Mike Arauz

Context precedes content We are a consumer society. Knowledge is being churned out and consumed at dizzying pace. It does not mean, we are personally getting better and wiser. Just like H2O written on paper is not wetness, conceptual models are guides and not reality and maps are not the real territory, similarly someone else’s experience is not our truth. They can be great aids and indicative, but they cannot replace one’s own path. The more unchartered is your path, the more likely it is your path. www.afieldcalledyou.com Know yourself first. Image by freepik

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It is time to reconsider the usefulness of strategic planning and embrace strategic foresight. #foresight #Strategicmanagement #Executivedevelopment

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The article today really made me think about how storytelling amplifies our approach to product vision and transformation in SAFe. So why do I think Storytelling is important? Storytelling doesn’t just communicate the vision—it makes it resonate, aligning teams and stakeholders around a shared purpose that goes beyond words on a page. Tell me more... you say? Making Connection/Alignment where we are and where we are going: It reminded me of the power of bridging the current and future states through narrative, giving people a real sense of where we’re headed and what it takes to get there. It’s not just about having a plan; it’s about crafting a story that keeps everyone inspired to move forward. Boots on the ground... delivering and executing. I say yes we can.. When it comes to delivering value, the article underscored how storytelling can give each initiative, from portfolio to team, its own sense of purpose, helping everyone see the “why” behind their work. It’s about inspiring ownership and continuous improvement, making each step feel essential and impactful. Explore more about SAFe Product Innovation, what it means for any organization, and how SAFe brings product value delivery to life: https://lnkd.in/eKqvBscf #scaledagile #customercentricity #innovation #productoperatingmodel #projecttoproduct #employeecentricity #agileteams

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One of the most daunting challenges in creative problem-solving is identifying the precise problem to address within a large and ambiguous problem space. This feeling of being lost and unsure where to begin can be overwhelming. Yet, it is precisely within this nebulous uncertainty that the seeds of innovation and breakthrough solutions are sown. Understanding how to navigate this maze and pinpoint the problem is a critical skill that can transform vague challenges into clear, actionable opportunities. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dVGuV9iQ #PersonalDevelopment #SelfImprovement #SkillsDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #Innovation

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Good reads for leading change - Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI This week’s book review is "Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI" by Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson There’s a lot I could cover on what the authors call “the missing middle”, where human / machine collaboration occurs; reimagining business processes; or the ethical & societal implications of #AI But I’d like to focus on their MELDS framework, because while the tech is evolving quickly, most organisations aren’t The book describes 𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗗𝗦 as: ➥ 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗘𝗧: Being open to change and innovation, and viewing AI as an opportunity to augment it with humans, rather than as a threat to jobs ➥ 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Encouraging small-scale experiments to understand the potential impacts and benefits of AI. This learn by doing approach allows for safer, innovative and iterative adoption of #GenAI ➥ 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣: Leaders need to guide their organisations through the #change brought about by AI, understand the technologies, and address the ethical, cultural, and operational challenges ➥ 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗔: Data management practices are needed to ensure that the data is accurate, relevant, and reflective of diverse perspectives. This helps develop AI applications that are effective, fair, and free of bias ➥ 𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗦: Ongoing learning for working alongside AI is important. Not only for tech skills but also ‘soft skills’ such as #adaptability, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence The authors argue the MELDS framework provides an approach for organisations looking to integrate AI into their operations I’d argue the same! Doing so will allow for AI adoption that enhances human work and drives business success What do you think about the MELDS framework, let me know in the comments❓ ---- 🔔 Follow me to learn more about how you can get the best from Human + Machine collaboration ---- The Adaptologists specialise in coaching, learning and advisory service that grow the human skills needed for leading AI adoption

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Great decision-making integrates the rational with the intuitive, behavioural and the emotional. That's what's behind The Decision-Making Studio's FOCUS framework. Too often, we dismiss the inuitive. There are times when we should be using intuition (and all the richness that goes with it) in our decision-making. There are also times when we absolutely should *not* be doing that - and knowing when is pretty important! I was reminded of one of those times when prepping for a future podcast conversation on the science of intuition (a fabulous future episode of The Decision-Making Studio Podcast (formerly "All Things Risk"). The episode is with Dr. Joel Pearson, author of "The Intuition Toolkit" - do check out his book! We should absolutely *not* be using intuition when it comes to probabilistic thinking. The book (and the conversation) touched on the famous brain teaser "The Monty Hall Problem". This involves a game show, a prize behind 1 of 3 doors. The contestant chooses 1 door. The host then removes one of the remaining choices and the question is - should the contestant switch her choice? I am not going to repeat all that's involved - the article here explains it much more effectively: https://lnkd.in/eVDUFFTD I taught this problem years ago on a training session I was leading. However, I hadn't thought about in about 4 years. As soon as I came to the problem in the book, I thought "oh, I got this, so easy!" I didn't. I was thinking about it intuitively. The only way to work it through is to do the f**king math (and you can also do that by reframing the problem - see the article). So, note to self and a reminder to all of you: when faced with a problem or decision that involves thinking probabilistically - do the f**king math! That is all. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I am the Founder of The Decision-Making Studio and I help leaders and organisations make quality decisions under uncertainty. If you'd like to explore how we can help you, either DM me or let's set up a time to chat: https://lnkd.in/eQi5qXAs Enrol in our upcoming "Decision Navigators" course: https://lnkd.in/eAftZTZk

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Did you know 63% of people remember stories better than facts? Here's how to leverage that in your presentations. Here's a simple framework I learned from IDEO U that can transform your presentations: The 4 C's of Storytelling. This framework guides you through: Context: Setting the scene and introducing your audience to the situation. This is very key, we tend to jump right into the problem and solution. Conflict: Presenting the challenge or problem your message addresses. Creating that drama is needed to create urgency to act, to FEEL something to DO something. Change: Showcasing your solution and its impact. Your chance to shine with your solution! Closure: Leaving a lasting impression and a call to action. Usually, folks forget to do this in their presentation. What do you want your audience to do differently after the presentation? By following these simple steps, you can captivate your audience, guide them through your message, and leave them wanting more. What's your favorite storytelling technique? ********************************* 👋- Hi I am Priya Biswas (Product Coach and Consultant) ❤️- I help product creators with the essential communication and design thinking skills to bring impactful products to life.

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“A prudent question is one half of wisdom.” — Francis Bacon Just posted the 12th of my series of foresight methods that deal with uncertainties - this framework likely requires the least amount of experts and resources to be involved. We're simply calling it "What If... Explorations" and it is designed to unshackle companies, teams and people from "the now". Bonus- beyond an explanation and steps to use the tool I have also added: - seven attributes of a great question - 100 potential "what if" questions you could ask your teams tomorrow Here's my additional commentary on "What Ifs..": “What if questions are the lubricants for right-brain thinking among organizations and teams. Ask some of the best entrepreneurs what kept them going through the dark times and most will tell you it was a passion to address a big question or unresolved challenge. This is what ‘what ifs’ do Just look at a person’s eyes when you ask them a what if question and you can tell you are invoking a different part of their brain and adjusting their mindsets in the moment, maybe even ongoing. Foresights come out of open-ended what if curiosity that take into account the emotional and rational sides of the future.” — Sean Moffitt #futures #foresights #forecasts #15tools #whatifs #whatifexploration https://lnkd.in/gyRiT3jz Grey Swan Guild - Making better sense of the world together Radar Collection - Trend Report Series Cygnus Sprints Futureproofing - The Future Beyond Innovation Chris Voss Azul Wells Amr ElBasry Mike Blyth Marc Charette Crystal Hayling Nick Jarvis Bruno Goulart Larry Swedroe Manoj Kulwal Cristina Sangiorgi Tim Dillon John Peter Bäckman, Hong-Sen KE Tom Glaisyer Michele Wucker Iury Ramos ☑️ Areli Pineda Jeremy Kuo Thomas Kgokolo Julien Haye Juergen E.L. Meyer Chethan Anand Wojciech Roger Spitz Praveena Hook James Trevis Dip CII Maureen Upton Rajan Arora

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Three years ago, I founded By Design Consulting with the mission to empower mission focused startups by helping leaders translate their big-picture visions into actionable steps. Since then, we’ve been able to: 💡 Boost communication by 52% for one of our clients 💡 Drive 30% increases in employee engagement 💡 Improve team collaboration by 40% through our Human Skills Development workshops We work closely with our clients to uncover root causes, implement tailored workshops, and ensure lasting change through built-in accountability measures. Let’s continue to create thriving, results-driven cultures together. #BusinessAnniversary #LeadershipSuccess #LeadershipGrowth

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I found this article interesting, amongst other things it covers what is actionable research. As we are champions of research led design I'm always trying to think how to help money men and women feel the value of research. I liked this definition of actionable research for that very reason. "An actionable insight is a business opportunity for the company/PM/UX designer to explore. It means the research has uncovered a behavior from our clients/customers/users that we can leverage to achieve a specific business outcome." The next battle is getting the business to act, to go from actionable to actioned. :) https://lnkd.in/eS-khW7i

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"Why I'm Betting on Human Skills in the AI Age (And Why You Should Too) 🚀 When I founded Human Inc 7 years ago, I had no idea how critical our 'not so secret sauce' would become. That sauce? Design Thinking. It's been the backbone of our culture, customer relationships, and facilitated experiences. During COVID, when the world turned upside down, Design Thinking helped us pivot rapidly. We transformed our in-person workshops into engaging virtual experiences, expanded our offerings, and even developed new products to meet emerging client needs. The result? We not only survived but thrived, growing our team and impact across ASEAN. Now, as AI reshapes industries, I'm convinced Design Thinking is more crucial than ever. Here's why: Deep Empathy: AI can analyze data, but it can't truly understand human emotions and motivations. Design Thinking sharpens our ability to connect and empathize. Complex Problem Solving: As AI handles routine tasks, our value lies in navigating ambiguity and finding innovative solutions to messy challenges. Creativity & Imagination: AI can generate, but it can't dream... yet. Our human ability to envision bold new futures is irreplaceable. Experimentation: The 'fail fast, learn faster' approach of Design Thinking is key to staying agile in our rapidly changing world. Ready to future-proof your career and drive innovation in your organization? Join our 4-day Certified Design Thinker: Practitioner Course. In just 4 days, you'll master the mindsets and tools that have driven our success at Human Inc. 💼 Who is this for? Managers & Team Leaders Marketing, Sales, Product, Strategy, IT, HR etc Innovation & R&D Professionals Anyone looking to drive meaningful change! 💡 Fully HRDC claimable 🎉 Limited seats available! Don't let AI catch you off guard. Embrace the skills that make us uniquely human. Secure your seat now: https://lnkd.in/gXiqm3jX Drop a 👋 in the comments or DM me to learn more about how this course can transform your approach to work and innovation. Courses and workshops are available internally in your company as well. Course Dates: 🗓️ Oct 22-25 2024 in Kuala Lumpur or 🗓️ 25-28 Nov 2024 in Kuala Lumpur or 🗓️ Dec 16-19 2024 in Kuala Lumpur #DesignThinking #AIFuture #Innovation #ProfessionalDevelopment Human Inc #humanresources #HR #futureskills

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The Strategic Value of Mentorship for Brand Managers And direct Benefits In a landscape where brand equity can make or break a company, brand managers must operate at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and market foresight. Yet, even the most talented professionals need mentorship to sharpen their instincts and accelerate decision-making. For CEOs invested in sustainable growth, fostering a culture of mentorship is not a luxury—it’s a strategic imperative. By empowering brand managers through mentorship, CEOs cultivate leaders capable of driving innovation, building brand loyalty, and enhancing market positioning. The result is a competitive advantage that extends beyond campaigns—delivering measurable impact on both the brand and the business. Benefits of Working with a Mentor for Brand Managers 1. Strategic Guidance and Insight • Mentors provide industry knowledge and strategic foresight, helping mentees make informed decisions. • They offer lessons from past successes and failures, enabling managers to avoid common pitfalls. 2. Faster Decision-Making • With access to experienced perspectives, mentees can navigate challenges more efficiently and confidently. • Mentors help sharpen critical thinking, improving the ability to make quick, high-impact decisions. 3. Adaptability and Resilience • Mentors teach managers how to pivot strategies during disruptions while maintaining brand integrity. • They provide emotional support, helping managers stay motivated during setbacks. 4. Leadership Development • Mentorship accelerates the growth of leadership skills, such as communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management. • Mentees gain confidence in managing cross-functional teams and aligning efforts with business goals. 5. Access to Networks and Opportunities • Mentors connect mentees with influential networks, unlocking business opportunities and collaborations. • These connections facilitate personal growth and market expansion. 6. Continuous Learning and Innovation • Mentors expose mentees to new trends, tools, and best practices, fostering innovation. • They encourage lifelong learning, ensuring brand managers stay ahead of industry developments. 7. Enhanced Career Growth and Brand Success • Mentorship ensures brand managers evolve into visionary leaders who deliver measurable impact. • Through mentorship, companies develop talent that drives sustainable growth and competitive advantage.

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"It's all about design." Great book list and perspective on design from the great Valerie Casey. I'd add (in no particular order, but all highly influential on me) • Design for the Real World, Victor Papanek; • Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, Buckminster Fuller (yeah, maybe too meta, but still); • Environmental Design Primer, Tom Bender; • Biomimcry, Janine Benyus; • Cradle to Cradle, Bill McDonough & Michael Braungart; • Design with Nature, Ian McHarg; • Designing Freedom, Stafford Beer. My feeling: the entire "sustainability" conversation is a conversation about design.

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9 Pitfalls That Sabotage Creative Leadership: 1. Isolating yourself instead of cultivating a high-performance network 2. Treating constraints as roadblocks instead of innovation catalysts 3. Losing sight of your Massively Transformational Purpose (MTP) 4. Defaulting to reactive decision-making in high-pressure situations 5. Micromanaging rather than empowering your team's potential 6. Neglecting regular self-assessment of your leadership state 7. Letting imposter syndrome stifle your innovative thinking 8. Shying away from courageous, authentic conversations 9. Sacrificing long-term vision for short-term gains I've encountered these challenges throughout my career, from startups to Fortune 10 companies. They can derail even the most promising leaders. The key to overcoming them? Shifting from reactive to creative leadership approaches, especially when the stakes are high. Remember, unlocking human potential isn't about perfection—it's about continuous growth and driving transformative impact. How might you avoid these pitfalls in your leadership journey? What would you add to this list based on your experience?

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In a world often driven by the relentless pursuit of progress and material success, the whispers of our inner wisdom can fade into the background, overshadowed by the clamor of modernity. ----- Yet, for many of us, a longing stirs—to explore realms beyond the tangible, seeking truths that transcend the rational mind.💫 For me, this long journey has been deeply personal and quiet—a merging of the rational and the mystical, the masculine and the feminine, the logical mind with the intuitive, soulful realms of ancestral wisdom. --- I find myself bridging two seemingly disparate worlds in particular to the outer world, and it marks a significant step to share my views, insights and experiences of something that has quietly shaped my existence and only known by a few. Finally, I am ready to start sharing my understandings of what wants to be expressed.💖 --- Please join me in exploring consciousness, spirituality, Earth-honoring spirituality, Andean Mystical Tradition, and Inka Wisdom in business and leadership contexts, and why I believe it is so relevant for today’s times.🌈 *** TITLE: "EMBRACING ANCIENT WISDOM AS A PATH OF INNER DEVELOPMENT AND CONSCIOUS EVOLUTION Link: https://lnkd.in/eF2GuucC What resonates with you in the words you read and the examples shared? What stirs within you? I would love to hear. Please share if you find value in these ideas and insights. Thank you! Gracias! Añay! #Transformation #Consciousness #AncestralWisdom #AndeanMysticalTradition #InkaWisdom #NatureWisdom #TransformationalLeadership #FeminineLeadership #RegenerativeLeadership #Leadership #InnerDevelopment #Healing #Regeneration #Sustainability #Spirituality #Business #SustainableDevelopment #CoCreateOurFuture Giles Hutchins Adolfo Betetta Sánchez Suzy (Susan) Ross WIRAQOCHA FOUNDATION Ivan Nunez del Prado Murillo Oscar Miro-Quesada Mary Christa Smith Sebastian Alanya Hartley Eva Pieper Hilde Bolt Mayumi Beckers

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This is a fabulous article about behavioural economics, biases and fallacies by Koen Smets – now a few years old but arguably even more relevant. It struck a chord with me because I continue to see messages akin to: “𝘊𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦 “𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 1” 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥.” Sometimes, I even see “solutions” akin to – “de-bias by quantifying the shit out of everything”, forgetting of course that biases show up in models and algorithms regularly. This piece has a few interesting observations: 1️⃣ Biases describe behaviour, they don’t explain it. In fact, if you try to explain behaviour through the lenses of cognitive biases, you’ll go a bit nuts – “did he behave that way because of ‘recency bias’ because of what just happened? Or, was what just happened irrelevant and he was  ‘primed’ into influencing what he did?!” 2️⃣ The conversation on bias is almost “uniformly negative” even though the heuristics behind them have served us and heuristics can be trained or appear with experience. 3️⃣ The way biases are described often over-simplifies human behaviour. Human behaviour in reality is “fluid and fuzzy.” I like this quote: “𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴.” Well worth a read if you've ever used the word "cognitive bias" in a sentence!

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Join Us for Another Monthly Live Session This Week! ✨ The August Roundtable: Are We Doing Transformation Wrong? Most of us are doing transformation wrong! Instead of starting with methodologies and frameworks that focus on roles, processes, and organizational structures, we need to “uncover better ways” to enable real adaptation in environments that strongly resist this very idea. Join us as we dive into this critical topic with transformation expert Dan Leeds. What to Expect: • Challenge Conventional Wisdom: Explore why traditional methodologies and frameworks might be holding us back. •Uncover Better Ways: Learn innovative approaches to enable real adaptation and transformation. •Real-World Applications: See how these new strategies can be applied in various scenarios to drive meaningful change. •Interactive Q&A: Get your questions answered live and share your own insights. Transform your approach and enhance your leadership skills. See you there! 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 7th ⏰ Time: 12:00 - 12:45 EST 📍 Where: Transformational Leadership Community Not a member yet? Join our community for free and be part of this enlightening session: https://bit.ly/3PO6W3T #TransformationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Transformation #ChangeManagement

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Here’s a new way to think about your agency’s business model. There’s a great book called Repeatability, written by two former heads of Bain and Company's Global Strategy Practice. They emphasize that the “big idea” behind any business is really made up of a series of successful smaller ideas in a simple and repeatable business model. This is true for any business, including agencies. But also in terms of the work your firm delivers. Everything your agency does is essentially, a series of successful smaller ideas that we put into action to solve a business problem. When our clients have a business problem ↳ We use a series of successful small creative outputs ↳ They work together to solve the problem ↳ And generate a business result When we productize your agency's value, we take that idea and add structure and repeatability to it. That's what productizing agency value is. It's the art of packaging your intellectual capital as a repeatable solution to high-value customer problems that your firm is uniquely qualified to solve. But not just any problem. And not just any customer. And not all aspects of your intellectual capital. We need to be strategic about applying this approach. Here's how: • Which customer problems should you focus on? To adapt to AI, automation, and the increasing types of work going in-house, we need to focus on high-value problems rather than commoditized, price-sensitive areas of work. • Which customers should you focus on? To know which high-value problems to solve, we need to narrow your firm's focus on your right-fit clients and the problems they come to you to solve. These are the clients who want you for your strengths. • Which aspects of your intellectual capital should we productize? The answer is at the intersection of your strengths, the needs of your right-fit clients, and the high-value problems they look to you to solve. As a result, your agency can: • Secure a position higher on your client's value chain • Safely begin to reduce investment in lower-value work • Develop stronger pricing power and better win rates • Scale revenue without hiring more billable headcount • Easily develop systems for repeatable success At this point in our industry, change is really unavoidable. If you'd like to learn if this approach could be right for your agency, send me a DM.

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