If there’s one thing that the last six months have shown us, it’s that the future is impossible to predict. With plans being derailed, projections becoming irrelevant, and so much uncertainty moving forward, now is a good time to reconsider how we approach work and especially how we can lead effectively moving forward under the conditions of the new normal.

For the latest session of our Virtual Speaker Series we were joined by Eric Termuende, an expert in the future of work and modern business leadership. The core of Eric’s presentation focused on why it’s important to reconsider how we work, plan, and lead moving forward. Among the strategies and solutions he offered, Eric highlighted what he calls as the One-Degree Shift Framework as a particularly effective tool that can allow teams and organizations to be more agile and adept at tackling change. Besides the session itself, Eric also provided a great summary of his concepts (including diagrams) which you can find here.

To start us off, Eric underlined that the traditional idea of a 5- or 10-year plan is fairly outmoded when it comes to business strategy. Having long-term goals are still helpful, he said, but to be effective as leaders we need to think less about how we plan to act and more about how we can react from situation to situation. By preparing to make adjustments on the fly and pivot in the face of major change, Eric says we can be more intentional and therefore more effective. As he put it: “The future of work is not something that just happens to us, it’s something that we create.”

To build towards this goal of an ideal team/workplace, Eric highlighted the importance of three overlapping elements that can help ensure success:

• Envision – What is the goal?
• Evaluate – How do we measure success?
• Experiment – What are we going to try?

This aspect of questioning how we go about achieving our goals is a core part of Eric’s approach and one that he returned to throughout the presentation. He made it clear: there is no single method that will work for every organization. Interrogating how you approach business, looking inward and being thoughtful, these things can help you to develop a strategy that is tailored to what you do and how you can do it best. This also feeds into creating an approach that allows for Chosen Innovation (i.e. How can we get further ahead?) instead of having to manage Forced Innovation (i.e. How do we do what someone else did already?).

One-Degree Shift Framework

Eric’s name for this overall approach to doing work, building teams, and leading in an organization is the One-Degree Shift. As he put it, we often think that success comes from big, ambitious goals or massive, radical changes. Instead, we can re-frame how we view success, try to remove points of friction, and experiment with minor pivots and adjustments to keep continuously growing. We don’t have to throw out the rulebook, Eric said. Take what’s working, factor in the unknown, and try to fill in the gaps to develop new strategies, innovate on products, and increase productivity.

Overall, this approach to business requires a lot of transparency, openness, and communication, Eric said. To make the one-degree shifts needed and to stay agile, it requires real teamwork and flexibility. He admitted this can be challenging but again underlined the advantages from the system, especially as we move forward with working remotely on a large scale, and navigating the major industry shifts we’ll continue to see in the new normal.

A globally recognized thought leader, bestselling author, and speaker, Eric Termuende brings a fresh perspective to workplace culture and the future of work. His actionable and entertaining keynotes combine research, storytelling, and case studies to help leaders attract and retain top talent and build teams that thrive. Audiences will leave energized, empowered, and equipped with the tools needed to spark action and growth within their organizations.

Speakers’ Spotlight has been offering virtual presentations since 2009. We work with a range of speakers who are comfortable with presenting virtually on a variety of topics. If interested, contact us for more information.