3 Tips to Help Your Company Navigate Change and Stay Relevant

 A few weeks ago my 6-year-old son and a friend clambered into a Sutter Health mobile clinic. Within minutes, they’d tried out a stethoscope and other cool tools. They switched roles – first doctor, then patient. I watched their intellectual curiosity, their flexibility and their focus. We could change the world if we all approached new opportunities like this.

We’re in a period of rapid evolution, requiring great curiosity, determination and adaptability. How do we keep up during this time of continuous change and remain relevant? I’ve spent 25 years in marketing at some of the most innovative companies in America. They thrived while other companies became obsolete. How did they do it? They committed to three things that we can all do to succeed in this new consumer age.

1. Redefine Your Competitive Set

Successful companies stay fresh because they’re always looking for cues outside their industry.

Think back 15 years ago. Imagine the Blockbuster board sitting together. Did they have a conversation about this thing called the Internet? Did they ask themselves if they should be concerned, or were they only comparing their company to other video store chains? Clearly they didn’t place the right bets then, and as a result Blockbuster is obsolete.

Compare that story to a company like Tesla. If Tesla thought of itself as an automobile company, they would have viewed their competitors as other car makers. Instead they thought of themselves as a technology company, and defined their competitors as other companies in Silicon Valley. With that competitive view, they looked at the utilitarian car through a whole different lens.

Research by Ron Burt at the University of Chicago shows that having connections with companies and people outside your field is the No. 1 predictor of success. Having tons of connections with others in your field, in fact, often predicts less success. Think about it. Within your narrow field, you tend to hear the same ideas, which reaffirm what you already believe.

Pioneers in business are intellectually curious about many things. You don’t have to live in the C-suite to benefit from a broader network. No matter where you are in your career, start connecting with people from different backgrounds and in different fields. Being exposed to new ideas makes you think and work smarter.

2. Find Change Makers Inside Your Company

To remain wide-eyed and fresh, you have to think way outside the lines. And you want a team of people willing to take risks and change with you. But a team with too many rebel visionaries would take a company in all sorts of crazy directions.

So how do you build a team of productive change makers? Those in leadership positions have to paint a clear vision. Then, you do something that busy leaders often forget to do. Take a little time to listen, to really pay attention to the people at your company. You’ll see who wants to just scoot along, and who’s really hungry, who’s ready to embrace change.

You want people who ask good questions, who question assumptions. If you’re lucky, you’ll identify a large group of people on the inside for your core group. If not, bring in complementary people by whom you want to be influenced and challenged. Then merge the team so you can all move toward the same North Star.

3. Form a Cohesive Team That’s True to the Company’s Spirit

Every successful company has its own core values and spirit. At Pixar, everyone runs on creativity and loves bringing stories to life through animation. At Apple, most people are unbelievably curious. A tribe of people who share common core values and connect at a deep level can be a powerful asset during times of change.

At Sutter Health, where I’m Chief Marketing and Branding Officer, we share an undying commitment to our core mission: We want to help people. Everyone on my team has that inner passion, that inner spirit. We lean in when others lean away. We care more. It’s not enough to be the place people go when they feel sick. We want to empower people to do better, be better. And that’s the winning formula.

Connect with me on Twitter @tonkazona and follow our progress @SutterHealth