Mistakes can keep you stuck or propel you forward, depending on how you frame them. Perceiving errors in a positive light was the focus of a MasterClass I recently held at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, United Arab Emirates. Together with my co-facilitator, we illustrated to founders and future founders how to turn setbacks into learning opportunities. Why does it matter? Learning from failure and experiencing are strongly correlated, both spurring innovation.

In a voluntary organizational redesign project, how do you turn a vague directive like “let the working groups figure it out” into a structured process that delivers real results? In this case study, my colleague and I share how we created a framework, tools, and templates to guide the next phase of the redesign. By tapping into the expertise of internal teams, we transformed abstract ideas into actionable outcomes—and ensured employees were fully invested in the change.

What stories do you tell yourself—and what narratives does your organization adhere to? In 2016, I completed a self-authoring suite to better understand my past, present, and future. The process made me confront and reframe limiting narratives. Organizations, much like individuals, face similar challenges when recovering from crises. Drawing on my journey and case studies from Volkswagen, Nike, and Aramex, this article explores how to change the narrative.

How did French COO Carlos Ghosn transform a struggling Nissan into one of the most profitable carmakers in the world in 1999? he tapped into his abilities to empower others and to succinctly navigate an Asian “closed” culture. Discover the magic of cross-cultural leadership, where a French 'Wizard COO' unlocked the potential of Japanese middle managers to drive one of the most remarkable corporate turnarounds in history.

While riding the Dubai Metro, I found myself decompressing in the pink cabins reserved for women and children—a small but meaningful safe space amidst the city's hustle. This made me reflect on safe spaces in organizations. By fostering trust, open communication, and a culture where learning from failure is celebrated, leaders can create environments that empower their teams to innovate and grow sustainably.

In a company-wide cost-cutting and operational excellence program, I discovered an approach that turns cost-cutting into an empowering exercise. By shifting to a ‘cost-to-achieve’ mindset, we enabled managers to see cost savings as opportunities for strategic investment. This approach allowed them to take charge, creating solutions aligned with both savings and long-term goals.

I discuss how embracing "mini-c" creativity—the small, personal acts of experimentation—can spark innovation within organizations. Examples are: Google’s 20% time policy, Safaricomm M-PESA, or posts-it’s created by 3M. Bonus: A checklist for senior managers to entice employees to experiment and get creative.

Do you face the double challenge of leading both a transformation and an international expansion? I have a solution for you. The key to success lies in measuring the "right" KPIs—where operational efficiency, revenue growth, and employee engagement converge. Discover which combination of KPIs drive progress.

In the rush of leading large-scale transformations, it's easy to overlook the power of collaboration. By revisiting insights from classic management thinkers, we can unlock key strategies—leveraging partnerships for innovation, speed, and competitive advantage. Sometimes, turning to "old" wisdom is exactly what modern transformations need.

At GEA in Germany, the combination of top-down strategic imperatives, internal AI ambassadors, and a decentralized decision-making approach has led to widespread AI adoption, demonstrating a practical model for leveraging AI to enhance productivity and competitiveness.

Creating your own cultural assessment framework might sound daunting, but it's a practical and effective way to understand your organization's culture. By using a mix of qualitative tools, such as interviews, and tried-and-tested tools available on the analytics market, such as Culture Amp's tools or the Qualtrics survey platform, you can gather comprehensive data.

Discover the digital transformation challenges faced by luxury fashion companies and the unique specifics of the fashion industry. Learn about the contrast between advanced Metaverse shops and outdated internal systems, and explore strategies to bridge this digital gap.

The Girlboss Rally, a vibrant two-day meeting of entrepreneurial women, presents a fascinating case study of the transformative potential of community-driven initiatives. In this article, I reflect on lessons learned and how these can inform the planning and implementation of bottom-up transformations.

 My approach to transformations begins with a unique tactic: becoming a hermit for two days. This time allows me to delve deep into the project by reverse engineering it. By starting from the project's endpoint and working backward, I ensure a comprehensive understanding of all the necessary steps and milestones required for success

Explore innovative strategies in organizational development and change management to unleash the hidden potential of tacit knowledge. Learn how to foster employee engagement through transformative approaches such as informational interviews, driving sustainable growth and adaptation.

Kickstart your leadership journey with expert insights tailored for newly appointed Heads of Transformation, Change Management, and PMO roles. Learn practical strategies to drive effective change and project management during your crucial initial 30 days.

Learn how establishing a Change Competence Center can optimize your organization's transformation processes and save costs. Discover practical steps, inspired by Scrooge McDuck's money-wise approach, to preserve and leverage tacit knowledge for sustainable growth.

Discover the transformative potential of establishing a sounding board within your organization. Learn how to assemble a diverse group of employees to provide constructive feedback and valuable insights on change initiatives, restructuring, and post-M&A integration.

My favorite metaphor is about change management as a bus journey (by leadership and workplace communication expert Merge Gupta-Sunderji). It reflects most of my transformation experience, having led change projects as diverse as cost-cutting, creating a company’s purpose, or accompanying a voluntary organizational redesign effort.

“How do you embed and sustain change?”. - is the title of a LinkedIn collaborative article I helped flesh out. So what makes a change project stick? In my view, applying KPIs, assessing the project stakeholders (+ their agendas) and setting up change roles.