Dr. Avinash Jhangiani’s Post

Positive signals… This is Chris Taylor. We’ve been working together for a few months and sharing ideas… Things like collaboration, leadership, engagement, behavioural science, complexity, communication, flows of information/work/value… the usual stuff I’ll talk about on here. Yesterday he addressed the rest of the IT and Digital Teams. There were a couple of things that made my heart sing. When he showed his org chart he was at the bottom and the technicians were at the top. He depicted supporting lines rather than reporting lines and recognised the most vital capability for business success was placed above the others. The other fantastic thing was the demo of this capability that he ran in real time… kicking off (with a super explanation from a techie named Lee that joined via teams) a deployment to show how simple and quick this had become. It started at the beginning of Chris short talk, ran in the back ground and ended minutes later with Jason describing what had taken place and logging in to the new instance of delivered tech. The impact of showing rather than telling was palpable. These are fairly small things, but they are leading indicators of things to come. It may be that Chris’s and his colleagues always knew this was a good thing to do… but making it explicit, conspicuous, natural and an everyday (nothing special) behaviour is how culture slowly but sustainably changes. Chris is being the change he wants to see and it warms the cockles of my heart and fills me with energy. I just wanted to acknowledge him, his team including Jon Franks, PMP as well as Lee. These things matter.

Here's 3 things I think C-level execs can learn from Orwell's 1984. ᐅᐅ Promote transparency and trust Because distrust and manipulation leads to a toxic environment. How? → By showing and facilitating vulnerability → give, ask and promote regular feedback → share insights on decision making → involving people on success and failure. → Your team should not only see the 'what', but also the 'why' of things. ᐅᐅ Encourage critical thinking Because challenging the status quo should be applauded and not suppressed, and you might be doing the opposite. How? → Make time for opposing ideas, even if they seem poor → Brainstorm / workshop together or plans, problems, etc - can be very short sessions → involve the team, be open to ideas → Promote cross-team and cross-specialism meetings, lunches and talks → enrich each others ideas instead of killing them ᐅᐅ Guard against echo chambers You shouldn't control the narrative. Instead, surf the wave. How? → Expose your people to fresh ideas → Hire speakers (can be $0 friends / family / network) → Tool-fridays, where you try out new tools → Discuss customer feedback regularly and take it serious → give them time to discover / research You might think AI is about tech. But probably it's not so much. This this is all about culture. It's about creating a culture that's better due to tech, not despite it. What's your tip for this?👇

So often we get feedback that "We're constantly under pressure to deliver that we don't have time to catch our breath, let alone think!" This type of environment kills creativity and innovation as everyone is constantly stuck in reactive mode, on the back foot, and just trying to survive every day. When our brains are overloaded with information, distractions and stress, it impacts up to 20% of our productivity, our ability to collaborate and our memory too. Thats why we run programs on 'Busting the Myth of Multi-tasking' and giving teams practical tools that they can implement straight away within their teams and environment, including the benefits of having time to think. Would love to know some of the tools that everyone else is using to help them manage their day-to-day tasks and time that helps their productivity - pls share, we're always looking for new methods. #skillsdevelopment #highperformance #highexcellence

Our world is complex, and it's changing fast. And in today's workplace, we are called to see opportunities for innovation, and also watch out for threats, draw on different capabilities and expertise to solve complex challenges, and make rapid decisions with many trade-offs. Well, all this isn't an easy job for one person to tackle, which is why teams have the potential to be so powerful. Teams can make real breakthroughs, because they have the potential to adapt to the world around them better and faster than any individual on their own. #TEAMWORK #challenges #PROBLEMSOLVING #WORKENVIRONMENT

I just realized something big: Mess-ups aren't dead ends. They're stepping stones to getting better. I used to run my team with a zero-error policy. I was dead wrong. Here's the truth: A workplace that fears mistakes stifles innovation and learning. The key? Make a workplace where mistakes help us grow, not hold us back. We've shifted our perspective.  Now, we openly discuss what went wrong and why. It's not about pointing fingers, but finding solutions. This mindset shift has been revolutionary. Our creativity has soared, and our problem-solving skills have sharpened dramatically. Remember: It's not about avoiding errors, it's about learning from them faster than your competition. Encourage open discussions about mistakes. Reward those who learn and adapt. That's how you build a truly agile and resilient team. Stay committed to excellence, but embrace the journey of continuous improvement. That's the key to long-term success. What's your take on learning from mistakes in the workplace? #hr #emails #employees

DRIVING WORKPLACE CHANGE THROUGH PEOPLE SKILLS We often think of change and innovation as something driven by tech or new processes. But ever noticed how the most innovative teams aren't just tech wizards or data gurus? Rather, they're often the ones who genuinely click as people. d Yes, people skills are a big driving "tool" for the most forward-looking teams and organizations. These are teams and organizations that have learned the art of connecting, collaborating, and communicating effectively. While they're core to progressive changes, it's not just about brainstorming sessions. It's those casual chats during lunch hours, the occasional banter, and the way everyone feels heard in meetings. Think about your best work experiences. Chances are, they didn't happen because of a fancy new tool or system, but because you were part of a team that clicked. That synergy, the way ideas bounced around, challenged, and built on each other – that's people skills in action. Interpersonal skills like active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution don't just make the workplace more pleasant—they push teams to take risks, think creatively, and tackle challenges head-on. How? It's not rocket science: 😎 Encourage open dialogue 🥂 Appreciate/celebrate diverse perspectives 👂 Practice active listening (yes, it takes practice!) 😊 Deliberately create a culture where it's okay to respectfully disagree Remember, the next big breakthrough might not come from a lone genius, but from a team that just gets each other. So, as much as it's important to focus on the technical stuff, don't forget the power of human connection. Because, ultimately, the most innovative ideas come from people who know how to work together. Are you investing in people skills within your team? You might be surprised at the innovations that follow. #Leadership #Innovation #PeopleSkills

The Art of Systematically Killing Innovation - An Inverted Thinking Exercise I've got the perfect recipe for disaster. What you can do today, You Can... .. micromanage every line of code to crush creativity. .. ignore developer feedback to maintain your ego. .. ignore work-life balance to boost burnout rates. .. mandate unnecessary meetings that consume productive hours. .. prioritize deadlines over quality to ensure buggy releases. .. play favorites to create a toxic team culture. It'll only take you a quarter to completely derail momentum. However, in just one year, you'll have: - A team plotting their escape - Recruitment costs that'll make your CFO weep - A reputation as the leader everyone avoids - Technical debt that looks like a financial black hole Don't say: "I want to improve team productivity and satisfaction today" Instead, say: "I want to transform talented engineers into bureaucratic zombies" Pick complexity over clarity. Always. P.S. How many meetings does it take to kill a developer's soul? Asking for a friend.

"You have a hard problem? Sarah will fix it!" As engineers gain experience and tenure, they inevitably face increasingly complex challenges. It's the nature of our field—the toughest problems land on the desks of our most seasoned professionals. Protecting your problem solvers While it's gratifying to hear, this praise can mask a hidden danger. Many underestimate the mental toll of constant problem-solving. When your daily view is an endless parade of issues, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking everything is broken. To prevent burnout and maintain a healthy team, technical leaders must actively guard the mental well-being of their problem solvers. Here are key strategies to implement: 💪 Empower them to say no: Encourage your team to communicate when they're overwhelmed. Create a culture where it's okay to say, "I need a break from troubleshooting right now." ⚖️ Balance complex problems with defined feature work: Alternate between debugging sessions and scoped feature development. This variety can provide mental relief and restore a sense of progress. 2️⃣ Promote pair programming: Share the load of complex problems. This reduces mental strain and spreads crucial knowledge, building a more resilient team. 🌳 Advocate for breaks: Resist the urge to push through exhaustion. Encourage team members to step away, take a walk, and return with fresh perspectives. As leaders, we must ask ourselves: Are we repeatedly tapping the same individuals for every challenging issue? How can we better distribute these tasks to protect our key problem solvers? While some thrive on tackling complex issues, it's crucial to safeguard their boundaries. Continuous exposure to high-stress problem-solving can lead to mental fatigue and eventual burnout.

Many organizations need help understanding or recognizing the impact of Change Resistance on Technology Outcomes. In this four-post series, let's dive deep into understanding how resistance to change adversely impacts technology outcomes and how we can overcome them jointly. #TechAdoption #ChangeManagement #DigitalTransformation #InnovationChallenges #EmbraceChange #BusinessInnovation #TechResistance #LeadershipInTech #ChangeLeadership #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceInnovation #TechSuccess #OrganizationalCulture #EmployeeEngagement #TechImplementation