Week 26, 2023—Issue #262
Disruption via Negativa, Key to Happiness, and Organizational Fitness Regimes
Successful organizations do three things: they create value for customers, they fulfill their people, and they produce above-average returns. Here are three ideas to help you do the same:
#customervalue
1. Disruption is best served via negativa
Entrepreneur Richard Branson adopts a distinct approach when delving into new markets. He asks his team to find “10 things you never hear about this industry”, prompting a fresh new perspective. This method embodies the philosophy of analysis via negativa — defining by absence. With a focus on missing elements within the market, Branson’s team positions itself to disrupt established players by filling these gaps, ultimately delivering a superior customer experience.
#personalfulfillment
Frequency is the key to happiness
You’ve probably heard the saying “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”. This phrase originates with the US Navy SEALs who probably got the idea from Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Hare”. The lesson is of course that slow and steady wins the race. But did you know that the same idea applies to happiness? Writes Adam Grant in Think Again: “Happiness depends more on the frequency of positive emotions than their intensity.” That is, the more we pursue peak happiness, the less likely we are to find it.
#organizationaleffectiveness
Fitness regimes for 21st-century organizations
I had this lightbulb moment the other day at the gym. I was chatting with a Personal Trainer about different types of fitness training: strength for power and muscle building, agility for speed and mobility, and endurance for stamina and mindset. And boom — it hit me. This isn’t just about fitness; it’s also a blueprint for those of us navigating the world of organizational design and development. Continue reading on Linkedin.
That’s all for this week.
Until next time: Make it matter.
/Andreas
How can we build better organizations? That’s the question I’ve been trying to answer for the past 10 years. Each week, I share some of what I’ve learned in a weekly newsletter called WorkMatters. Back-issues are published to Medium after three months. Subscription is free. This article was originally published on Friday, June 30, 2023.
