Corporate immunology as a system. How to develop antigens to predict and prevent negative (unanticipated) outcomes. This is an interesting alternative to conventional consulting models. Ideally, it should be used to complement enterprise transformation on all levels. This model takes scenario planning to the next level through the power of the immunology metaphor.

1. ANTIGENcy

3. we are a group
of former antigency
people making
antigens to
protect companies

4. antigens = stick a little bad in to create good

5. They motivate
heroic things
to go do what
they do best

6. When you were born
you were very likely injected
with at least three antigens

7. They were called inoculations

8. The intent was to help you
Build Defenses
against
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
and others.

9. You cannot see antigens.
But they play a daily role in your ongoing wellness and survival.
Do you wish you could thank them?

10. Antigens are a part of your immune system.

11. W
hat if your
com
pany had
an
im
m
une
ystem
?

12. ...that could sense instantly when something was not right…
and
DISPATCH HELP
long before you knew something was wrong

13. This is what ANTIGENcy is working on…

14. SOFT
A frame of mind
An alternate to conventional approaches
An escape metaphor
HARD
Proactive scenario
planning
Anecdotes/Antidotes

15. Idea comes from:
Immunological mindset
Epidemiology -> vaccine science
Management consulting shortcomings
20 years of addressing
corporate problems
in creative agencies

16. How does it work?
1. It starts with a change in mindset
from “broke-fix” to
“predict and prevent.”
2. It is all about company culture.
3. Its about injecting something bad.

17. Management Change
Leadership Systems
Processes Roadblocks
Passion
Drive
Involvement
Disturbance
Vision and Direction
Team Leadership
Communications
Hiring / Training
Accountability
Transparency
1.
Predict
&Prevent

18. decreased customer loyalty * loss of
revenue * diminished workforce effort * Low morale
* low productivity * low quality *low
quantity * low innovation * no creativity *
uncontrollable turnover * poor schedule adherence *
abuse of leave/FMLA * excessive
absenteeism * Constant complaining * apathy * no
solutions for problems offered * micro-management *
adversarial relationships between staff and management * excessive
coach and performance time * acceptance of
average * resistance to change *
BOREDOM

19. Trust
Fairness
Accuracy
Accountability
Engagement
Continuous Improvement
Challenge
Positive Ownership
Common Cause
2.C
ulture

20. move from a
Command and Control - Fear-
based Competitive - Competition-
based
to a
Collaborative - Learning-based
Innovative - Creativity-based
3. A Culture Antigen

21. Management Change
Leadership Systems
Processes Roadblocks
Passion
Drive
Involvement
Disturbance
Vision and Direction
Team Leadership
Communications
Hiring / Training
Accountability
Transparency
CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based

22. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Management Change
Antigen: a management change steers your
Corporate Communications team into disarray.
• Crises are not averted
• Zero understanding or use of social media
• Department is run like an old newspaper relations
team
• Fear of trying new approaches
• Undervalues creative

23. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Leadership Systems
Antigen: Leadership meets bi-weekly to discuss
corporate issues and integrate the Balanced
Scorecard.
• Not thoroughly canvassing the workforce.
• Too much leadership exists exclusively in the
theoretical.
• Leadership undervalues creative.

24. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Process Roadblocks
Antigen: We are way too caught up in process.
• We shut down process improvements because we
haven’t seen them before (fear of unknown).
• Mistakes are not valued. Fear of failure.
• Continuous improvement methodologies are seen
as a waste of time.
• We allow process to remain the domain of IT.

25. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Passion
Antigen: Too much passion is locked too far down in
the lower echelons.
• We have no effective way of surfacing great ideas.
• We are fostering a disengaged workforce.
• How do we create “passion buoyancy?”
• Do we celebrate passionate exuberance?
• Our culture undervalues creative – where passion
hides.

26. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Drive
Antigen: The company’s people aren’t bringing the
ethic or creativity to the workplace.
• We need to get them excited and feel valued.
• Need to address the declining drive / brain drain in
aging workplace population.

27. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Involvement
Antigen: No one seems to get involved in anything
except their direct jobs.
• Extremely low level of initiative.
• Lack of creativity/innovation.
• People don’t feel incentives to involvement.
• Lack of clear communication and leadership.

28. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Disturbance
Antigen: Lay-offs have completely taken everyone’s
mind off the purpose.
• People are clogging up HR.
• Attrition engine is cranking up.
• Poor communications is fueling the fire.

29. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Vision & Direction
Antigen: The CEO is too busy to do course
correction.
• Everyone is following a slow/misguided leader.
• Fear of overstepping bounds.
• Not considering broad market changes.

30. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Team Leadership
Antigen: We have no vision in our leadership ranks.
• Everyone is afraid to step up.
• Failure is seen as a cancer.
• Old boys network.
• Fear of trying new approaches – seen as too crazy
• Comfortable with old ways

31. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Communications
Antigen: We are not open and regular with our
communications. Too guarded.
• We aren’t saying the right things to the right
people at the right times.
• Our markets are not aware of what we are doing.

32. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Hiring & Training
Antigen: Our hiring practices are old school.
• Our awareness of candidates seems myopic.
• All good people are going elsewhere. I hear it
every day.
• Our salary and benefits may not be in line with
averages?

33. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Accountability
Antigen: A key management member has made a
big mistake and is not owning up to it.
• How do we deal with that?
• What is impact on employees?
• How do we ensure greater accountability across
all levels of our business?
• How is it incented?

34. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Transparency
Antigen: everything is closed and no one knows
how the business is doing.
• Economic Crisis is/is not affecting us?
• Is my job stable?

35. CommandandControl
Collaborative/Learning
/Innovative/Creative
Competition/Fear-Based
Toxic Employees
Antigen: a toxic employee is really knowledgeable
but very hard to work with. No one likes her.
• She’s hoarding corporate knowledge.
• Toxic to peers/management and clients.
• Department is scared to lose that knowledge.

36. These are ANTIGENs
Every Company Has Need to Change.
Some Will Wait Until Its Too Late.
Some Will Proactively Create Scenarios > Plans.
ANTIGENcy uses Design Thinking to help create
bad scenarios that wake people up and force
them to think about things they may not know can
harm them…
then injects them into
their system to build
immunity.

37. THANK YOU
antigency.com
Steven Keith