By Dr. Mario Raich, Dr. Simon L. Dolan and Claudio Cisullo
In a world where everything seems to change with increasing frequency, we risk becoming more blasé about every new shift that comes along and failing to appreciate just how huge its consequences may be. That “latest big thing” just might be a transformation.
The objective of this article is to describe the magnitude of the transformation that is occurring nowadays around us (business, society, and the world), and to suggest that we are not prepared for this deep transformation. We will describe the so called “deep transformation” and identify the paths needed to undertake a mind shift in order to have a meaningful life amid this tectonic transformation.
At its core, the concept of transformation goes beyond mere change. Change often refers to specific adjustments or modifications; for example, in a company a change may be a new marketing strategy or a shift in company policy. Transformation, on the other hand, involves a fundamental rethinking and reshaping of an organization’s values, culture, processes, and overall direction. It requires a comprehensive overhaul, touching every aspect of the entity involvedi. And, most important, in transformation there is no way of going back.
In today’s rapidly evolving world, both businesses and societies are experiencing profound transformations fueled by various factors. Here are the principles:
- Technological Advancement: The digital revolution has radically altered how we communicate, collaborate, and conduct business. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are not just tools; they are catalysts that redefine how organizations operate and engage with their customers. This shift necessitates a transformation in workforce skills, leadership approaches, and even business models.ii
- Globalization: The interconnectedness of the global economy has forced businesses to transform to remain competitive. This means adopting more agile practices, embracing cultural diversity, and understanding the complexities of international markets. Societal transformation is also evident as cultures blend and adapt in response to global influences.
- Sustainability: With growing awareness of environmental issues, businesses are now transforming their operational strategies to be more sustainable. This can involve rethinking supply chains, adopting circular economic principles, and striving for transparency in practices. Societal expectations are changing, with consumers increasingly favoring brands that prioritize ethical practices and sustainability.iii
- Social Movements and Change: Recent societal shifts, sparked by movements focused on equity, inclusion, and justice, are driving transformation at multiple levels. Companies are reevaluating their roles in society, looking closely at their diversity initiatives, corporate social responsibility efforts, and community engagement strategies. This requires a fundamental shift in corporate philosophies, not just a change in policies.
- Workforce Dynamics: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated shifts in how we work. Remote work, flexible job arrangements, and the gig economy are now significant parts of professional life. Organizations must transform their HR practices, leadership models, and employee engagement strategies to adapt to a new reality where traditional workplaces are evolving or even becoming obsolete.
The need for a transformational mindset
As businesses and societies navigate these transformations, a transformational mindset becomes crucial. This involves:
- Visionary Leadership: Leaders must articulate a clear vision that resonates with employees and stakeholders. They should be able to inspire a collective effort toward embracing change and innovation.
- Agility and Flexibility: Organizations must remain adaptable, ready to pivot or iterate their strategies in response to new challenges or opportunities that arise within the transforming landscape.
- Empowered Culture: Fostering a culture that encourages experimentation, open communication, and learning from failure is essential. Employees should feel empowered to contribute to the transformation process.
- Collaboration and Inclusivity: Engaging diverse perspectives not only enriches problem-solving but also fosters innovation. Collaboration across departments and with external partners can lead to more holistic and innovative solutions.
Human fundamental concerns amid the radical world transformation
Whether we like it or not, the past is gone for good; a new future lies ahead.
Have you ever wondered what your future is? And what the future of our species is? Or what the world of future generations will be? Did you wonder about the value of your life, for yourself and future generations? Did you ever go through the anguish of thinking about the afterlife?
These are the kinds of questions that represent the shaping of our lives. Life is a maze of different kinds of relationships.
- Life shaping means managing direction and action in life.
- Life shaping means overcoming unexpected changes (i.e., coping with unexpected events).
- Life shaping means experiencing life (i.e., understanding and taking part in the maze of life at the different levels of individuals, group, team, community, society, and even humanity).
Not only business but our entire world has entered a period of deep, global, and all-encompassing transformation. Everything will be turned upside down. So far, only a few people seem to be aware of how far-reaching the outcomes of this transformation will be. Most people have just registered that something weird is going on. We are in the middle of the transition from the industrial to the cyber-economy and cyber-society. The effects are like shifts of tectonic plates, leading to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and changing entire landscapes. The feeling of instability is noticeable everywhere.
We are discovering that reality is non-sequential, non-systemic and, in multiple cases, asymmetric. Models and concepts based on former thinking can no longer help with what is happening around us. Thus, we need to change our view of the world so that, if we are lucky, it will help us to develop new concepts and models based on organic, systemic, and holistic thinking.
True, everything flows! But it flows in a very disruptive manner. Exploring the “New Reality” will bring us more questions than answers, but this is not the core problem. We argue that in the New Reality it is more important to opt for the right questions than to get answers that may become instantly obsolete. To reiterate Christensen’s argument in “How Will You Measure Your Life?”, in which he discusses the significance of pursuing meaningful questions in a changing landscape, the right questions can guide you toward a fulfilling life and decisions, rather than being fixated solely on finding definitive answers.iv
The competence of asking the right question is a pivotal skill that fosters deeper understanding and drives insightful conversations. It involves not only clarity of thought but also active listening and an awareness of context. By framing questions thoughtfully, we can unlock new perspectives, elicit meaningful responses, and guide discussions toward productive outcomes. This skill transcends various domains, from education to leadership, as the ability to probe effectively enhances problem-solving, encourages critical thinking, and fosters collaboration. Ultimately, asking the right questions is an art that cultivates inquiry, discovery, and growth.
Are we going through a turning point in history?
The transition from the industrial age into the cyber-age is a huge challenge, but also a unique opportunity for enterprises and corporations. To participate in this development, we need foresight, the right education, the necessary technological infrastructure, and ample entrepreneurial spirit. A multi-reality world in transition requires permanent focus on the actual, the emerging, and the future context. It also requires permanent awareness about contextual changes and future orientation. In a world in transition, we need a process focused on the desired future and not just on the expected one. Businesses that keep on focusing overwhelmingly on past successes have no future. Tomorrow, everything may change. The passive expectation vs active shaping of the future is depicted in exhibit 1.
Exhibit 1: Passive expectation vs active shaping of the future
Hope is a key value that may help leaders to avoid the worst-case scenarios and focus on future vision. Simply spreading optimism seems to be futile; what is needed are real visionary leaders who engage in action. Fortunately, these exist. Exhibit 2 proposes some examples of visionary leaders who are transforming the landscape and preparing for the future. These individuals are not only visionary in their thinking but also actively working to implement their ideas and drive progress in their respective fields.
Exhibit 2: Examples of contemporary visionary leaders
Completing the missing puzzle: moving from the expected into the desired future
Our personal future depends to a large extent on the future of others, such as those that are important to us, organizations that are relevant to us, the society that we live in, and of course broader contexts such as our history and the state of science and technology available in our community. These last are super-dynamic and embrace constant changes; they are all in a state of deep transformation.
Our short presence in this world will leave only marginal imprints. For most of us, no trace will remain. So, in this type of world, what should we do to enable a more meaningful life? The answer is simple: The more we move from the expected towards the desired future, and the stronger we are in living our own lives, the bigger our impact will be on those futures. But ultimately it depends on us whether it is a positive impact or negative one. We decide whether our life is meaningful for us and our environment, or not. We do not exist alone, and we may choose to impact other people.
Often, we do not realize this choice: whether to spend our lives in blessed ignorance, happy with whatever happens, or take up the challenge and aim beyond this. Our future these days is loaded with an overwhelming array of problems, issues, and crises which lie along the way towards a good future. We are torn between two contradictory options: preventing or avoiding looming problems. The time has come to stop waiting for opportunities and to create them ourselves! People don’t get mature and wise by aging; they just get old! It is necessary to work on our own development at each stage of our life and our career. If we stop this process, then we have reached the end. Exhibit 4 shows drivers of transformation and possible expected outcomes.
Exhibit 3: Drivers of transformation and possible expected outcomes.
Principal Drivers
- New transforming and disrupting technology based on AI and robots among many other new technologies: virtual reality, blockchain, biotech, nanotech, genetics, new materials, new energy sources, etc.
- New science is reaching out a long way, exploring even the “Beyond”.
- New business with the intelligent collaboration of people, AI, and robots.
- Social transformation and demographics, leading to the growing importance of cities.
Possible expected outcomes
- New civilization based on intelligent collaboration, where humans, robots, and AI are in collaboration. The world becoming more equal and the feminine part coming out of the shadows.
- Plutocracy. A few people become immensely rich and wealthy, becoming the masters of the world. abusing the new technology to control the rest.
- Back to the Stone Age. Our civilization crumbles, is destroyed, and starts again from scratch.
Our objective should be to be better than before, not just “more of the same”. Our life is a blended voyage of serendipity, wonderings, and disasters. If there is no future, everything looks meaningless and hopeless. The future is the most important dimension of our lives. v
Macrotrends and paradigm shifts
Creativity and entrepreneurship are the main driving forces of human civilization. Artificial intelligence and cyber-reality are powerful forces, both pushing into a new dimension. To avoid the trap of the greed-driven economy, there is a need to focus on quality of life.
The paradigm shift includes the following changes:
- From greed to mutual respect, tolerance, and trust.
- From growth to care.
As of today, we have an overwhelming focus on profit, which leads to distortions in the meaning of economy and ignoring the negative collateral impacts on society and the environment. For example, we accept the harmful and damaging impact of CO2 on the environment and can barely agree to reach CO2 neutrality, instead aiming at an overall reduction below the harmful limits.
In principle, the purpose of economy is to provide meaningful products and services for individuals and society. It is also important to insist on the role of work, which gives meaning to our lives. Since good relationships are the most important basis for a healthy and happy life, work-related relationships may have an important role to play as well. In his writings, Dave Ulrich, a prominent figure in the field of human resources and organizational development, often emphasizes the significance of meaningful work. One of his key phrases reflects this concept:
“Meaningful work is the bedrock of human dignity and organizational success.”vi
Finally, creativity and innovation need entrepreneurship to be implemented. AI, automation, digitalization, robotics, 3D printing, and others have a strong impact on all working activities. An increasing amount of human work can be done by machines. Value creation and value distribution will have to change fundamentally. We tend to forget that, besides the paid work we do for others, we all also work for ourselves, our family, neighbors, and other people and organizations. It is often caring work labeled as a social activity. This perception may and should be changing.
Exhibit 5 summarizes concrete actions designed to become part of the desired future.
Exhibit 5: Proposed actions to build a desired future
We must fight to ensure both that we have a future and that it is a future worth having. vii If we miss it, it may take centuries or even millennia to regain the advanced civilization we enjoy now. But we may as well lose it forever. This time, humanity risks being part of the sixth mass extinction.viii
Conclusion
Our life is a journey to the unknown, full of surprises and challenges. The journey is the purpose. We can decide largely about the direction we want to take. Obviously, we can just drift, but then we risk following other people’s directions.
Given the deep transformation that is looming on the horizon, we need to adopt a more proactive attitude and move from the expected future to the desired future. It is this that will enhance the quality of our lives. But, for this to happen, we need to understand what is going on in the period of deep transformation in business and society. The voyage to a desired future will involve our imagination and a firm stand and adaptation of new paradigms that will serve as a guiding compass. This article is not intended to provide a solution to all future issues, but to raise the level of consciousness of what is happening and perhaps create a wish list for actions. We should never forget that we live only here and now. Tomorrow is a bridge to the day after tomorrow!
If you promise people gold, you will harvest greed. If you bring people hope, you can win their hearts. And, if you teach people to trust each other, they may again have a real future.
Dreams are changing the world.
Let’s dream together about a better world!
Dr. Simon L. Dolan
