Keynote at the Boston Library Consortium annual meeting on the topic of organizational change. The session touches on three areas leaders can focus on to build a more change-ready organization: adopting a lean mindset, enabling self-organization, and supporting user-driven innovation.

1. 1brightspot strategy Boston Library Consortium©2016. All Rights Reserved.
Building a Change–Ready Organization
Enabling responsiveness and resilience
Elliot Felix
Founder, brightspot strategy

2. 2brightspot strategy Boston Library Consortium©2016. All Rights Reserved.
hello!

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today’s agenda:
Self–
Organization
Lean
Mindset
Q & A
Introduction
Innovating
with Users
DiscussionDiscussion Discussion

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What are some factors
creating change in your
organization?

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poll

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lean

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How can you be more
responsive while reducing
risk and increasing buy-in?

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embrace lean to test and iterate
Instead of beginning with an idea you think people want,
spending years to develop it, launching it, and failing…
you conduct quick tests with increasing detail to get
feedback, learn, and deliver something you know people
will use and value.
Why adopt a lean approach?
• Minimize risk
• Build support and loyalty
• Change the pitch

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a lean story: Adobe Kickbox
Source: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3042128/adobes-kickbox-the-kit-to-launch-your-next-big-idea

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pop-up IT helpdesk

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pop-up IT helpdesk
group study IT helpdesk

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pop-up IT helpdesk results
What were the results?
• 600% increase in volume!
• 97% customer satisfaction
• Valuable data gathered from intake
process
• Validated strategy, then
incorporated into Research
Commons within library

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Don’t build it and hope
they will come. Test it and
know they will.

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Discussion:
What upcoming project or
initiative could you take a
lean approach to?

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self-organization

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How can you empower
people to create a more
resilient organization?

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management paradigms, by era
something Color Era Mgmt by Innovation Metaphor Examples
Teal Today Self Self-management
Wholeness
Evolutionary-
Purpose
Living
Organism
Morningstar,
Patagonia,
Valve Software
Green Post-
Modern /
Information
Culture and
Values
Values and Purpose
Empowerment
Multi-stakeholder
Family Starbucks, Ben
& Jerry's,
Southwest
Orange Scientific /
Industrial
Objectives Innovation
Accountability
Meritocracy
Machine Modern
corporation
Amber Traditional /
Agrarian
Hierarchy Long-term POV
Size and Structure
Army Army, Church,
Public Schools
Red Tribal Fear N/A Wolf Pack Gangs, Mafia

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self-organizing story: Morning Star
https://hbr.org/2011/12/first-lets-fire-
all-the-managers
The mission is the boss
Employees create annual “CLOU”s
Anyone can suggest improvements
Anyone can spend resources
No titles or promotions
Peer-based compensation decisions

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user experience findings
DISCOVERING
Finding the right information,
content, people, and tools
FOCUSING
Filtering info and
identifying what’s next
GROWING
Mastering new skills and
building relationships
CREATING
Expressing and
applying ideas
SHOWCASING
Sharing back to
the community

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playbook and staff teams
Virtual Browsing
Teaching & Learning Studio
Research “Navigators”
Themed Communities
Project Rooms
Peer-to-Peer Events
Entrepreneurship Center
Pop-Up Showspaces
Loyalty Program

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example: research navigators

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example: research navigators

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example: research navigators

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The more you distribute
responsibility, the faster you
can move and the more easily
you can adapt.

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Discussion:
What responsibility could
you let go of and enable a
team to run with?

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User–Driven Innovation

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How can you listen to and
innovate with your lead users?

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user-driven innovation
Instead of assuming that you have to
come up with new ideas to meet your
users’ needs, you can uncover innovations
they’ve already created and then support
and scale them.

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the camelbak…

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where the camelbak came from…

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UCLA Inquiry Space
A multi-use space for
consultations, classes,
and workshops on
research assignments,
theses, and other
projects.
Note: Though UCLA is a client,
brightspot was not involved in this
project.

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UCLA Inquiry Space

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You don’t have to come up with
the next big thing. Your lead
users already have.

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Discussion:
How can you foster user–
driven innovation within
your organization?

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To build a change-ready
organization, adopt a lean
mindset, enable self-
organization, and support
your lead users.

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questions?

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thank you!
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
@elliotfelix
www.brightspotstrategy.com
@brightspotter