uncomfortable talk #5: the age of transition

Uncomfortable Talk #5: The Age of TransitionVienna August 11, 2011.

Servas, my name isMatthias Weber.

I‘m here tonight with my two partners:

Matthias Abel & Marc Schäfer.

We were invited to give an Uncomfortable Talk thanks to the folks from

What do we do?

We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

Insights

We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

Strategy

Insights

We are a Sweet Spot Company at heart.

Strategy Innovation

Insights

We are currently a Company without a Name and Identity.

We are about to launch our business.

I always wanted to use the launching rocket in a presentation.

Anyway: we are working on it.

We might even turn to Crowdsourcing for our name...

...although I really don‘t hope we have to.

Well, we are Germans.

Everything has to be in order!

It must be perfect!

Sorry about that!

If this attitude should become too annoying, please do hit us hard at any time during our #Untalk.

Unfortunately, these days being a good German puts you into trouble.

Since the demand for perfect stuff is declining.

Today companies hiding away in ivory towers designing the perfect whatever will lose.

Today companies hiding away in ivory towers designing the perfect whatever will lose.

They will die from long time to market and irrelevancy.

Today companies living on the street and in the web sharing and anticipating new ideas win.

Unfortunately, today only few of these companies are German companies. We need to change this fact.

Intro (done)

Intro (done)

Quick Recap of previous Untalks in context to our Untalk #6

Intro (done)

Quick Recap of previous Untalks in context to our Untalk #6

The Age of Transition

Intro (done)

Quick Recap of previous Untalks in context to our Untalk #6

The Age of Transition

Q&A

Intro (done)

Quick Recap of previous Untalks in context to our Untalk #6

The Age of Transition

Q&A

So what is our #Untalk about?

In short: we would like to bounce some ideas with you on transitions.

Let‘s start with an example.

Transition #1: Who thought, we would trade competition in favour of collaboration?

A transition in the way we think about business.

„This is not how I grew up in business but I’m so glad its changed.“– Joanna Bakas

Btw: This is not how we grew up either.

Transition #2: Who thought Americans would fall in love with bikes?

Bike Lanes around Times Square?

From Car-Centric Gotham to Bike-Friendly Big Apple?

Before After

From Traffic Jam to Piazza (well almost)?

Before After

If cars are continuously being banned from our cities, how does this change the concept of designing living space and enabling mobility?

Especially if you‘re a car brand?

Side note: Congrats to BMW for breaking all your records.

By the way: how are your cars shaping the future of mobility?

Side note 2: Kudos to DB (Call a Bike, DB Car Sharing, Flinkster) and Daimler (Car2Go). Thanks for anticipating that our world is changing.

@BMW: success breeds #failure.Ask Nokia.

Most of the previous #Untalks already dealt with change and transitions.

Steffen Stäuber

Steffen Stäuber Third Wave

Steffen Stäuber Third Wave

Marcus Brown

Steffen Stäuber

Neil Perkin

Third Wave

Marcus Brown

Steffen Stäuber

Neil Perkin

Third Wave

• Transitions in the way we market, advertise and communicate.

Marcus Brown

Steffen Stäuber

Neil Perkin

Third Wave

• Transitions in the way we market, advertise and communicate.

• Transitions in the way we work, live and interact with media through new technologies.

Marcus Brown

Steffen Stäuber

Neil Perkin

Third Wave

• Transitions in the way we market, advertise and communicate.

• Transitions in the way we work, live and interact with media through new technologies.

Marcus Brown

• Transitions in the way we perceive and use the web.

Steffen Stäuber

Neil Perkin

Third Wave

• Transitions in the way we market, advertise and communicate.

• Transitions in the way we plan and build business strategies.

• Transitions in the way we work, live and interact with media through new technologies.

Marcus Brown

• Transitions in the way we perceive and use the web.

Our #Untalk thesis:Today, most innovation is held back.

Why?

Because:As long as business is running smoothly, innovation is only seen as one thing:

A Source of Irritation.

It is more convenient not to change.

When it comes to innovation we have been thinking about two archetypes.

Two archetypes

Visionaries Copycats

Two archetypes

Visionaries Copycats

Two archetypes

Visionaries Copycats

Fueled by different sentiments.

Visionaries Copycats

Fueled by different sentiments.

Fueled by different sentiments.

Courage

Fueled by different sentiments.

Courage Fear

Both create innovation, but for different reasons.

Motivations

Impact Pressure

Motivations

Impact Pressure

Motivations

Impact Pressure

Most organizations only change when being under pressure.

Most organizations only change when being under pressure.

„I guess it‘s about time to change this uncomfortable situation.“

Our assumption:this applies to all forms of social entities.

Personal Relationships.

Personal Relationships.Communitites.

Personal Relationships.Communitites.Cultures.

Personal Relationships.Communitites.Cultures.Businesses.

Personal Relationships.Communitites.Cultures.Businesses.Governments.

How can we understand this behaviour better?

Intro (done)

Quick Recap of previous Untalks in context to our Untalk #6

The Age of Transition

Q&A

The Age of Transition.

A few assumptions to explain what we are thinking and discussing about.

We live in a time where changes in almost all fields of life are occuring much quicker than in the past.

We believe that these changes will even speed up in the future.

The Age of Transition is a metaphor used to explore and understand these changes.

#TAOT will be a snapshot during one moment in time that needs to be revisited in the future.

#TAOT will be a collaborative project growing with your participation.

Let‘s take a look at three select fields in which transitions are taking place.

Governments: From Nuclear Necessity to Renewable Energies.

Governments: From Representative to Participatory Democracy.

Governments:Power Shifts from Top-Bottom to Bottom-Top Societies.

Governments:Power Shifts– London Riots.

Business:From ivory towers to openness and collaboration.

Cultures:From Privacy to Sharing.

Governments

Governments Businesses

Governments Businesses Cultures

Governments Businesses Cultures

• Nuclear Phase Out in DE

Governments Businesses Cultures

• Nuclear Phase Out in DE• Participatory Democracy

(e.g. Stuttgart 21)

Governments Businesses Cultures

• Nuclear Phase Out in DE• Participatory Democracy

(e.g. Stuttgart 21)• Power-Shifts both in

western democracies and Arab countries

Governments Businesses Cultures

• Nuclear Phase Out in DE• Participatory Democracy

(e.g. Stuttgart 21)• Power-Shifts both in

western democracies and Arab countries

• from ivory towers and gated business thinking to openness and collaboration

Governments Businesses Cultures

• Nuclear Phase Out in DE• Participatory Democracy

(e.g. Stuttgart 21)• Power-Shifts both in

western democracies and Arab countries

• from ivory towers and gated business thinking to openness and collaboration

• From privacy to sharing culture both in the web and everyday life

How can we support individuals, communities, businesses and governments to foster these insights?

1. Find a Purpose.

And stick with it.

2. Build your organization/brand around this purpose.And invite people in. Eypecially those you wish to have around you.

2. Be broad.

Explore the boundaries of your business.

2. Open up!

To complimentary cultures and embrace them for being different.

Get involved.

In conversations about where your category or market is going to.

Create Experiences.

For you will be measured by what you do (not what you say).

Know your Category.

And know when to leave it.

Do not stick to what made you succesful in the past.For it might not in the future.

Rely on capabilities (soft factors) not on solutions.Because somebody is already building something better or cheaper.

Take Risks and Fail if you must.If you do not fail, maybe you were not brave enough!

Embrace Change.

The age we live in is the most interesting. Ever.

Do not feel too comfortable.Wherever you are: places and surroundings change quickly.

Thank You!

Uncomfortable Q&A!

@checkdisout