Latest news with #ReinventionAcademy
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Reinvent Or Fall Behind: 5 Hard Truths From The Frontlines Of Business
Reinvent or Fall Behind: 5 Hard Truths from the Frontlines of Business This April, leaders from 38 countries and countless industries gathered in Dublin for the Reinvention Summit 2025. As one of the co-founders of the Summit—alongside Aidan McCullen, Michael Durkan, and Neil Jordan—I had a front-row seat to the most urgent questions in business today: - Why are our old tools no longer working? - What does a successful leader look like in this age of permanent disruption? - And how do we actually prepare for a future we can't predict? The answers were loud and clear. Here are five hard truths that emerged from the keynotes, panels, and off-the-record conversations at the Summit—insights every professional needs to hear right now. The data is alarming. The 2024 research from the Reinvention Academy, which I shared at the Summit, shows that the average lifecycle of a business model has dropped from 75 years to just 6. Every fifth company in the world is reinventing their products, processes, and business model every 12 months or faster, which means the shelf life of an idea, decision, or product is getting very, very short. Rita McGrath—Columbia Business School professor and bestselling author—delivered a powerful keynote that echoed the ideas she first introduced in her groundbreaking Harvard Business Review article, 'Transient Advantage.' A new approach to management is needed, where we are not betting on one 'silver bullet,' spending years to perfect it. As Alexander Osterwalder, creator of the Business Model Canvas, reminded us in his keynote: If your organization is placing all its bets on a single idea—or failing to retire outdated ones—you're not adapting. You're aging. Most companies divide responsibility for the future among siloed teams: strategy, innovation, and change management. But in today's environment, these functions are interdependent. Misalignment isn't just inefficient—it's lethal. That's why a new leadership role is gaining traction: the Chief Reinvention Officer. This emerging role brings together what used to be fragmented and conflicting parts of the organization into a single, integrated reinvention process. Instead of handing off initiatives from one silo to another, the Chief Reinvention Officer - a leader who can integrate strategy, innovation, and implementation into one cohesive, end-to-end reinvention system. Gary Graham, Chief Reinvention Officer at 3i's Group and the Keynote Listener at the Summit, put it best: 'When most leaders think of reinvention, they think of strategy, technology, or AI. But the real secret? It's about trust.' He referenced McKinsey research that shows leaders often overestimate employee buy-in by a factor of three. People resist change not because they don't care—but because they fear becoming irrelevant. Change fatigue is very real—and growing. In a world where disruption is constant, reinvention must be continuous—and coordinated. Every company grows along an S curve: from start-up and early traction to scale and maturity. But without reinvention, the final stage is decline. In earlier eras, that curve might have lasted decades. But as Aidan McCullen, co-founder of the Summit and author of 'Undisruptable,' explained in his keynote, today's curves are getting shorter and steeper, leaving little room for reaction. The wisdom of jumping the S-curve at the right time is not limited to companies. As Marina Donohoe, Head of Research, Innovation & Infrastructure at Enterprise Ireland, reminded us during the 'Reinventing Ireland' panel, countries must make that crucial choice as well: Ireland, long celebrated for its economic strength through foreign direct investment and global entrepreneurship, now faces a new wave of challenges—from shifting global tax rules and climate change to talent shortages and AI-driven disruption. The question on the table was bold:Can an entire nation become a model for reinvention? Just like companies and careers, countries ride the S-Curve. And just like them, if they don't reinvent, they decline. That's why reinvention isn't a one-time event. It's an operating system—one that must be embedded across every function, every quarter, every decision. When people talk about reinvention, they often focus on what needs to be improved, updated, or removed. But that's just one side of the equation. In this keynote, Charles Conn, Chairman of Patagonia, reminded us of the other side, of what must be preserved: the purpose. Purpose isn't just a slogan. It's an operating anchor. A source of resilience. In times of turbulence, it's easy to become reactive—shifting strategies, chasing trends, abandoning the core. But true reinvention is not about changing everything. It's about knowing what to protect at all costs. In the chaos of reinvention, purpose can become the eye of the storm. It reminds people why they're there. It aligns teams when strategies shift. And it gives companies the courage to choose long-term integrity over short-term gain. Finally—and perhaps most importantly—reinvention isn't something you do alone. The command-and-control model of leadership was designed for stability. But today's leaders are managing through perma-crisis. Instead of top-down control, we need swarming leadership—cross-functional, cross-generational teams that tackle problems quickly and collaboratively, then disperse. These swarms are faster, more adaptive, and more resilient. At the Summit, we heard over and over again that what leaders need most right now isn't another playbook or case study. It's a community. A place to learn from others facing similar challenges. A space to prototype new solutions. A network to lean on when things get tough. Patrick Gormley, Global Lead for AI and Data Science Consulting at Kyndryl, put it simply: This applies to both your employees and your customers. Seth Godin, my personal marketing obsession and bestselling author, captured this new approach with his call to focus on the Minimum Viable Audience: In today's environment, the winners won't be the smartest or fastest. They'll be the ones who stay in motion—and do it together. We're not in a period of temporary turbulence. We're in a new normal. Uncertainty is not a phase—it's the permanent context of our work. In this reality, reinvention is no longer a luxury for the bold—it's the operating system of modern business. If you haven't rethought your strategy, your team structure, or your leadership approach recently—you're probably already falling behind. But the good news? You're not alone. Across industries and continents, leaders are finding new ways to build, adapt, and thrive. The tools, the models, and the community are already here. The future doesn't belong to the biggest or the fastest. It belongs to the most reinventable.
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Surviving Uncertainty: 5 Strategies To Stay Sane, Sharp And Financially Sound
Surviving Uncertainty: 5 Strategies To Stay Sane, Sharp & Financially Sound In the last few years, we've lived through a pandemic, inflation spikes, AI shocks, geopolitical rifts, and the erosion of workplace norms. Now, in 2025, the noise hasn't quieted. It's multiplied. And while companies scramble to reinvent themselves (something I wrote about in The New Corporate Playbook: 5 Trends Changing The Rules Of The Game In 2025), individual professionals are left asking a quieter but no less urgent question: Whether you're a mid-level manager, a seasoned expert, or an early-career professional, the game has changed—and so must your strategy. Based on insights from leading research, client work at Reinvention Academy, and conversations with professionals worldwide, here are 5 powerful strategies to stay sane, sharp, and financially sound in a world that won't stop shifting. Treat your life like a business. You wouldn't run a company using last quarter's data—yet most professionals manage their careers by gut feel. Start tracking leading indicators: • Energy level • Learning hours per week • Time spent on strategic projects vs. reactive tasks • Number of new professional relationships formed each month These small data points give you real-time insight into when you're drifting, burning out, or stagnating—before you hit a wall. → Tool it like a CFO. Run your career with metrics that matter. In times of turbulence, stress is inevitable. But what if it wasn't the enemy?Research from Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal shows that believing stress is harmful can actually be more damaging than the stress itself. When we reframe stress as a sign that our body is preparing us to meet a challenge, we experience better focus, stronger performance, and improved long-term resilience. This insight builds on what I explored in '3 Super-Easy Ways To Boost Your Team's Productivity': performance isn't just about tools—it's about mindset. Just like teams thrive when they shift how they brainstorm, individuals thrive when they shift how they interpret pressure. The key is not eliminating stress—but transforming how we respond to it. Ask yourself: What is this stress preparing me for? → You can't avoid stress—but you can train your mind to work with it, not against it. The job market is changing. Companies and careers that used to be considered 'safe havens' that always guarantee job security (think Big Four consulting, IT, accounting, etc) are currently going through massive layoffs. In uncertain times, the goal isn't to cling to a job—it's to diversify your income resilience. That could mean launching a side project, consulting, investing in skill-based gig work, or developing IP you can license or teach. No, you don't need to burn out or hustle 24/7. But in 2025, multiple streams of income aren't just nice—they're necessary. → Reframe your financial stability as a portfolio, not a paycheck. You are the average of the five people you talk to most—but how many of those five are actually future-focused? Find or build a micro-community of peers, mentors, or collaborators who are tracking the next wave of tech shifts, market trends, career pivots. This isn't networking. It's shared foresight. And in uncertain times, surrounding yourself with people who are scanning the horizon is a game-changer. For years, I've advocated that every professional needs a personal advisory board—and I've practiced what I preach. Mine includes a scientist, a business owner, and a consultant. Over time, we've become a powerful trend-watching quartet, helping each other separate signal from noise and see the future more clearly than any of us could alone. → If you can't see the future clearly, stand next to someone who does. If your calendar is maxed out, your brain probably is too. But creativity—the real engine of reinvention—lives in unstructured time. In a series of studies published in Creativity Research Journal, participants were asked to perform boring tasks—like copying or reading phone numbers from a directory for 15 minutes. The result? Those who were bored came up with significantly more and more creative ideas than those in the control group. The takeaway is clear: boredom acts as a mental reset, allowing your brain to wander, connect distant dots, and imagine fresh solutions. Even 15 minutes of 'anti-power hour' time per day—no screens, no meetings, no multitasking—can dramatically increase insight generation and problem-solving capacity. → Don't overvalue busy. Prioritize white space. Boredom might be your brain's best strategy tool. The world may never go back to 'normal'—but you don't need it to. With the right systems, signals, and support, you can do more than survive uncertainty. You can leverage it. Because chaos doesn't just destroy. It reveals. And with the right strategies, it can even make you stronger.
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Surviving Uncertainty: 5 Strategies To Stay Sane, Sharp & Financially Sound
Surviving Uncertainty: 5 Strategies To Stay Sane, Sharp & Financially Sound In the last few years, we've lived through a pandemic, inflation spikes, AI shocks, geopolitical rifts, and the erosion of workplace norms. Now, in 2025, the noise hasn't quieted. It's multiplied. And while companies scramble to reinvent themselves (something I wrote about in The New Corporate Playbook: 5 Trends Changing The Rules Of The Game In 2025), individual professionals are left asking a quieter but no less urgent question: Whether you're a mid-level manager, a seasoned expert, or an early-career professional, the game has changed—and so must your strategy. Based on insights from leading research, client work at Reinvention Academy, and conversations with professionals worldwide, here are 5 powerful strategies to stay sane, sharp, and financially sound in a world that won't stop shifting. Treat your life like a business. You wouldn't run a company using last quarter's data—yet most professionals manage their careers by gut feel. Start tracking leading indicators: • Energy level • Learning hours per week • Time spent on strategic projects vs. reactive tasks • Number of new professional relationships formed each month These small data points give you real-time insight into when you're drifting, burning out, or stagnating—before you hit a wall. → Tool it like a CFO. Run your career with metrics that matter. In times of turbulence, stress is inevitable. But what if it wasn't the enemy?Research from Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal shows that believing stress is harmful can actually be more damaging than the stress itself. When we reframe stress as a sign that our body is preparing us to meet a challenge, we experience better focus, stronger performance, and improved long-term resilience. This insight builds on what I explored in '3 Super-Easy Ways To Boost Your Team's Productivity': performance isn't just about tools—it's about mindset. Just like teams thrive when they shift how they brainstorm, individuals thrive when they shift how they interpret pressure. The key is not eliminating stress—but transforming how we respond to it. Ask yourself: What is this stress preparing me for? → You can't avoid stress—but you can train your mind to work with it, not against it. The job market is changing. Companies and careers that used to be considered 'safe havens' that always guarantee job security (think Big Four consulting, IT, accounting, etc) are currently going through massive layoffs. In uncertain times, the goal isn't to cling to a job—it's to diversify your income resilience. That could mean launching a side project, consulting, investing in skill-based gig work, or developing IP you can license or teach. No, you don't need to burn out or hustle 24/7. But in 2025, multiple streams of income aren't just nice—they're necessary. → Reframe your financial stability as a portfolio, not a paycheck. You are the average of the five people you talk to most—but how many of those five are actually future-focused? Find or build a micro-community of peers, mentors, or collaborators who are tracking the next wave of tech shifts, market trends, career pivots. This isn't networking. It's shared foresight. And in uncertain times, surrounding yourself with people who are scanning the horizon is a game-changer. For years, I've advocated that every professional needs a personal advisory board—and I've practiced what I preach. Mine includes a scientist, a business owner, and a consultant. Over time, we've become a powerful trend-watching quartet, helping each other separate signal from noise and see the future more clearly than any of us could alone. → If you can't see the future clearly, stand next to someone who does. If your calendar is maxed out, your brain probably is too. But creativity—the real engine of reinvention—lives in unstructured time. In a series of studies published in Creativity Research Journal, participants were asked to perform boring tasks—like copying or reading phone numbers from a directory for 15 minutes. The result? Those who were bored came up with significantly more and more creative ideas than those in the control group. The takeaway is clear: boredom acts as a mental reset, allowing your brain to wander, connect distant dots, and imagine fresh solutions. Even 15 minutes of 'anti-power hour' time per day—no screens, no meetings, no multitasking—can dramatically increase insight generation and problem-solving capacity. → Don't overvalue busy. Prioritize white space. Boredom might be your brain's best strategy tool. The world may never go back to 'normal'—but you don't need it to. With the right systems, signals, and support, you can do more than survive uncertainty. You can leverage it. Because chaos doesn't just destroy. It reveals. And with the right strategies, it can even make you stronger.
Forbes
31-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Must-Read Trend Reports To Win In Uncertain 2025
In case you haven't noticed, 2025 isn't exactly serving up stability. In case you haven't noticed, 2025 isn't exactly serving up stability. The global economy is wobbling under the weight of rising prices, slowing trade, and geopolitical tensions. Employee expectations are shifting. Entire industries are bleeding into one another. And CEOs? They're moving from growth-at-any-cost to reinvention-or-die. If you feel like your strategic playbook is going stale faster than your last quarterly plan, you're not alone. According to PwC's 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, reinvention has now been ranked the #1 priority for CEOs worldwide three years in a row. And it's not just talk. PwC data shows that over the last five years: • 38% of companies have developed new products or services, • 32% targeted entirely new customer bases, • And a quarter implemented new pricing models or entered new routes to market. What sets successful companies apart is not a single breakthrough, but a strategic approach that blends radical innovation with incremental change—what we at the Reinvention Academy call a diversified portfolio of reinvention efforts. Just as important, it's not a one-time transformation. It's a process—a disciplined, repeatable system of continuous reinvention that helps organizations thrive in turbulence rather than be broken by it. So, how can business leaders not just survive—but win—in this era of continuous disruption? These three powerhouse reports will give you the clarity (and action steps) you need to stay ahead. In a time of shrinking competitive advantage, the PwC CEO Survey delivers one consistent headline: every company is becoming a reinvention company. Gone are the days when leaders could simply optimize what already worked. Today, CEOs are entering entirely new industries, building unexpected partnerships, and redesigning their customer relationships from scratch. From shifting business models to launching new offerings and routes to market, companies are no longer just defending their core—they're expanding their reach in directions that didn't exist five years ago. This finding builds on the insights from my earlier article, 'The New Corporate Playbook: 5 Trends Changing The Rules Of The Game In 2025,' which explores how the shelf life of strategy has shrunk dramatically—and why reinvention is no longer a special project, but the new strategic default. → Takeaway: If your strategic planning cycle still assumes stability, it's time for a reboot. Reinvention isn't a choice. It's your core competency. While headlines often focus on performance, Gallup's 2024 workplace report reveals the quieter issue keeping leaders up at night: disengagement. A staggering 62% of employees say they are disengaged and not particularly productive at work, and the financial toll is massive. Gallup estimates that this disengagement is costing companies hundreds of millions of dollars annually—and that doesn't even touch on lost innovation, cultural drag, and team morale. How do you solve it? Jump to '3 Super-Easy Ways To Boost Your Team's Productivity And Finish 2024 Strong'—a practical guide to refreshing team energy in a world of burnout, complexity, and constant competing demands. As organizations grapple with economic pressure and flat wage growth, employees aren't just looking for higher pay. They're craving meaning, momentum, and mental space. → Takeaway: You don't need more hustle. You need smarter systems, deeper trust, and cultures that unlock rather than constrain people's potential. It's easy to assume that the future of work is all AI, all the time. But the World Economic Forum's 2025 Future of Jobs report offers a more nuanced picture. Yes, demand for AI, data, and fintech talent is rising—but so is business model transformation, projected in 34% of companies globally within the next five years. And this level of reinvention is sparking a massive need to rethink how we hire, train, and redeploy talent. If the world's workforce were made up of 100 people, 59 would need reskilling by 2030: • 29 could be upskilled in their current roles, • 19 could be redeployed elsewhere within the same organization, • But 11 would be left behind, lacking the training needed to remain competitive. These shifts aren't just about automation or digital fluency. As global trade becomes more fragmented and local supply chains surge in importance, we're seeing a rebirth of domestic industries like logistics, food systems, and manufacturing. The real challenge for leaders? It's not just recruiting data scientists. It's building resilient, adaptable workforces that can evolve with the business—and move with it. → Takeaway: The future of talent is not just high-tech—it's high-relevance. Reskilling is not a side project; it's a survival strategy. Strategy used to be about clarity. Now, it's about capacity— • The capacity to reinvent. • The capacity to re-engage. • The capacity to realign with reality, not nostalgia. These three reports aren't just information—they are your navigation system for the uncertainty that defines 2025. So whether you're pivoting products, overhauling your culture, or simply trying to keep up, don't wait for the fog to lift. Start with these insights—and move.
