entirely valid as a potential early obstacle to initiating tech change. If culture and environment is a major issue then confront this at this early on. Getting your chosen disruptors our of their usual workplace into a startup environment like Wework of Level39 can make a huge difference when you are surrounded by small hungry companies disrupting the mindset really rubs off on participants

3. Important: Get a trusted sponsor and advocate from the top of your business and get them involved as much as possible in the process right from the start

4. Cultivate the right learning mindset. Imbue all participants with a growth learning mindset. That means encouraging reading, learning, constant discussion and critical encourage participants to observe outside of their own industries to seek solutions to their current internal challenges

5. Don’t confuse innovation with implementing new technology. You could spend 50 K on a new shiny bit of tech but if there is no-one able to deploy it properly its wasted money. At Google X, the tech giant’s idea factory the mantra is #MonkeyFirst. The idea is that if you want to get a monkey to recite Shakespeare on a stool, you start by training the mindset of the monkey, not building the stool. Changing the mindset of the monkey is the hard part.

6. There is a fundamental trade-off between creating an innovative mindset and doing your day to day job. Running your day to day job requires predictable outcomes, time and energy. Innovation, on the other hand, requires experimentation. It means trying a lot of new things, some of which might fail. Give your chosen disruptors the necessary time, headspace and support to the get real value from innovation, experimenting, learning new innovation processes

7. related to points 5 is take new disruptors out of their normal work environment and create an environment where they can create and challenge their thinking. The expression ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ is true. Strategy, process, and culture need to be aligned. Putting a group of people in a startup environment like Wework of Level39 can make a huge difference. When you are surrounded by small hungry companies disrupting it inspires you

8. Most of all make it an enjoyable and highly memorable experience, this creates momentum and promotes a real positive culture around learning, disruption creating the right conditions for change to really happen because if those involved are really enjoying it then it makes it more doable.

David Reilly is Founder of Let’s Learn Digital and creates digital disruption training programmes for Corporate Clients.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Let's Learn Digital .