The Future Organization

Culture is your "Secret Sauce"

The future Ready Organization

Studies and professional execution have demonstrated that even though no organization has completely mastered it, there are three key characteristics that future-ready companies have in common. Firstly, they have a clear understanding of their identity and purpose, enabling them to make informed decisions and stay true to their values. Secondly, they prioritize speed and simplicity, allowing them to swiftly respond to changes and challenges in the business environment. Finally, they have a growth mindset, constantly seeking to learn, innovate, and incorporate good ideas, regardless of their source, into their operations in order to scale up and stay ahead of the competition. These characteristics have been shown to be critical for companies looking to succeed in today's fast-paced and ever-changing operating environment.


The Culture of Purpose

Future-ready companies understand the importance of having a clear sense of purpose and creating a strong and distinct culture to attract and retain the best people. Top-performing organizations take a stance on purpose, which is a must-have and differentiating factor in the winner-takes-all economy. Purpose should be tangible and forged in choices and behaviours to create a real connection with employees.


What is Your Purpose?

Define your purpose: A company that is future-ready must have a clear sense of purpose beyond simply making a profit. This means defining and communicating a broader mission or social purpose that aligns with the values of its customers, employees, and stakeholders. By taking a stand on purpose, companies can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, build customer loyalty, and attract and retain top talent.



The Power of Data

The Power of Data: Data is the lifeblood of modern operations, and future-ready organizations must be able to collect, analyse, and act on vast amounts of data in real-time. This means investing in data-rich tech platforms that enable companies to make data-driven decisions, automate processes, and create personalized experiences for end users. By building data-rich tech platforms, organizations can gain a competitive edge, increase efficiency, and drive growth.

Talent is greater than Capital

Treat talent as scarcer than capital: In an organic- intelligence based economy, talent is the most valuable asset of any company. Future-ready companies must prioritize attracting and retaining top talent by creating a compelling employee value proposition, investing in employee development, and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion. By treating talent as scarcer than capital, companies can build a more engaged and productive workforce, drive innovation, and stay ahead of the competition.


The New Human Ecosystem




Take an ecosystem perspective: No company operates in a vacuum, and future-ready companies must be able to navigate complex ecosystems of partners, suppliers, and stakeholders. This means taking a broader perspective on business relationships and collaborating more closely with other organizations to drive innovation and growth. By taking an ecosystem perspective, companies can tap into new sources of expertise, resources, and innovation.


The Decisive Organisation

Turbocharge decision-making: In an era of rapid change, companies must be able to make decisions quickly and confidently. This means streamlining decision-making processes and empowering employees at all levels to make decisions that align with the company's purpose and values. By turbocharging decision-making, companies can become more agile, responsive, and innovative.



The Local and matrix Organization

Create a matrix structure: Traditional hierarchical structures can be slow and bureaucratic, making it difficult for companies to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. Future-ready companies must embrace more agile and decentralized organizational structures that allow for faster decision-making and greater collaboration across teams. By redesigning their structure, companies can become more responsive, innovative, and customer-focused.



The Fast Learning Organization

Accelerate organizational learning: In a fast-paced business environment, companies must be able to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges. This means investing in continuous learning and development programs that enable employees to acquire new skills and knowledge. By accelerating organizational learning, companies can stay ahead of the competition, drive innovation, and build a more resilient workforce.


Future proofing your organization

Future proofing is the process of preparing an organization for the challenges and opportunities of the future. It involves readily anticipating and adapting to trends and changes in technology, operating practices, and the competitive landscape. Future proofing is important for organizations because it enables them to stay relevant and competitive, attract and retain top talent, and achieve long-term sustainability and growth.

Organization Design

Organization design is the process of aligning an organization's structure, roles, and responsibilities to achieve its strategic goals. It involves creating a clear and effective organizational structure, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing communication channels and decision-making processes. Effective organization design is important for achieving strategic goals because it enables organizations to be more agile, responsive, and innovative.

Some key principles of organization design may include simplicity, which means reducing complexity in organizational structures and processes; alignment, which means ensuring that all elements of the organization are aligned with its strategic goals and objectives; and flexibility, which means designing the organization to be adaptable and responsive to changing business needs and environments.

Design and Culture

Organizational design and culture are two key elements that shape the success of businesses in the 21st century. According to research, companies with strong cultures have a higher level of employee engagement, better financial performance, and higher customer satisfaction. A well-designed organizational structure can enhance employee motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction. It is very beneficial for organizations to align their organizational design with their culture to create a positive work environment and achieve their goals effectively.


Cultural Forces

Organizational culture refers to the shared beliefs, norms, and values that shape the behaviour of employees within a workplace. These cultural forces are both invisible and visible, and they play a crucial role in determining the success or failure of an organization. 

Beliefs, norms, and values are the invisible cultural forces that shape the behaviour of employees in the workplace. Beliefs refer to the ideas and convictions that people hold to be true, such as the importance of teamwork or the value of innovation. Norms are the unwritten rules that govern behaviour, such as the expectation that employees will arrive on time for meetings. Values are the principles and ideals that guide behaviour, such as honesty, respect, and integrity.

These invisible cultural forces play a crucial role in determining how employees behave within the workplace. For example, if an organization values teamwork, employees are more likely to collaborate and work together to achieve common goals. Conversely, if an organization values competition, employees may be more inclined to work independently and prioritize their own success over the success of the team.

While beliefs, norms, and values are invisible cultural forces, there are also visible forces that shape organizational culture. Behaviours refer to the actions and interactions of employees within the workplace, such as the way they communicate with each other or the way they approach problem-solving. Metrics are the quantifiable measures used to track progress and success, such as sales figures or customer satisfaction ratings. Artefacts are the physical manifestations of organizational culture, such as the office layout or the company dress code.


Design Structure



Shared values are the principles and beliefs that are shared by members of an organization. These values help to define the culture of the organization, and they play a critical role in determining the success or failure of the business. The design of an organization provides the framework for shared values to thrive. The organizational design structure determines the hierarchy of authority, the division of labour, and the communication channels within the organization. An effective design structure encourages the development and dissemination of shared values throughout the organization, providing a clear understanding of how values are integrated into daily operations.





Process - People - Performance

Every organization, no matter how complex, can be defined by just three sections: process, performance, and people. The engine of any organization is its process – the steps taken to complete tasks and achieve goals. Performance measures the organization's success, while people drive it forward, bringing unique skills and experiences.

To achieve high levels of performance, leaders must invest in both the organic and inorganic components of the organization. Organic components include people, culture, and values, while inorganic components are processes, systems, and structures.

By simplifying and focusing on these three sections, organizations can achieve success and build strong, competitive results. Invest in your people, create value add processes, and create performance goals to achieve sustainable growth. Success starts with the 3 P's.


The Future Organization

The future of organizations is dependent on the principles on which their culture is founded. To achieve sustainable growth, organizations should put people first, embrace ecosystems thinking, practice connective collaboration, engage in purpose-driven design, adopt a problem-seeking mindset, use data-informed strategies, prioritize learning and development, encourage feedback and ideas, focus on outcomes, and recognize that technology is just one component.

At the heart of any successful organization is its people. Organizations must put their employees' needs first, investing in their growth and development. When people feel valued, they are more engaged and productive, leading to increased innovation and success.

Ecosystems thinking is another vital principle for the future of organizations. Organizations must recognize that they are part of a larger ecosystem, and their actions have an impact on the environment and the world around them. By embracing ecosystems thinking, organizations can create sustainable practices that benefit both their business and the planet.

Connective collaboration is also essential for the future of organizations. In today's interconnected world, organizations must work together to achieve common goals. Collaborative efforts lead to increased innovation, productivity, and success.

Purpose-driven design is another critical principle for the future of organizations. Organizations that have a clear sense of purpose, and design their products and services around that purpose, are more likely to achieve sustainable growth and long-term success.

Problem-seeking and data-informed strategies are also crucial for the future of organizations. Organizations must be proactive in seeking out problems and using data to inform their decision-making processes. This approach leads to increased innovation and efficiency.

Learning and development are also vital principles for the future of organizations. Organizations must invest in their employees' growth and development to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world.

Ideas and feedback are essential for the future of organizations. Organizations must create an environment where ideas can flow freely, and feedback is encouraged. This approach leads to increased innovation and continuous improvement.

Finally, organizations must focus on outcomes, not just technology. While technology is an essential component of any modern organization, it is not the only factor that determines success. Organizations must focus on outcomes, using technology as a tool to achieve their goals.

The future of organizations is dependent on a combination of principles that include putting people first, embracing ecosystems thinking, practising connective collaboration, engaging in purpose-driven design, adopting a problem-seeking mindset, using data-informed strategies, prioritizing learning and development, encouraging feedback and ideas, focusing on outcomes, and recognizing that technology is just one component. By adhering to these principles, organizations can achieve sustainable growth and long-term success. If we were to ask a future driven organization to describe itself to us, we think it would look a great deal like this............


MAPS and why it matters

Mastery refers to the desire to develop and improve our skills, knowledge, and expertise in a particular field. When employees have the opportunity to learn and grow, they become more engaged and motivated, and they are more likely to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. Employers can foster a culture of mastery by providing ongoing training and development opportunities, feedback and recognition for good work, and challenging assignments that stretch their employees' abilities.

Autonomy, on the other hand, is the degree of freedom and independence that employees have in their work. When employees have control over their work and are trusted to make decisions and solve problems, they are more likely to feel valued and empowered. Employers can promote autonomy by giving employees clear goals and expectations, providing the necessary resources and support, and allowing them to work in a way that suits their strengths and preferences.

Finally, purpose refers to the sense of meaning and significance that employees derive from their work. When employees feel that their work has a positive impact on others or the world around them, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their jobs. Employers can foster a sense of purpose by communicating their organization's mission and values, providing opportunities for employees to contribute to meaningful projects or causes, and recognizing and celebrating the positive impact of their work.

Together, mastery, autonomy, and purpose create a powerful combination that can lead to greater job satisfaction, higher levels of engagement, and better performance. Employers who prioritize these elements in their workplace culture can reap the benefits of a highly motivated and productive workforce, while employees can experience a more fulfilling and meaningful working life.