Forget Corporate Silos - Think Unified Human Intelligence

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." George Bernard Shaw

Silos, once a hallmark of business now a pain in the...

Silos are an archaic reminder of an era filled with poor communication, slow competitive responses, and the power to stop progress. Have we learned nothing from this digital age? My research on business and retail successes points to one advantage: no internal resistance to change exists. The organizations successfully implementing AI are doing so without major resistance. How? They figured out the powerful impact of Unified Human Intelligence. What's that all about? Simply put, it is providing human workers with the power of AI to help augment their capabilities and impact and influence the organization.

How does it work?

The first attribute is that leadership has a clear vision of the future, and it is unwavering. The second is that the level of communication on directions and progress is at least 10-20 times that of all other organizations that fall behind. The third is that they have successfully taken down silos by asking everyone to be a part of organizational cross-functional work teams. Yes, most of us know what these are and the effectiveness that they can have in putting aside power brokering; that means they recognize that no function is more important than another, and all must work together. Fourth, information is free-flowing, and data collection is now a by-product that can be used instantly once properly curated in proper data sets. Last, employees are offered the means to upskill and be prepared for the future. Fifth is the speed at which one can be both responsive and proactive in the marketplace.

Whenever an organization fails, it is sabotaged by resistance to change, an ailment of an outdated culture in love with the present, and in fear of the future. Don't blame the employees. They are getting mixed messages or have never been told otherwise. The root of the problem is organizational leadership. Without a clear vision of direction for the future, AI will not be successfully implemented and executed. All industries must consider developing their organizational intelligence to a much higher level if they hope to remain competitive and relevant.

Let's be clear: any business that says they have successfully implemented AI without removing silos - isn't talking about implementing Predictive Leadership, which has created Unified Human Intelligence to lead their organizations into the next generation of competition.

This is an abbreviated excerpt from the upcoming book “Predictive Leadership” and the Chapter "From Silos to Unified Intelligence" Coming November 2024.

Please Fasten Your Seat Belt. These Are Merely Economic Aftershocks (We Hope!)

Everything is about the consumer's health. Investors are taking profits, and the short-sellers are working hard to spook you and sell. But make no mistake: We are feeling aftershocks from the pandemic, inflation, and higher interest rates. Aside from the regular political rhetoric about which party is helping or hindering consumers, the major Western economies have bypassed a hard landing. Still, some issues weigh heavily on consumers and investors.

The first is how long it will be before interest rates come down to affordable rates as consumers pay 20-30% more on their mortgage and credit card payments. Some predict they could be at 2.5% by this time next year. The second is that the cost of living, despite interest rates in decline in Canada, everything from property taxes to groceries is much higher, and this is a recipe for very negative consumer behaviors leading to even less spending.

The third is how quickly the job market will shift as AI investments for companies begin to filter through productivity gains, which will mean less staffing. In the US, IT worker unemployment increased from 5.6% to 6.0%, and overall unemployment in Canada increased to 6.7%. AI will continue to move through the white-collar workforce over the foreseeable future until new opportunities reveal themselves.

The other major concern, outside of the two wars, is China; they need to grow their economy, and will Western consumers buy their EVs even with the 100% tariff? They could still be less expensive than Western manufacturers. China's economy, is not believed to be as (a very interesting article from the Economist) robust as some may think. As for retailers back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all in play, even though many started with BTS and Halloween early this season. We should expect heavy discounting,?and the winners will utilize AI.

At the end of the day, Your inner

The most successful people have a very powerful inner mission. It is usually very private, but it is constantly on their minds. It's not about being this or doing that. It is about their path through this life, and it is a light in them. I can tell you that if it's about anger or hate, they are not the ones who are successful. Usually, it is about personal fulfillment, perhaps in your field of work, education, relationships, and physical or even spiritual well-being. It burns inside. It is constantly reshaping your thinking, and it allows you to grow. But it isn't about ego or recognition. Instead, it comes from what we do with that inner mission.

How do you find your inner mission? Start with what will wake you each morning, ready to take on the world.

Thank you for reading this week's issue of The Business Brief.

#retailing #marketing #management #Economy #strategy #Innovation