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Succeeding in Uncertain Times
Workshop Presentation
Tehran, Iran May 25 2009

Steve will be visiting Iran and hosting a presentation workshop to explore how to succeed in times of uncertainty.

We live in fast changing and turbulent times. Organisations that survive and succeed will be the ones that don’t simply cope with change, but thrive on it.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
 Charles Darwin Evolutionary Biologist

As Darwin described over 150 years ago, the key characteristic required in times of rapid change is the ability to adapt, and continuously re-adapt. For those who do, change is the biggest bringer of opportunity.

The challenge faced by senior management is to create what I call ‘Change-agility’, the ability to ride the wave of change in the way that a surfer rides the waves of the ocean.

The questions we all face in creating this agility include:-

Planning:- How do you plan when the ground is constantly shifting beneath your feet? What role has the planning process, when so much is uncertain? How do you construct plans that will enable you to respond to changing situations, without limiting your freedom to see opportunity? What skills need to be engaged in the planning process? Who needs to be involved?

Leadership:- How do you lead an organisation when the correct decision tomorrow, may be quite different to the correct decision today? What does it mean to lead in times of uncertainty? What is leadership in an agile organisation? Who leads who when everything is changing?

People:- How do you manage people in an environment of uncertainty? How do you help overcome fear of the unknown? How do you ensure that communication and involvement acts positively to support achieving your aims? How do you ensure that you optimise agility within the organisation?

Opportunity:- How do you sense the threat of change and respond before it causes harm? How do you create the confidence and ability to see opportunity where others see only problems?

Performance:- With so much changing, how do we ensure that measurement reveals a true picture of performance? What are the key measures for an agile organisation?

Improvement:- Where do we focus improvement effort in times of turbulent change? What role is there for improvement tools?

Using ideas and examples drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, this engaging workshop will provide unique insights into the challenges and opportunities of an uncertain world. Delegates will develop approaches that they can apply directly to their organisations, not simply to address the issues of today, but also create the ability to address the changing issues of tomorrow.

“In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy.”
J. Paul Getty, American Oil Tycoon, Billionaire