Storytelling

Seeing WONDER
Seeing WONDER 2000 1333 SageRiver Consulting LLC

As part of SageRiver’s study of how wonder can inspire strategy, we sat down with photographer Tom Riggs. He has built his career around exploring landscapes with wonder to find the story, emotion and meaning in the world around him. His insights can help leaders understand how to open their eyes more fully to see possibilities that would otherwise stay hidden.

Trillium Lake. Published by permission of Tom Riggs Photography.

SageRiver (SR): You’re known for your astounding landscape photography, and it’s often difficult to get to the locations you photograph. Why do you do it? Are these images for you? Or, are you taking them as a gift to others, in the hope the pictures will resonate with them?

Tom Riggs (TR): I take the photographs for myself and process them how I remember the scene. And if that resonates or strikes a chord or an emotion or a memory in someone else, then that’s just the joy of connecting with your audience through your work.

SR: How do you decide what you’re going to photograph?

TR: If I’m out in nature, I’ll have something already in mind that I want to use as my main subject. That will anchor the picture and be what draws you or me to that specific scene. As I look at that, I try to satisfy my need for why I was there in the first place. I make sure I satisfy that curiosity first, and then I’ll look for other things that you can’t see. I’ll look around and explore other angles or a different subject matter or perspective. I may get down on the ground or get an overhead view to capture an idea I was wondering about while I was traveling to that location.

SR: When you look at a scene, how do you compose the photos you take?

TR: Usually, when I come upon a scene, I’m immediately looking for some sort of composition. I don’t know if that’s something inherent or something that is trained, but it seems to come relatively easy to me. I just notice how the eye reaches and flows and focuses around a certain landscape item. I notice the scene itself, as well as how my eye responds to it.

SR: I’ve heard you speak about drawing attention to or eliminating information from the picture. Those feel like strategic choices, and I’m wondering if you can describe the process.

Sol Duc Forest, Olympic National Park. Published by permission.

TR: If I have a subject or an anchor for the photo, I want to decide where to put it in the picture. And it’s usually not smack dab in the middle. It’s usually best to begin with some of the general rules of photography, such as the rule of thirds. That means dividing your frame into horizontal and vertical thirds to create four points where those lines intersect. Typically, it’s a good idea to put your main subject in one of those four intersections. It doesn’t mean you’re locked into that. It just means that’s a good place to start.

Then, I consider how my eye moves around that frame. Do I need to crop out details that pull the eye away from my anchor? Or if I’m walking on a trail, for example, and it leads up to a mountain peak, my eye will naturally follow the trail. If I’m aware of that and use that detail in my composition, it will help give the photograph some depth that leads the viewer into the picture toward my main subject.

SR: Are you conscious about evoking emotion in your composition process?

TR: I think that’s the deepest part of a photograph for me. And the emotion might come from the entire experience I’ve had in capturing the photo. That might mean how I got to that location. It might mean that I waited out a storm for the clouds to clear, and then, miraculously, a beautiful scene reveals itself. Emotion to me is the very essence of a photograph.

SR: Can you tell me about an experience you’ve had like that?

TR: There was a time in Oregon when I wanted to photograph a remote mountain lake at sunrise (see the picture of Trillium Lake, pictured at top). So, I drove there and tried to sleep in my car overnight. I was rewarded with one of the most incredible sunrises—a crystal clear lake with a mirror image of the mountain in the background. It was pitch dark when I got there. I had no idea what the morning would bring. But I made the effort, and it was incredible.

There was only one other photographer there, and we just looked at each other with wonder. It was almost as if we were saying to each other, “I can’t believe we’re visualizing this incredible sunrise and nobody else is around.” The emotion comes out of the whole process. It doesn’t always work out the way I hope, but I have to be open to the possibility. The voice in my head always tells me, “Well, if you don’t go, you’ll probably miss the best sunrise that’s ever been made.”

SR: So, the lesson is to embrace all aspects of the experience as part of the wonder that you’re creating in your life through photography.

TR: Yes. I’d also say that you join a community through those experiences. Most photographers are happy to help with instructions and tidbits about what they’ve learned. Rarely do you find someone who is not forthcoming with helpful information.

SR: And the experience doesn’t stop after you snapped the picture, does it? You also have the opportunity to edit the photo to bring out the wonder of what you saw when you were in nature.

TR: Yes, and the individual expression you can bring to it. It’s interesting that you can have two people who are side by side taking the same photograph, but they will come up with completely different final images. That’s what makes it so exciting.

Adventuring Together: Life at Epic
Adventuring Together: Life at Epic 1052 789 SageRiver Consulting LLC

In our “Stories from the Field” series, SageRiver sits down with senior leaders who are transforming their organizations for tomorrow. Our latest conversation is with Mallory Heinzeroth, who leads the Asia Pacific region for Epic. A global leader in healthcare IT, Epic is known for its electronic medical records software and implementations. The company stays at the leading edge of healthcare technology by investing in a creative culture based on collective learning, adventure and fun.

The year was 1979. In a basement in Madison, Wisconsin, an unknown software engineer named Judith Faulkner decided to launch a business. She had a novel idea, but the road ahead was uncertain. Her goal was to develop software that would enable healthcare providers to improve patient care.

With 1-1/2 employees and a $70,000 investment, she established a company whose software now benefits 250 million people worldwide. She also helped create the electronic medical records industry, which revolutionized the way doctors and hospitals care for patients.

It’s the stuff of tech legends.

“Our philosophy is very simple: Do Good, Have Fun, Make Money—in that order,” said Mallory Heinzeroth “Our work affects both individuals and our societies at large, so we have a huge responsibility to do the right thing and help shape systems to improve patient care.”

In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Known for its unique culture, Epic takes a “learners welcome” approach that fosters innovation and continuous improvement. The company doesn’t require employees to have healthcare technology experience and commits to train and develop them throughout their careers. Epic’s growth mindset extends far beyond on-the-job training and tuition reimbursement, however, as even a quick trip to its headquarters shows.

Located in rural Verona, Wisconsin, the Epic campus is a galaxy unto itself. (In fact, Epic refers to it as the “Intergalactic Headquarters.”) Whimsical artwork dots the landscape, and a treehouse often serves as a meeting spot.

All photos courtesy of Mallory Heinzeroth

Ad hoc employee groups—known as “Motley Crews”—can be seen playing board games, competing in sports or exploring other shared interests after work. Participation is voluntary and employee-led, but it’s all part of Epic’s commitment to fostering an engaging workplace.

“We’ve done a lot of research about what it means to have an enriching, productive environment that inspires people,” Heinzeroth said. “We allow space for people to be creative, have fun and try something new.”

To that end, Epic organizes a “Shark Day” to give employees the opportunity to learn together about topics outside their work. The company also enlists speakers and professors from the University of Wisconsin – Madison to lead classes and workshops. Epic employees teach seminars as well.

The activities build camaraderie and create an expectation of continual growth, Heinzeroth said.
“There’s always a new learning adventure, so it feels like something people do every day rather than something that is a set requirement. That’s an aspect of our culture that is unique in the business world.”

Iliads, Odysseys, Sabbaticals

The fun continues off campus through Epic’s adventure and exploration programs, which support experiential learning inside and outside the United States.

Each year, Epic plans Odysseys to far-flung—and often difficult-to-reach—locations. Any employee can sign up for these opportunities to join colleagues on a vacation, and friends and family members are welcome.

After two years with the company, employees who travel for work can earn an Iliad adventure underwritten by Epic. Employees can choose where they go and how they spend their time. The goal is to give them an opportunity to recharge and have fun.

Employees are also eligible for a paid four-week sabbatical every five years, which they can spend in the place and manner of their choosing. Some enjoy time at home exploring outside interests, while others travel internationally to volunteer or experience different cultures. Epic pays a portion of the costs.

Although these adventures have no direct connection to Epic’s work, employees post pictures online and return to the office with renewed energy and fresh learnings.

Mallory Heinzeroth during a sabbatical in New Zealand.

Fuel for Success

After 40 years, Epic now numbers 10,000 strong. It continues to be an innovation leader and enjoys one of the highest employee retention rates in the industry.

Its learning-and-adventure-fueled culture may be a reason why.

“We invest in not-so-basic benefits because they help broaden the views and perspectives of people who work here, which, in turn, makes us better able to design and implement software for all people especially those who may be different from us,” Heinzeroth said.

The results have driven Epic’s success—and improved the lives of patients worldwide.

To learn more about building learning and adventure into your organizational culture, contact SageRiver at (720) 443-2551.

Smart Courage: What I Learned on Yosemite’s Half Dome
Smart Courage: What I Learned on Yosemite’s Half Dome 2560 1610 SageRiver Consulting LLC

The sheer face of Half Dome loomed over us. We’d arrived at Yosemite Park just a few weeks after a woman fell to her death summiting the peak. Already wary of heights, I wasn’t sure I should attempt the entire climb, but I decided I would go as far as I could, understanding my own limitations.

“Boldness has genius, power and magic in it,” I reminded myself.

The quotation—one of my favorites from German playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe—reminds us to commit fully to our boldest ventures. I’d been talking about adventure all year long, and I was determined to push through my fears, join my friends and hike on an #ExcellentAdventure of our own.

Choose Your Own Adventure

We’d been planning the trip for almost a year, and I’d been inspired by photos taken from Half Dome’s summit. I’d also read about the final 500-foot ascent, which requires climbers to cling to steel cables as they scale the face. Almost 300 people have been injured on Half Dome in the past 15 years, and the National Park Service warns that only experienced hikers should climb it.

As I battled misgivings, I took long hikes in Colorado to prepare for Half Dome. Our team also researched what supplies and equipment to bring. Unlike some of my friends, however, I’m not an experienced climber. I also have a longstanding fear of heights, which several members of my family share for good reason, and I wondered if I’d hold the group back when we approached the summit.

Before I could say yes, I had to reclaim the power we all have, which is to choose our own adventures. I wanted to hike Half Dome, but I also wanted to honor my own needs and the concerns of my family. So, I scaled the adventure to my skill level and promised my family I’d bypass the final 500-foot climb to the summit. That felt like the smart approach for me, my family—and the team.

“Yes, You Can!”

Luckily for me, I’d chosen the best team imaginable. I’ve known some of them since childhood, and our trust level was high. I felt comfortable telling them my fears, as well as what I looked forward to most. The conversation encouraged everyone to share personal goals and say how we could coach and encourage each other.

And that’s exactly what happened.

When we got to a steep point in the hike, I felt my fears take hold. While the others continued, one friend stayed behind and coached me through it step-by-step. “Just look at where you’re putting your feet,” he told me. “Don’t look to the right. Don’t look to the left. One foot at a time. You can do this!”

When I reached “my” summit, which was the sub-dome plateau just before the final ascent, I was tempted to keep going. I discussed it with my friend, and he validated my concerns about potential hazards, listened carefully as I explained the commitment I made to my “closest team”—my family and asked me how I’d feel if I didn’t keep that commitment. My ultimate decision allowed me to celebrate my experience with my family later, knowing I had kept my promise to them.

In the end, I learned how wise this choice was. While I enjoyed the view from my summit, I cheered my friends as they climbed toward theirs. One of the most experienced climbers came down the incline on the outside of the cables on his return journey. I was blown away by his skill and nerve, but, to my surprise, he told me I’d been right not to climb higher. Everything my family feared and I observed during our earlier climb, he said, was exaggerated on the cables. He had experience to draw on having hiked Half Dome 20 years before. Even so, he felt fear and anxiety on the cables this time, and he commended me for my choice.

Climb Every Mountain

So often, we think of adventures as risky leaps into the unknown. What my trip reminded me was that adventures come in all shapes and sizes, and we can scale them to our needs, resources, skills and conditions. In the end, adventures require equal parts head and heart—what I call “smart courage”—to challenge us without harming us.

I hope this year of adventuring has inspired you to climb new heights and explore new vistas. And I hope it’s encouraged you to find co-adventurers who will help you stretch and learn with every step. That’s what reaching the summit truly looks like—and it’s that much more meaningful and fun when you arrive there with others!

Share your #ExcellentAdventures with us on Facebook and Twitter—and remember to keep adventuring in 2020 and beyond!

Radically Human: The DaVita Way
Radically Human: The DaVita Way 977 652 SageRiver Consulting LLC

In our “Stories from the Field” series, SageRiver sits down with senior leaders who are transforming their organizations for tomorrow. Our latest conversation is with Dave Hoerman, chief wisdom officer of DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500 company and a leading provider of kidney care in the United States. DaVita’s human-centered, democratic culture has caused executives nationwide to rethink why companies exist and how they should be led.

“Sitting outside his home on a Nigerian mountainside, Modupe looked out over the farmlands below. As always, his fellow villagers were tending the fields and caring for their children. But on that day, Modupe watched in fear as a river overflowed its banks and rushed toward his village.

Knowing he couldn’t warn everyone in time, Modupe set fire to his home. When the villagers saw the flames consuming his house, he knew they would come to his aid. Better to lose a home, he thought, then the villagers he loved.

Just as he expected, the villagers saw the flames and abandoned their crops to help him. As they ran up the mountainside, the river flooded their fields. Although their harvest was lost, the villagers all lived to plant again in another valley.”

Leaders tell this story, whose original author is unknown1, at many meetings at DaVita Inc. “What lesson does the story teach?” a leader will ask. “One for all, and all for one,” the DaVita team will often answer. (Taken from the book “The Three Musketeers,” the expression is used as a reminder of their mission and commitment to each other.) In the story, the villagers are not defined by their roles as home owners or farmers. They are part of a community, and community members care for each other. That is what why the village exists and why the villagers thrive.

What We Do Is Not Who We Are

At DaVita, Modupe’s story has special resonance because it speaks to the core purpose of the company, which is to nurture the well-being of the community. This belief is so central that employees, who call themselves “teammates,” refer to their company as a village.

Although many companies describe their culture as a blend of how people think, relate and carry out their work, DaVita distinguishes between what the community is and what the company does.

“When people ask us who we are, we say we’re a community first, and we care for each other,” says Dave Hoerman, chief wisdom officer for DaVita Inc. “What we do is provide healthcare. That fuels the economy of the village. Community first, company second—that’s the shorthand description of our culture.”

Keepers of the Flame

Hoerman should know, as his team focuses full time on tending the flame of DaVita’s culture. Hoerman’s group developed the village credibility book and welcomes new teammates to the village during a two-day experience called the DaVita Academy. They also ensure DaVita’s language, symbols and traditions reflect the community’s values and spirit.

“We’ll often say, `in the spirit of our values’,” Hoerman says. “We believe we have a spirit. We believe love and caring are at our core. We don’t shy away from those ideas and that language because we want this place to feel soulful.”

Under the careful eye of Hoerman’s team, every communication, meeting, event and workspace is designed to reflect DaVita’s spirit. Village leaders’ quotations are painted on office walls, and caring stories are shared with teammates. Storytelling, in fact, is a central component of life at DaVita, as stories open conversations, illuminate meaning and connect to people’s emotions and beliefs.

Voice of the Village

From the beginning, DaVita has taken a radically democratic approach to creating its culture and co-leading the company.

That commitment began in 1999, when Kent Thiry became CEO of a company called Total Renal Care. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and its employees were demoralized from working long hours for a failing organization. Although the financial pressures were intense, Thiry decided his first priority was to create a purpose-filled and caring workplace. Accordingly, he invited employees to help transform their company into a place they wanted to be.

Working together, thousands of employees developed and selected a new name, DaVita, which means “he/she gives life.” They also defined seven core values they wanted to live by as a community and held each other accountable for living out those beliefs. Over time, their shared language evolved, and they moved from being employees to teammates who care for each other as a village.

One of the core tenets of DaVita’s culture is that people’s beliefs drive their behaviors, which drive their results, and that quickly proved true. Caring for each other translated into providing extraordinary care to patients, too. That, in turn, fueled DaVita’s turnaround and growth into one of the leading providers of kidney care in the United States.

Today, DaVita teammates are still co-leading the company, and hierarchical titles are rarely used. Even a C-suite executive like Hoerman introduces himself as “a teammate with the wisdom team” to help level the playing field and invite everyone to share their best ideas as equals.

Hoerman’s group also checks in with teammates regularly to ensure the culture is working well and invite input and ideas. Teammates selected the name for the new coffee shop, for example (the winner was “Village Grounds”), and they’re naming a new office tower as well. In addition, DaVita leaders conduct regular “Voice of the Village” calls and drop in on meetings or classes to lead “Town Halls” to solicit instant feedback.

“We gather data and feedback in a lot of different ways, and when we get enough, we adjust,” Hoerman says. “You can stay nimble if you don’t overcomplicate things.”

Deposits in the Village Bank

Instead of prizing status and issuing directives, DaVita’s leaders focus on modeling village values. If the purpose of the company is to nurture the community, Hoerman says, then a leader’s first priority is to know and care about community members.

Hoerman puts this into practice by making what he calls “village deposits.” Each month, he sets a goal for saying hello, introducing himself to teammates he hasn’t met and talking with others about how they’re caring for each other. His assistant holds him accountable by asking questions and noting his progress on a “humanity scorecard.”

The goal is to create a place where people feel welcomed, cared for and known, Hoerman says, and that only happens when people open the door to conversation. Each interaction is like making a deposit in DaVita’s culture bank.

Those caring interactions are bolstered by village programs. One example is a trust fund called the DaVita Village Network, which helps teammates pay for unexpected expenses due to natural disasters or personal or family tragedies. The contributions, which are matched by DaVita, come from other teammates wanting to help their fellow villagers.

DaVita also offers educational programs through DaVita University for teammates with different needs. For example, one course called “Camp Courage” serves teammates battling cancer, while another assists teammates who are military veterans assimilating into life after service.

Mind, Body and Spirit

DaVita promotes other practices to strengthen DaVita’s culture as well. Those include breathing exercises, meditations, yoga poses, stretching breaks and more. Although the techniques are atypical for a Fortune 500 company, DaVita has seen results from acknowledging that people bring all of themselves—mind, body and spirit—to work.

“A community shows up with emotion,” Hoerman says. “We talk about spirit and soul and give people an opening to set their intentions, reflect on an experience or share a story. Initially, people think it’s strange and ask why we’re doing it, but the results are very real.”

The practices help community members care for themselves and each other, as well as perform at their best. One example is starting meetings with a “check-in” to allow teammates to share what is on their minds and in their hearts. As each person talks, the group listens without judgment and asks what the person needs to feel supported. The answer may be as simple as celebrating a success, acknowledging a struggle or letting someone step out of a meeting to take a call.

“What we’ve found is that this process helps people release the worries, stresses, fears and anxieties they’ve brought into the meeting or the class,” Hoerman says. “Once they’ve expressed those feelings, they’re better able to focus on the decisions at hand.”

School for Life

Because DaVita prioritizes community first, company second, learning opportunities are offered continuously and encompass personal transformation as well as professional development.

“We live in a community, and that means we care about the personal beliefs of people,” Hoerman says. “Sometimes those beliefs are self-limiting, and sometimes they’re helpful. We want to give people a chance to examine their beliefs and identify where they can take a step forward to create healthier lives.”

The wisdom team develops and sponsors these human transformation opportunities as part of nurturing the community and its members, Hoerman says. Unlike typical training programs, these programs aren’t tied to job responsibilities or performance measures. Instead, the goal is to care for teammates as whole people and help them grow. That, in turn, strengthens the culture and naturally leads to better patient care.

“Our beliefs drive our behaviors, which in turn drive the results we get in our lives,” Hoerman says. “We want to raise the consciousness of every person in our community because that is what a caring community would do.”

If your organization is interested in transforming its culture, contact SageRiver to learn more.

1 Although the original author of Modupe’s story is unknown, it is included in James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner’s classic book, “Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It.”

It’s Time to Ditch the Employee Handbook
It’s Time to Ditch the Employee Handbook 622 415 SageRiver Consulting LLC

I approach each new consulting engagement with the eye of an anthropologist. I’m listening for business needs, but I’m also looking for signs about the beliefs, values, norms and traditions of the company. I want to understand the company culture, so I can engage and contribute effectively.

New employees feel the same way, which is why leading companies are moving away from policy-filled employee handbooks toward more creative culture books that illuminate their unique “civilization.” This culture investment pays off because culture has become a critical differentiator in attracting and retaining talent, while elevating organizational performance. A vibrant culture is imperative because it provides the “soil” in which employees flourish, which then enables them to embrace and implement a strategic vision. For that reason, smart companies view their cultures as strategic assets and cultivate them accordingly.

What do great culture books look like? They’re as varied as the organizations that produce them. Some are elaborate storybooks; others are simply a series of slides with culture pointers. It really isn’t about the budget or production approach. It’s about painting a picture of life at your company. We’ve summarized key elements from the best culture books to help you inspire, guide and invite new employees into your unique world.

It All Began When…

Your origin story is a powerful way to illustrate the values and purpose that drive you. New employees want to know how your company began, who your founders were and what inspired them to start a company. It’s equally important to show through concrete anecdotes and examples how your mission, vision and values shape your work today. Your culture is an unfolding story that your team is writing together. (IDEO’s culture book is arranged in chapters with just this idea in mind.) Give your new employees a clear picture of how their everyday behaviors will help contribute to your culture.

Many Characters, One Story

A great culture book includes more than a letter from the CEO and a description of what already exists. Great culture books reflect the perspectives of employees, who co-own and shape your evolving culture.

Before you start writing, gather a cross-section of employees and ask them these questions: What do you know today that you wish you’d known on Day One? What makes you stay at this company? What stories or quotations can you share that exemplify this culture? Your new employees will enjoy hearing from the resident experts in their own words, which is why companies like Zappos and Sterling Mining have incorporated employee text messages, photos, video clips and stories directly into their culture books.

Home Away from Home

Help new employees feel at home by explaining the practical dos and don’ts of your workplace, just as New York ad agency Big Spaceship did in its culture book. How do you dress? What communications systems and methods do you use? Where do people congregate or go for breaks? Do you have team activities or recreational events they can join? Are there definite “don’ts,” such as taking calls on speaker in an open office area?

Each company is unique, so identify the tips that will best equip employees to engage in your workplace. Alongside the guidance, try to explain why you live together as you do, so employees can better understand how your daily practices relate back to your values and purpose.

Growth Happens Here

Top performers care about growing throughout their careers. Top companies nurture that desire by providing clear avenues for learning and advancement. Netflix provided a roadmap for its new employees by answering questions, such as: What does top performance looks like, regardless of the individual role? What do teammates expect of each other? What behaviors get rewarded or discouraged? What are some proven avenues for learning and growth? If you answer those questions, you can amplify and direct the enthusiasm new employees feel.

The Best Workplace on Earth

Most workplaces have surprising or “cool” features that make them unique. Epic Systems Corp., a healthcare software company, invites employees to enjoy its beautiful Wisconsin surroundings by climbing up to a treehouse or riding cowhide-painted bikes around campus. True to its outdoor ethos, apparel and gear designer Patagonia lets employees take work-day breaks to go surfing at peak tide. Your surprising workplace benefits will be unique to your company and location. Whatever they are, include them in your culture book so your new employees will know they’ve arrived at the best workplace on Earth.

As your culture book starts to take shape, you’ll identify additional elements that are particular to your workplace and team. You may wonder if you should include policies and procedures, too, as those are critical tools for setting expectations and mitigating risk. We agree that employees need to know the rules that govern them; we’d simply suggest including your policies and procedures as an appendix or directing your employees to your Intranet for the most current and complete listing. Whatever you choose, keep revisiting and evolving your culture book over time. It’s a valuable way to engage your team in strengthening your culture year after year.

Contact us to find out how SageRiver can support your culture book development.

Change Your Mindset to Prosper
Change Your Mindset to Prosper 400 296 SageRiver Consulting LLC

Returning after a week-long professional development experience, I felt energized. I’d deepened my knowledge, enjoyed rich conversations with colleagues and felt that familiar surge of excitement about applying new insights to our work with SageRiver clients.

I wasn’t surprised by the jolt of enthusiasm. Exploring new ideas with others is a favorite pursuit, and I’m not alone in feeling that way. Most organizations offer similar experiences for employees, knowing they view them as “perks” with true business value.

If you check back in a few months, however, those same employees often report that their excitement has faded. Once they returned to work, they had no way to apply and extend their learning in community with others. As one client observed, “We aren’t taught how to evolve, or to keep evolving together.”

His observation gets at the heart of two challenges facing businesses today—innovation and employee engagement. Both jump dramatically when companies transform into true learning organizations.

Alive Through Learning

As any parent will witness, humans thrive on learning. Observe the excitement a toddler shows after mastering a new skill. Listen to kids cheer after executing a new play against an opposing team. Despite the work that goes into it, learning is fun! It’s rewarding. It makes us feel engaged and alive.

Learning also helps us move from what Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck calls a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. In her groundbreaking book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” Dweck asserts that how we think about ourselves influences almost every aspect of our lives. Those who live with a fixed mindset think they have an unchangeable set of talents and attributes. They are resistant to criticism and avoid challenges because they don’t believe they can get better. In contrast, those with a growth mindset believe they can improve through feedback and hard work. When we learn, we prove the growth mindset is correct and become confident of our ability to overcome challenges and initiate change.

Dweck’s insights apply to organizations as well as individuals. In fact, I believe they are even more important for companies because a growth mindset produces innovation and prosperity. The fixed mindset is where the status quo lives, and we no longer have time for the status quo.

Steps Toward Transformation

Transforming to a learning organization requires a holistic approach because learning is an attitude, value, action and community all rolled into one. Here are some strategies and tactics we recommend to help you make the shift:

Offer Creative Spaces and Experiences

In a famous business lecture, British comedian John Cleese recommended play and stimulating environments to foster team creativity. We agree. Simple changes, such as striking artwork and engaging meeting spaces, can change the mood of a team and spark new ways of thinking. Trying new activities can also prompt creativity. One marketing agency, for example, tried improvisational comedy together. The goal wasn’t to find new careers; it was to relax the mind and signal that new ideas and approaches were welcome.

Invest in Learning Journeys

One way organizations inspire learning is through their unique employee benefits. Some companies provide extended paid sabbaticals. Others offer a paid week off to try a new experience or study a subject of the employee’s choosing. Still others provide weekly time dedicated to the employee’s choice of investigation. Invariably, employees come back to work re-energized and ready to share insights from their learning journeys.

Foster Curiosity

Curiosity is one of SageRiver’s organizational values, and there’s a reason why. Information alone has little value. When we dig deeper to understand causes, connections and implications, we translate information into knowledge, which can then be acted upon to add value. As Bernard Baruch once noted, “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.”

Learning organizations put this principle to work by making curiosity a formal part of team agendas. They dedicate staff time to exploring topics of interest, and they reflect upon their learning. They discuss how concepts apply to their work and then implement, prototype and test their ideas. Not all subjects will be aligned to business priorities, however. In learning organizations, learning is valued for its own sake and can flow from individual interests.

Develop Storytellers

At SageRiver, we believe that most of what we know is learned through story. To reap the benefits of learning, teams need time to internalize their discoveries and tell stories about how those insights relate to their lives and work experiences. Storytelling deepens learning and helps listeners connect with new ideas. It’s a powerful tool for organizational growth.

Engage with the Community

Learning takes place outside, as well as inside, the organization. Engaging with your community can be an important source of insight. Learning organizations encourage employees to serve on nonprofit boards, take service learning trips and volunteer for different causes. They dedicate time for team members to discuss their experiences, so they can reflect upon them and grow together.

Embrace Failure

People with a growth mindset know that learning is a journey, and failure is a natural part of it. The key is to evaluate, adjust and keep at it until you achieve your goals. As hockey legend Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Business leaders are taught that organizations must grow or die. Learning is the attribute that powers organizational growth and innovation. As you transform into a learning organization, you’ll see benefits everywhere. Ideas come from all corners of the organization. Engagement rises. Relationships deepen, and synergies abound. If you’d like help making this shift within your organization, contact SageRiver Consulting.

The Essential Skill Great Leaders Share
The Essential Skill Great Leaders Share 500 334 SageRiver Consulting LLC

It happens every time.

He stood in front of the room, remembering the moment he uncovered a family secret. Everything he had known about himself and his place in the world was wrong. As he grappled with new truths, he was forced to decide what he truly believed about trust, family, identity and life purpose.

The room was still as he told his story. His listeners weren’t checking their phones or letting their minds drift elsewhere. Instead, they were leaning forward, taking in each word and remembering moments when they, too, had been at a crossroads.

Although his story was especially dramatic, the effect he created was familiar. I facilitate storytelling workshops with diverse groups—corporations, nonprofit organizations, graduate classes and more—and the same dynamics occur. When people tell their stories, they engage the hearts and minds of their listeners and break through apathy and resistance. Their listeners stop judging and realize the universal truth that behind every person there is a story waiting to be told, heard and embraced. Attitudes soften, conversations begin and minds open to new possibilities and ways of thinking.

Storytelling is, quite simply, transformative.

Crafting Your StoryHere are a few simple steps to discover and hone your story:

  • Identify your purpose and audience. Are you trying to reinforce values, develop leaders or achieve a different goal? Who will your audience be?
  • Unblock your memories. Pick a word related to your purpose. Then, spend 15 minutes writing whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about grammar, logic or staying on topic. Just write.
  • Select your story. You’ll now have memories that can be developed into stories. Pick the one that best matches experiences your audience will share.
  • Activate their senses. Draw your listeners in by including a few sensory details. Paint a scene and add a sound or smell you remember.
  • Simplify your language. Use everyday language, not business jargon, and pare your story down to the essentials. That way, your listeners can reflect on how the story relates to them.

How Great Leaders Use Storytelling

I began incorporating storytelling into leadership development and teambuilding workshops 15 years ago. I had been invited to teach graduate classes in critical leadership, and I reflected on how best to distill the topic into one semester. In addition to sifting through my own experiences and reading, I intensively studied some of the most effective leaders across sectors and industries. What set them apart from other competent leaders was their ability to employ storytelling to lead organizations and teams.

Storytelling is obviously not the only leadership skill, but it is an essential one. The best leaders understand the power of a well-selected tale and craft their own set of crucial stories. They think of their stories as quivers in their bows, which they can strategically unleash to accomplish their goals. They also understand that their stories, rather than the tales of famous athletes or historical figures, are the most potent because personal stories demonstrate our willingness to share ourselves and invite others to share in return.

As I studied these great leaders, I observed how they used stories to reinforce values, prepare their organizations for change, develop emerging leaders, strengthen teams and engage employees to achieve higher levels of productivity and innovation. I have also trained sales forces and professional services teams to employ storytelling to create stronger client relationships. As one financial advisor told me after using his new storytelling skills, “When I share my story, I become human to them.”

How to Become a Storyteller

If you need to engage, motivate and lead people, storytelling is an essential skill to master. It doesn’t take the skills of Homer or a commitment to reveal uncomfortably personal information to business associates. Start by uncovering just one simple story that will help you open conversations and engage hearts and minds.

Remember: You have a life rich with stories that only you can tell, and your stories have the power to connect people in deeper ways. Begin with one story, and then contact SageRiver Consulting to discover how we can help you and your team unlock the transformative power of storytelling.

What’s Agile Got to Do with It?
What’s Agile Got to Do with It? 622 415 SageRiver Consulting LLC

Struggling to swim in fast-moving waters, many organizations adapt by trying to “manage” or “lead” change. These efforts can create short-term value, but they miss a central truth—that change is coming faster and faster from all directions and can’t be fully anticipated or controlled.

Organizations that try often expend enormous energy and resources trying to stop change. Or, they’re submerged by a rushing current when their strategy fails to anticipate new developments.

Fortunately, agile offers a better way.

Living in the River of Change

The term agile was first coined to describe a new approach to software development. Today, agile also encompasses a mindset and beliefs, as well as business management frameworks, techniques and processes. Yes, agile organizations disperse decision-making authority and allow cross-functional teams to work more autonomously. They also embed feedback loops into their processes and continuously improve their products.

But agile organizations are characterized by a different way of thinking as well. These organizations live within the river of change. They’ve learned to co-create the future with their customers and employees through ongoing listening, learning and adaptation. They are less focused on absolute judgements of right and wrong and are more open to different ideas that can lead to the next product evolution. They also demonstrate a high degree of trust, believing their employees know what to do, when to do it and how to communicate about their decisions.

Understanding What It Takes to Swim

By adopting this flexible, adaptive approach, organizations hope to become faster and more innovative and resilient. But is agile the right approach for all organizations, and what does it take to transform into a truly agile enterprise?

Based on SageRiver’s experience, there are five keys to success:

Visualize and Commit: Before you jump into the river of change, understand where you want to go and whether you’re committed to the journey. Begin by asking whether an agile approach will help you deliver on your most important goals. If the answer is yes, consider whether you’re really prepared to make the required strategic, cultural and operational shifts. To succeed, you must be clear about your most pressing challenges and your willingness to lead and work differently.

Share Stories with Fellow Swimmers: To empower and engage your team around a common purpose, employ storytelling and story listening throughout the organization. Treat storytelling as a valuable part of team discussions and invite others to respond with their own stories. As Steve Denning writes, this practice helps employees move in the same direction without a command-and-control management structure.

Find the Right Form: As any swimmer knows, finding the right form matters. Similarly, agile organizations need an organizational design that promotes both shared direction and flexibility, thereby unlocking the talents of teams and individuals.

Balance Consistency and Flexibility: Successful swimmers use repetition to build muscle memory, which allows them to execute flawlessly on even their worst days. Yet, swimmers must also adapt to changing circumstances. Agile organizations meet these twin goals by identifying the processes that deliver the most critical value across the enterprise. They then streamline those processes to deliver both standardization and flexibility, thereby increasing speed, innovation and consistency.

Improve Every Day: Strong swimmers evolve through constant practice, coaching and skill-building. Agile organizations operate in the same way. They build a continuous loop of measurement, evaluation, learning and improvement into their culture. They aim to improve in small or large ways every day. This approach creates a bias toward adaptation and change, which in turn produces organizational resilience.

Transforming into an agile enterprise takes time, self-awareness and commitment. The reward comes when you stop struggling against the current of change and start using its energy to propel you forward, knowing you will adapt and thrive no matter what the future holds.

To learn more, contact SageRiver Consulting at (720) 443-2551.

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