FLEX. Rick Grimaldi
The reality is that it's foolish and risky for leaders to make assumptions based on what has worked in the past. In forward-thinking organizations, the old “control-manage” model of work has given way to creative collaboration and communication.
We can “rage at the dying of the light,” like Welsh poet Dylan Thomas suggests of those who believe they are too old or unwilling to change (or like people concerned about an uncertain fate might do). Or, we can learn to check outdated assumptions when making decisions so we are effective in our efforts to lead profitable, healthy companies into a future that is rapidly reinventing itself. We can learn to flex.
This skill set is particularly critical to master in order to respond effectively during pivotal moments inside of an organization. Such moments come in many forms.
For example, the tragic events of 9/11, and then, more recently, COVID-19, created an immediate and profound seismic shift in America's focus on safety and security. Leaders at companies who appreciated the enormity of this shift responded quickly with new policies and targeted training to ensure the workplace remained respectful, healthy, and violence-free.
Downsizings are another moment that occurs frequently inside many companies. The ability to flex is key here also. Managers who can communicate these events organization-wide with sensitivity and transparency fare far better than those who cannot.
Leaders who are skilled at demonstrating compassion and active listening skills are often successful at maintaining the morale of remaining employees while assisting departing employees in letting go of disappointment so they can move forward with a focus on the future.
Competitive threats and societal movements, such as #MeToo, offer make-or-break moments for organizations. Although it's easy to reach out to a lawyer to navigate those moments, I've learned that lawyers tend to zero in on risks from legal issues while often missing the far more important context of the challenge.
The best way to win a lawsuit is to avoid it altogether by cultivating a willingness to take an unflinching look at uncomfortable organizational culture issues, address outdated human resources policies, actively engage all stakeholders, and end the kinds of injustices—financial and otherwise—that give rise to these difficulties. Organizations that embrace those truisms save money, avoid the challenges of unionization, and spend less time in court.
We can spend our energy and resources working to shut out change that is uncomfortable, inconvenient, and, frankly, inevitable. But it's a useless endeavor in my experience. That path leads to irrelevancy. There are plenty of others happy to take our jobs and customers.
Instead, let's be nimble as we lean into change to proactively shape responsive organizations that value creativity and innovation to foster success. Today, more than ever, we need to care about relationships and be prepared for the disruptions that will inevitably come.
As someone who's been fortunate to have a front-row seat during the onslaught of mega and micro influences reshaping work in America today, I invite you to consider the ways in which successful companies not only navigate unimaginable disruption but also embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
1 The World Is Changing
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
Source: John F. Kennedy Address in the Assembly Hall at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt (266), June 25, 1963, Public Papers of the Presidents: John F. Kennedy, 1963.
It's certainly no surprise that the world is changing, right? Progress and innovation have always been the natural order of things.
Hunter-gatherers evolved into an agrarian society focused on farming. Much later, America's industrial economy gave way to a postindustrial society, transitioning from a society that primarily provided manufactured goods to one that provides services.
Plus, world events—wars, natural disasters, political leaders, plagues, and viruses—have all delivered tsunamis of change since the beginning of time.
But here's what is new and radical in the world we live in today: the frenetic pace of change. That is unprecedented in the history of the world. The period with which change occurs has become radically compressed.
And that is having a profound effect on the world of work. There's a cognitive dissonance—a sort of psychological stress experienced worldwide—as we collectively struggle to match our behaviors, decisions, and expectations to a world that is evolving at warp speed. And all of these changes are rushing into a work environment that seems forever in flux.
Where is all this change coming from? It's due to a set of complex and ever-mutating trends both internal and external to our society. And together, they are creating a perfect storm of chaos with grave implications for businesses and companies that don't recognize and respond.
Let's consider them one at a time.
The Face of America Is Changing
One of the biggest changes sweeping our nation is the pace of diversity. The percentage of white Americans is shrinking. In fact, by the year 2045, the census projects that whites will make up just under half of the US population, officially making them a minority. America will also be almost one-quarter Hispanic and nearly 8% Asian.1
Where will US population growth come from exactly? International migration. As the largely white population retires, it will be youthful minorities who take their place. By 2060, the census estimates that only 36% of those under 18 will be white. Non-whites already make up the majority of newborns and kids in K–12 schools in the US today.
The political schism in America today makes sense in this context, doesn't it? The on-the-ground realities are quite different for the declining white population and the emerging multiracial population. As America rapidly becomes more ethnically diverse, companies will need to recognize resistance to change among the ranks, become adept at fostering acceptance and inclusion, and actively work to effectively engage a diverse workforce.
Paying lip service to “diversity initiatives” will brand organizations as out-of-step, making it more challenging to recruit talent. As you will learn, what really matters instead is consistent hiring practices that actually reflect an inclusive and diverse workforce.
When a potential hire looks around the office or the plant, what are they noting about your organization? Is the executive team elderly, male, and white? Or does it accurately reflect the diverse racial and gender makeup that is their reality? Here's a tantalizing stat to consider: in 2019, 60% of companies in the US did not have a single woman on the board.2
Also, senior citizens are soon expected to outnumber children for the first time in our history. In just one decade from now—by 2030—every baby boomer will be at least 65 years old, ushering in a radical new era of slower population growth.3 In fact, by 2060, there will be just 2.5 workers (down from 3.5 workers) to drive the economy for every retired individual.4
Millennials Are Taking Over
Recently, millennials surpassed Gen Xers as the largest generation of workers.5 And that trend has plenty of critical implications as well. Just as America is experiencing a widening gap between whites and non-whites, so, too, is it struggling with a schism between the experience of older Americans and millennials.
Millennials are early adopters of technology. Unlike their older peers, they've