On to the future: HR Coworking Night #4 on perspectives as a leadership tool
They help children fall asleep and adults wake up: stories. The power of positive future visions for successful transformations was the focus of the 4th HR Coworking Night taking place at the Netural office in Linz.
In Rome, white smoke rose as around 50 HR executives in the Netural Loft, under enchanting wildflowers, answered the question: "What makes you believe in a bright future today?"
The central question of the evening was: "what can give us orientation today in a time characterized by fear and uncertainty, in which transformation processes often begin but more often stall." Host and Netural Chief People Officer Irene Bouchal-Gahleitner welcomed Barbara Infanger, Head of Event Services at the Linz Tourism Association and a bridge builder between culture and tourism, and Katharina Ehrenmüller, organizational consultant, innovation coach, and, among other things, co-founder of the Ministry for Curiosity & Future Aspiration, to the panel. Also present was entrepreneur and visionary Albert Ortig, who, as CEO of Netural, cited "staying on the move" as key to business success.
Barbara Infanger and Katharina Ehrenmüller presented the development of the Destination Strategy 2030 with the vision "4020 in 2040" for a new ecosystem for the city of Linz. A diary, preserved in a yellow time capsule, served as an artifact from the future — with a fictitious entry by the mayor of Linz dated August 22, 2040. It describes Linz as a lush, inner-city biotope, whose streets primarily belong to pedestrians and cyclists, and whose share of autonomous vehicles is already at 70%. A beautiful image!
5 theses: Shaping the future means narrating the future
I. The future is a space of possibilities – not a single plan.
There is no such thing as "the future", but rather many possible futures. Leadership today means opening up spaces for scenarios and drawing orientation from them – process-based, iterative, and courageous.
II. Traditional change processes fall short.
When things are constantly changing, developing strategies takes an absurdly long time. A magnet outside the organization is needed to act as a North Star for everyone.
III. The power lies in the path forward.
Transformation is not a project with a beginning and an end. It is an ongoing voyage – or flight. Organizations must learn to reinvent themselves while flying. This requires trust and perspective.
IV. Effectiveness is a symbol of dramatic change.
We are in an evolutionary transition phase in which AI is radically changing our world. Everyone must ask themselves how and where they can be (most) effective in the future.
V. The process of collaborative development is what counts.
A positive narrative tells us who we are, what's important to us, where we want to go, and how we'll overcome challenges. Visions of the future allow us to feel lighthearted and optimistic.
A brief look back for those who couldn't be there:
Conclusion of the evening
We need to go back to story telling! This also applies to work. Stories give us hope, meaning and confidence. That's what anthropologist Frithjof Bergmann originally meant with the term "New Work": We need work that truly fulfills and strengthens us.
As the evening drew to a close with delicious bowls and the delicate scent of roses, many positive visions of the future could be seen on the horizon.
Thank you to all guests for joining us!
If you are interested in our special format "HR Coworking Days for Executives," we look forward to hearing from you: www.netural.com/new-work
Take a risk, visit Linz: https://www.linztourismus.at/freizeit/reise-planen/gut-zu-wissen/strategie2030/die-marke-take-a-risk-visit-linz
