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Boosting Your Company Productivity
Here’s How Our Distributed Teams Can Boost Your Company Productivity
Having remote teams distributed around the world has a myriad of benefits when it comes to retaining employees and building a strong team. CultureSparq built our workforce to be highly skilled and efficient at working in a distributed way so they can meet the demands of the challenging work we do with startups and Fortune 500 companies.
While many companies are focused around the challenges of working with distributed teams — we want to share our experience and benefits encountered of being distributed and how it outweighs the challenges you may be facing.
8 Exciting Reasons Companies Like Working With Our Global Teams
We’re Highly Skilled In E-Commerce. Our teams our on a continuous learning journey to grow e-commerce industry through culture, data and technical excellence.
We’re Super Engaged: Our teams has a sense of accountability and goes out their way to take initiative and use communication to increase their productivity.
We Don’t Take Freedom For Granted: Our team members have incredible amounts of freedom to travel, spend time with family and participate in several other leisure activities to live a work-life balance so we are hyper-focused on making sure the work get done right and issues are resolved immediately.
We’re Global Citizens: Our team members are diverse and speak lots of different languages which enables us to approach challenges differently. We are learning so much about the world which allows them to bring in unique perspectives to your solution.
We’re Intentional About Our Team Synergy: Our Teams build a culture of trust by traveling the world to work together multiple times a year for exploratory reasons to keep ourselves mobilized at transforming companies as growing as subject matter experts.
We Keep You Covered: We have teams spread across different regions and time zones to provide businesses with a great ability to have better coverage in this global environment 24/7.
We’re Customer Focused: Before we start any project, we look to understand your customer's journey and deliver key results that differentiate your organization from your competition.
We’re A Leaner Option: We provide companies with lower overhead options. This means companies can be a bit leaner with no office space rent, furniture cost, electricity cost, water cooler, and other expenses.
Remember
To a small extent, work flexibility, better productivity, global coverage, and many personal benefits make distributed team one of the best business models any company may choose. It is an easy way to work with a happier workforce.
If you need to accelerate your deliverables with a high performing team or seeking a deeper understanding on how to get started, SCHEDULE some time with me.
CultureSparq is a strategy and design studio putting people at the center of everything we do. We think carefully about shaping the culture further and how our choices might affect the various outcomes we are facing as a team each day while delivering our projects.
We Build The Culture
How To Prepare For A Culture Transformation
Business Change Requires Cultural Transformation
Are you about to embark on a business transformation? If so, you must begin by preparing to execute a culture transformation across your organization.
In a hyper-competitive world, CEOs recognize that any significant change that must occur in business—requires a shift in the employees mindset from the conditioning of their attitudes, values, beliefs or priorities in such a way as to modify their behavior and that of the company’s culture.
As we learned over the years, it’s less impactful to engineer a business transformation through the creation of new processes, structure or planning initiatives alone, but must be accomplished with intentional focus on people from leadership behavior adjustments to leadership actions along with your employee inputs.
As we continue to mobilize a winning culture around the world, we discovered human interaction is form of professional intimacy which shows people are not robots and could not be transformed with the deployment of tools or processes as we do machines. CultureSparq uses both behavioral and attitudinal transformation techniques to achieve optimum performance with startups and Fortune 500 companies to attract the culture attention and increase their overall engagement.
Here’s what you can to do prepare
Gather information about your existing culture
Hire an impartial consultant to become an observer of your culture in action. Allow them to look at the employees and their interaction in your organization to learn where improvement is need for the transformation journey.
Develop and Communicate a Compelling Vision
Establish a clear and compelling vision for the desired change, outline the reasons for the change, and help employees understand how the change impacts their individual roles. This includes giving all your employees the platform to express their concerns, ask questions, and get the clarity they need to support the initiative.
Develop a Plan and Timeline
Map out a timeline with key milestones and an end goal where leaders can recognize and reward employee efforts, which will help build support for change along the way.
Help Employees Prepare
Demonstrate empathy for employees by showing a willingness to understand their worries and concerns by providing cash incentives, appreciation letters, and other programs for your employees to help foster a sense of belonging.
Pinpoint where training and re-skilling is needed
Understand and address your employee training needs early on.
Develop Diverse Team of Leaders Who Can Champion the Change
Identify and send leaders within the organization to a leadership training that teaches them how to coach employees, communicate expectations, and recognize employee behaviors that support culture transformation.
Diagnose challenges and identify opportunities
Figure out the root causes of issues the organization is facing and provide recommendations to improve them.
Remember
All transformation requires you to start with a Culture Transformation as the first step in your journey. This requires commitment and understanding from organizational leaders and your partners throughout the entire process.
As with any corporate initiative, it’s important to establish a vision, team of influential leaders, plan the process, and ensure employees have the necessary training and tools to do their part to support lasting culture transformation.
We are working with companies around the world to Build The Culture. Schedule sometime with me to learn how we can prepare your workforce for your Transformational Journey.
We Build The Culture
Rescuing Your Digital Strategy
CultureSparq.com | We Build The Culture
Why Companies Are Facing A Reboot?
Digital journeys are facing many hurdles and setbacks. From restructuring leadership to demanding faster value and pivoting on failed strategies.
We understand the road to digital transformation can be filled with bumps — as well as unexpected turns — but we also know companies with a commitment of the C-suite can be one of the most crucial indicators of final success. Which is why we recommend bringing on Digital Strategy Leaders that operate within the C-Suite to drive your digital initiatives,
Digital Strategy Leaders are needed to work with you to identify challenges and design your customer ecosystem as the catalysts for change. They will intimately research, design, prototype, and build experiences - to Sparq a digital transformation and deliver sustainable value for the company and customers.
As we are being impacted by this new reality of the COVID pandemic, companies are facing some of their biggest fears with their digital strategies from challenges of trying to do more with less, to getting large amount of work done in the shortest timeframe possible to investing in the cheapest—hopefully most qualified labor possible.
Unfortunately, leaders are now finding they will have to reboot their digital strategy to pivot-or-get left behind but we are here to share some areas so you can stay relentless in your pursuit of becoming a digital powerhouse with some reboot insights to get you back on focus.
Here are some lesson on a few areas digital transformation initiatives have gone awry and what you can do to avoid them.
Over Complicating The Digital Strategy
Every digital transformation journey should begin with the planning of a strategy based on data and research. The focus should be on simplifying processes through technology and ensuring that every department and individual employee has easy access to information they need.
Slow To Hire New Digital-Focused Leaders
We are in a digital era with multiple new C-level titles who are data-driven and customer centric focused. Companies need to act swiftly at onboarding leaders that can come on to simplify the organizational structure and deliver digital initiatives in an agile fashion.
Overuse Of The Wrong Technology
Allowing departments to choose their own tools, sounds great but it always leads to misaligned work environments where departments are locked into their own digital silo. Use tools that remove silos.
The Big Rework by Investing in Low-Cost Resources
Companies will have to partner with smaller agencies who are hyper-skilled in the areas you’re seeking to grow your investment. Hiring low-cost resources/teams with low-digital skills to deliver the work will typically result in a 30% to 50% of time spent doing rework they completed, which surprisingly is rarely measured. Start measuring the rework and invest in smaller but highly-skilled teams.
Having Large Amounts Of Work That Take You Off-Track
Companies will need to have a startup mindset when delivering work—along with readjusting timelines and budgets rather than killing their digital initiatives by allowing leaders to inject large amounts of work. Focus on delivering work iteratively in smaller chunks and make the customer experience remarkable.
Not Choosing The Right KPIs
Key performance indicators (KPIs) need to be chosen correctly for the project at the beginning and monitored steadily throughout. Be sure to select the correct KPIs for your business, the digital transformation journey, and your end-users.
Doesn’t Visualize What Success Will Look Like
Utilize Design Thinking to help your people visualize the flow on how the Digital Strategy will deliver something better for the customer. Creating a visual context that encompasses storytelling can even make the management of the digital transformation easier. Visually Map out your journey using a puzzle strategy as your change management to communicate the final picture.
Remember
A staggering 70% of digital transformations fail. While most companies and executives know how crucial it is to evolve with technology and create digital processes and solutions — putting it into action is a different story. Many companies have endeavored on digital transformations, only to hit roadblocks over and over again. CultureSparq will be here to help you overcome them.
If you need to get out of your normal way of thinking and bring in some new and fresh ideas with a team of digital strategist who are successful in having different point-of-view and success at leading transformations — SCHEDULE some time with us where we will ask you some tough questions to level-up your curiosity and help you achieve the impossible in your Digital Transformation journey.
We Build The Culture!
Think Like A CEO: 10 Bold Moves
CultureSparq.com | We Build The Culture!
Boldness….if you don’t make history, you don’t exist!
Being bold requires a fearless mindset and intellectual stamina to sustain long-term growth. Although, we believe there is no single model for success. We do know, having the right mindset can make or break your career.
When I think of CEOs, certain habits, traits and practices come to mind. Things like strategic decision-making — allowing for circumstances to unfold before rushing into something, and listening to and asking for feedback to surface to make smart decisions.
The CEO Mindset is about taking time out each day to take a step back and look at the long-term direction of your business. It's about looking at the big picture and knowing how to share a compelling vision on what you're working towards.
As we help businesses transform into a new reality, we are noticing a handful of CEOs performing beyond their expectations because of the bold moves they make.
We like to share some ways to help direct your boldness on a path towards transforming your business by thinking like a bold CEO and it all starts with your Mindset which leads to the ability to acquire new skills to compete in this competitive landscape.
So we thought it would be a good idea to pick out 10 BOLD moves we see CEOs doing to separate themselves from the crowd in their Digital Transformation Journey.
10 Bold Moves
Adopt a transformation mindset: Make the transformation personal by modeling the desired mind-sets and behavior to put the transformation into focus.
Cut in order to grow: Treat your cuts as investments opportunities by investing more in other areas to move faster over time.
Assault the status quo: Don’t settle for the old ways of doing things, make trying new and unpopular things comfortable as a way of doing business.
Pursue strategic M&A and divestitures to improve the company’s portfolio: Acquire companies that spell out a common purpose can motivate, retain and align employees around long-term goals.
Boost productivity through digitization: Unlearn your business and use platforms to modernize your business smarter, safer and faster.
Do what others are afraid to do: Be vulnerable about what you don’t know and allow people who are more competent to lead conversations where you feel less informed.
Make a difference that benefits humanity: Let your voice be heard, but do not get so caught up in daily crises where you miss out on emerging opportunities.
Act Fast: Have the willingness to take bold and rapid action to either pivot-or-persevere fast..
Build The Culture: Establish your brand identity, social impact and profits around your Corporate culture and use it to energize the actions and deliverables of your employees
Create and sell a Compelling Vision: Set aspirational targets and announced them externally.
Remember
If you desire to make the big difference you want and what the market needs, you must practice bold leadership. Bold leadership requires courage and a commitment to change. Genuine, bold leaders are trailblazers who create a significant paradigm shift that improves the current situation. They are the ones who Make history.
We Build The Culture
Are Program Managers the new CEO?
CultureSparq.com | We Build The Culture!
What is Program Management?
Program management is the process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization's performance.
Along with CEOs, Program Management leaders will apply Whole Brain Thinking by fully leveraging one's own preferences, stretch to other quadrants when necessary, and adapt to and take advantage of the preferences of those around them to improve performance and results.
They posses key skills to Power-up from Big Picture Thinking and Selling the Vision, Superior Analytical Skills, Leadership and Team building, Communication, Influencing and Negotiating, Conflict Resolution, Stakeholder Management, Tool Mastery and Consolidation and can Plan with Precision to create successful outcomes.
Program managers organize multiple projects and prepare for how they influence one another. This requires an array of knowledge and skills related to project management, business, and organizational leadership.
Today, we want to share the sources of Program Management power and why we feel they are on track to becoming a CEO.
Key Areas On How Program Managers Are Powering-Up To Level-Up
Think Big And Can Sell A Compelling Vision
They are thoughtful in assessing and developing the vision and mission statement to sell the program vision and benefits to the various stakeholders.
Have Superior Analytical Skills
Possesses Technical mastery to—quickly and thoroughly—gather and integrate information then use big data to make the right decisions for both the customer and organization.
Are Good Leaders In Team Building
They know how to build the culture across the organization, collaborate with different domain areas within the company with the ability to build relationships with key leaders of influence to increase overall success.
Effective Communicators
Program managers stay connected in the midst of uncertainty. They practice being master communicators and can use their voice to communicate with stakeholders on the priorities, data analytics and methodologies to make the program successful.
Good At Influencing And Negotiating
They have political savviness and can Influence and negotiate what they want and need for the program. They’re all about getting people to agree on the substance to drive towards the best outcomes.
Know How To Deal With Conflict
They know how to confront conflict and address it head on. They understand increasing performance velocity, includes removing conflict early in order to accelerate decision-making and the program to move forward.
Good At Stakeholder Management
They are good diplomats and uses their skills to manage expectations; understand stakeholder desires, needs, and requirements; and seek to collaborate with them to get the job done.
Manage Planning With Precision
They will assess the situation and put their project plans together to manage the risks so they can match, and manage resources to execute those plans. They will document the program artifacts and keep them transparent for the rest of the organization to learn.
Tool Mastery And Consolidation
They will possess the toolkit and techniques acquired over the years and use them throughout the program life-cycle to solve problems, gather and analyze information and increase the productivity of the program.
Remember
The first step in gaining proficiency towards the CEO role is to consistently assess your current knowledge and skills along with discussing out loud your wins and fails. As we mentioned in previous posts, you will need to conduct monthly pivot-or-persevere meetings to understand what areas you need to work on; however, don't forget to also reinforce your superpowers. Too often we waste time working on our weaknesses, when in reality we would be better off focusing on improving our strengths.
Gain Insight Today
Our Portfolio Program Managers have gained a solid understanding on how to address your current needs based on where you are today and need to go tomorrow. We encourage all CEOs and leaders to invest in Program Managers that are agile and can coach and advise you on the inner flow of the company deliverables so you too can stay Powered-up.
If you need more insights, please SCHEDULE a 1-on-1 with me to learn how we use our Principle Program Managers to build your companyDNA.
We Build The Culture
8 Strategy Questions You Should Ask Yourself
CultureSparq.com | We Build The Culture
Strategy is about knowing what questions to ask
Over the years we’ve shared how important it is for leaders to mobilize a winning culture in order to boost the productivity levels in their teams. Every quarter we sit down with a dozen of leaders and entrepreneurs to reflect on what’s working and not working when seeking to build their digital transformation initiatives to increase performance velocity. This process starts with asking tough questions to address the current situation.
In order to be more creative at building you digital strategy — we identified 8 questions to help you as a strategy leader increase your workforce performance. We believe these questions can often be an easy-miss during the current COVID situation.
In this post, you’ll learn some insightful questions asked with our current and future strategy leaders representing different backgrounds and industries — we hope these questions will help you gain personal insights into what to ask your own CEO about their intent for the business.
8 Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Are we investing in the right technologies? You will need to know what problem or inefficiency do you want the new technology to solve.
2. How can we become more adaptable to change? You will need to seek talent with Soft skills and establish an Agile environment full of opportunities such as games or simulations to gain remarkable experience in problem solving and adapting to change.
3. Are we secure? You will need to become a data advocate by education employees about data risks and make sure your workforce knows basic security best practices, such as how to identify a phishing scam and not to open links and attachments from unfamiliar email senders.
4. Does the culture promote employee well-being by improving their mental and physical health? Culture is everything and you will need to foster a culture by redesigning performance management in a way that motivates employees; allowing for greater flexibility, such as the option to work remotely; and offering benefits that support healthy lifestyles and choices.
5. How can we better attract, recruit, and retain talent? You will need to set yourself and your team apart by emphasizing the positive aspects of the job. These might include unique benefits, learning paths, the ability to work remotely, location, or company culture.
6. What emerging trend will have the highest impact, and how can we build effective strategy? You will need to be a Sprinter with Bold ambitions by looking down the road and anticipate which trends, technological developments and other disruptive factors will influence the business and respond effectively.
7. Are we providing employees with the tools they need to be productive? You will need to improve productivity by seeking tools to simplify the user experience.
8. How can we gain an edge on the competition? You will need to personalize the connection with your customers in an authentic way to reinforce your company brand by being accountable first and taking a stand on issues bigger than the company itself.
Remember
Change is a mindset. Culture can mean many things too many people, but one thing is very clear when it comes to culture in any organization. It comes from the top. Which is why we advise our CEOs to create a process for the executive team to ask tough questions about the company strategy — but first it starts with asking yourself the tough questions.
Instantly strengthen your organizational strategy with the help of CultureSparq.
Schedule some time with me to learn how things work by having a 1:1 conversation about specific areas that can accelerate growth.