We live in a world of continuous disruption. Before we have a chance to respond to one disruption, another hits. Before we finish one transformation journey, we need to embark on another. How do you prepare the organization for this new normal of continuous disruption? This is the challenge that every organization is now facing, no matter how successful their digital transformation of the past decade has been.
Organizing for the New Normal explores how to prepare the organization for this unique challenge. How do you develop a strategy for what is coming next while you are busily driving your current transformation? And how do you convince emotionally exhausted employees to join you on the journey? The book does not provide a ready-made recipe for success, but rather explores how to put together the ingredients that will improve the odds of success.
Organizing for the New Normal outlines the leadership competencies critical for success in the "new normal", such as:
* How to create a "permanent" sense of urgency and an organization-wide unease with the status quo
* How to convince people to exploit disruption as an opportunity when all they see around them are the negative consequences of disruption
* How to institutionalize into the DNA of the organization the day to day behaviors that would allow us to identify and respond to change early-and how to achieve this in a decentralized way
* How to develop a strategic response that is innovative and aims to attack the disruption rather than defend against it.
Industry Reviews
"I cannot think of a more important time after the events of 2020 for this how-to book. I wish I had it a year ago. As leaders, we need to create and embrace cultures of being constantly 'unreasonable' to strategically enable disruption, and to avoid being disabled by known and unknown disruptions." * David Meek, CEO, FerGene, Cambridge, Massachusetts *
"Demand for change, from customers, stakeholders and society, grows at pace. In business, some things you can plan for. Some things you can't. Preparing and equipping your people to respond with optimism to the opportunities that change can bring is key. Organizing for the New Normal is an essential guide for leaders to empower and inspire their team to meet the challenges." * Ian Stuart, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC UK Bank plc *
"Never before have people and companies had to process change like we see today. Continuous disruption is the new norm and Markides powerfully makes the case that the organizations that will succeed in this new environment will be driven less by fear and more by purpose and values. As a result, they will convert existential threats into value-creating actions." * Toni Petersson, CEO, Oatly, Sweden *
"Markides' book perfectly reflects the many challenges that organizations face in today's world of permanent and increasingly rapid change. His creativity and tenacity to provide answers to these challenges makes it a must-read for every executive." * Ralph Buechi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Axel Springer SE, Berlin, Germany *
"The prospect of continuous disruption is overwhelming; some executives freeze at the prospect of 'going again', but Markides practically and pragmatically provides insights, case studies and facts that provide the fuel for change. Stepping into the unknown requires confidence and boldness. This book will give you the belief to fear and respect failure, but more importantly embrace the opportunities of disruption." * David Pemsel, ex-CEO, Guardian Media Group; Founder and CEO, ScienceMagic.Inc, UK *
"Organizing for the New Normal examines the challenges faced by business leaders at every stage of the transformation journey. Backed by years of experience and thorough academic research, Professor Markides offers unique insights into the lessons learned by leaders facing the challenge of continuous disruption. This is a must-read for every business leader in modern times." * Johan Thijs, CEO, KBC Group, Belgium *
"Organizations must now succeed in overcoming repeated waves of ever-faster disruptive change. But how? Professor Markides' profound strategic insights make Organizing for the New Normal a terrific read and a highly practical guide for anyone who must answer that question. Entertaining, deeply researched, with both inspiring and salutary case studies; it's as relevant for not-for-profits as any business." * Tony Cohen, Member of the Charity Commission Board, UK; Chair of Barnardo's (2014-2018); CEO of FremantleMedia (2001-2012) *
"A must-read book for leaders that face a VUCA world. We all already know it and we just faced it during the pandemic, but change is the only constant and it is here to stay. Fronting this reality is extremely important for all leaders, and Markides' book shows the different steps and methods to build the agility needed to succeed in such an environment. This book will allow leaders to build organizations, securing sustainable success with full buy-in from all the involved relevant stakeholders, and because it is not a 'cookbook on how to reach success', it rather allows the reader to reflect and provides different tools, ready for use. We need it." * Carsten Hellmann, CEO of ALK, Denmark; former Executive Committee member of Sanofi; CEO of Merial *
"What gives entrepreneurs some advantage is that they instinctively know that the 'new normal' of management is now 'permanent revolution'. Professor Markides levels the playing field by sharing the 'secret'. He diligently explores the rules of the new game and convincingly explains the tools every manager needs to win in this environment. This book is a must-read for any executive that wants to advance their career and keep their organization relevant in this age of accelerating innovation." * Ali Parsa, Founder and CEO, Babylon Health *
