WORKPLACE NOW E-ZINE
Ryan Estis

Ryan Estis, a business performance expert, helps companies and leaders embrace change and achieve breakthrough performance in the new economy.

 

At a recent GWS client event, Ryan shared his perspectives on the changing workplace and the importance of culture on bottom line results with WorkPlace Now.

 

 

What are some of the mega trends impacting today’s work environment?

Of greatest impact is the significant competition in a global economy. The world has become a much smaller place, creating a whole new kind of competitive pressure. Leaders and organizations must focus on reinventing themselves and staying on the cutting edge. Products and services are being commoditized, everything is cheaper and faster, and the window of time that you have to innovate is short. Entire industries are being reinvented and we’re living in period of time where change is the norm.

 

The key takeaway is that we need to get better at how we change.

 

What would you recommend to organizations trying to stay competitive?

In an environment like this, we need to focus on people. At the end of the day, it’s about the ability to reinvent, innovate and invest in the human capital of the organization.

 

Companies have traditionally focused on cost, systems, and technology, but it’s the intellectual capital and ingenuity of the people that make businesses successful. In fact, people and culture are the only sustainable things in a rapidly changing environment.

 

Today’s knowledge workers are motivated by a different set of values. They want to grow, develop and lead organizations. To cultivate this talent, companies should consider the experience design of the workplace. An optimal workplace experience gives autonomy creative freedom, and the opportunity to grow. As workplace strategies are developed, what kind of experience is created?

 

In addition to physical design, how does behavior influence the workplace?

Collaboration

Workplaces need to support the needs of the new knowledge worker. It’s about holding people more accountable, but with fewer processes and legacy protocols. In an alternative workplace, people have the freedom to work in the way that works best for them.

 

Leadership style plays a huge factor in influencing the workplace. A collaborative style optimizes performance and potential, and encourages participation, relationships and results. In contrast, the traditional, command style leadership struggles with lack of control and can hinder creativity and growth. Legacy structures are also very hierarchal, but entitlement lacks the best ideas.

 

Leaders need to realize the example they’re setting for employees and model key behaviors, including risk taking and failure tolerance. To successfully grow, you need to take risks. Not everything will be perfect, but at least a new way of thinking is considered and ideas brought to the table.

 

Organizations must also invest in the development of people. Training and development are often the first programs to get cut, but can be the most impactful to growth.

 

How does brand and culture contribute to bottom line results?

A brand is not what you say it is, but what everybody else says it is. Passion, values, strategic thinking - the intangibles - are what is now unique and is the fastest way to create value and growth. The soft stuff is really becoming the hard stuff. How do you put KPIs around creativity and productivity?

 

There is no fixed formula, no manual for success. We are required to solve much more complex problems and the path to success is much more ambiguous. It takes a new style of person to lead and think about the business.

 

What is the key to achieving balance among generations?

Millenials

The new generation is the fastest growing segment, representing 25% of the workplace today, but will grow to more than 50% by the year 2020. They are rapidly introducing a new set of ideas and expectations. To lead in a way that appeals to them, it’s important to create understanding across the generational divide.

 

Millennials are going to require a workplace that evolves and will demand flexible working. They don’t understand why they need to be at work every day. Organizations need to look at their structure. Is it the best way for their company or just the way they’ve always done things?

 

On the other hand, reverse mentoring from the previous generation is just as important for millenials so that they can understand the previous generation. We are experiencing this transformation in the way we communicate and collaborate. Ideally, you want to position people in a way that they will effectively contribute. There is a shift to work to results culture rather than process. Again, leadership influence and behaviors are critical. Collaborative leadership engages and inspires people to work towards a common goal in a variety of formats.

 

As an industry, I think we are receptive to ideas, but slow to actually change. Everyone recognizes the world is changing, but acceptance and implementation is difficult. It’s often a delicate process balancing financial and time limitations. However, evolution is necessary or else companies won’t be positioned to compete in the global economy.

 

What closing advice would you give to our readers?

The question I get asked the most, is: "Can I impact change as an individual?" My response is that there has never been a better time for one person or a small group that want to insert themselves into the chaos and collectively impact. You need to lead the change, or else others will.

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To learn more about Ryan’s passion and business performance for the people environment, please visit www.ryanestis.com.

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