John Ward’s Post

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Customer. Experience. Leader

What do gorillas, freestyle rap and dancing have to do with leading change? Each is a fun, effective and memorable way to demonstrate my three core tenets of leading transformation in an organization or as part of a team: Tenet #1: See the Gorilla 🦍 Inattention blindness is the psychological term that describes what happens when an individual lacks the attention to see something unexpected. The most famous experiment demonstrating inattention blindness is called the Invisible Gorilla test (Google it if unfamiliar) and routinely proves that 50% of people fail to see a person in a gorilla suit walking through the frame! Every organization has blind spots. A primary culprit is the modern organizational structure which is great at creating vertical clarity but often fails to link the verticals together naturally for external stakeholder clarity and value.  See the Gorilla reminds us to understand and address blind spots, not just to fix gaps but to innovate and create new opportunities for efficiency and growth. Tenet #2: Find your Flow 🎤 Flow is another established psychological concept that describes being so fully immersed and focused on an activity that it appears effortless. Sports fans might also know the concept of flow as being "in the zone". I am an unapologetic lover of all things hip-hop; always have been and always will be.  My favorite artist right now is a freestyler named Harry Mack.  I've seen him live twice and have never experienced a human being create on the spot in the way that he does. For the unindoctrinated, please do yourself a favor and visit YouTube to appreciate his other-worldly talent. It truly is flow personified. Find your Flow aspires to create this level of clarity, expertise and perceived effortlessness in what you do. It takes unwavering commitment and years of practice, but having the foresight to prepare for the moment when it really matters will absolutely pay dividends. Tenet #3: Start a Movement 🌊 Most would say that leading change is about having a vision and the conviction to see it through. I say that leading change is about winning hearts and minds, one at a time, until you reach a tipping point when that once crazy view of the future-state becomes both believable and desirable. Derek Sivers' 2010 TED Talk, 'First Follower: Leadership Lessons From a Dancing Guy' has inspired me since I first saw it just after its release. It's a masterclass in human thinking and behavior told in a relatable and humorous way. It isn't just the 'lone nut' who sticks out her/his neck, but the 'first followers' who lend credibility and normalcy to the thing that only just before had been the anti-pattern.  Start a Movement by finding and nurturing your first followers! Oh, and don't be afraid to be a first follower yourself! . See the Gorilla to eliminate blind spots Find your Flow to create in unimaginable ways Start a Movement with first followers .

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I love it! I’d just have to add that without trust (which is basically psychological safety) it’s very hard, if not impossible, to lead change. People need leaders they can trust. 😊

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Curt Knox

Partner at Brand Studios | UX Leader | Product Management and Design | 25 years helping top brands create world-class user experiences

9mo

Wow. Thank you, John. +1 for Harry Mack as the embodiment of flow state. Just watched him for the first time and it both blew my mind and brought a huge smile to my face. Talk about being present in the moment... 

Rola Hassanieh

An Authentic and Personal Leader and Coach | Voice of Stakeholder Advocate | Insights Activator | A mom of 3

9mo

Insightful and thought provoking! Thanks for sharing. I will be watching the TedTalk next for I admit that I am not usually among first followers, but a close second as soon as I have the clarity and understanding.

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Heather Valteris

Chief Marketing Officer at Zelis

8mo

Love this!

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Regina Jones

A servant-leader, accomplished entrepreneur, & business executive. A proven encourager & motivator. A change agent and operations liaison with a track record for service excellence, people management & budget execution.

8mo

That is excellent my friend! Excellent!

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Tom Ajello™

AI is not going to take your job, but someone who knows how to use it will.

9mo

like!

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Pamala Hutcherson, DPA

Public Sector Strategist | Health Equity Champion | Relational Intelligence Expert

9mo

Yessssss. Very insightful

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Kevin Karty

Insights Junkie | AI Enthusiast | Proudly Imperfect Human

9mo

The gorilla test was a classic! I'm so glad to see you reference it.

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